Geochemical Data Science Fellow

About Cascade

Join Cascade Climate, a global nonprofit propelling high-potential climate solutions from the margins to the mainstream.

The climate crisis has outpaced our response. We need dramatically expanded efforts on large-scale durable carbon removal for climate restoration, near-term warming mitigation, and potential interventions to avoid triggering irreversible tipping points. Many promising solutions remain sidelined not because they lack potential, but because they haven't gotten the push needed to overcome adoption bottlenecks.

We founded Cascade to provide that push. We do this by leading ambitious initiatives spanning markets, policy and science to overcome the biggest bottlenecks to progress. Cascade is philanthropically backed and since its launch in 2023 has built a strong funding base with support from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Grantham Foundation, Quadrature Climate Foundation, and others.

Cascade’s initial focus has been advancing the development of Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) as a promising climate-smart agriculture and carbon removal solution, underpinned by its scientific evidence base and its potential for gigaton-scale, durable carbon dioxide removal.

About The Role

We’re looking for an earth scientist with a strong background in data science to lead an intensive, one-year push in analyzing ERW field data. The candidate will work with our team of environmental geochemists to develop an analytical framework for assimilating and analyzing field data, culminating in the issuance of external reports to key stakeholders. Work products may also include published meta-analyses, depending on the aptitudes and career aspirations of the fellow. While the core of the position will be data science, the candidate will be expected to frequently engage with external stakeholders to obtain context for the data and to develop key data analysis objectives.

The position is structured as a nine-month, extendable, full time fellowship. For exceptionally well-qualified candidates, we will also consider a part-time consulting arrangement, if that is the candidate’s preference.

Major Roles And Responsibilities

• Assimilating diverse datastreams into a common analysis framework that can be applied consistently
• Performing statistical analysis on complex, messy datasets to determine climate, agronomic, and ecosystem impacts of ERW deployments
• Liaising with ERW project developers and other key stakeholders to obtain feedback on desired outputs and methods of the project
• Authoring formal meta-analyses of data for publication.
  
  
  

Core Skills And Experiences  

• At least 3 years of experience munging and analyzing large, messy earth science datasets to produce rigorous statistical conclusions
• An advanced degree in earth science, geochemistry, environmental engineering, data science, statistics, or similar - or equivalent work experience.
• Proficiency in at least one common language for data analysis (R or Python preferred)
• Ability to use common statistical methods for error quantification and uncertainty analysis.
• Fluency in environmental geochemistry, at least equivalent to knowledge gained from an upper-level graduate course on the topic.
  
  
  

Preferred Skills And Experiences

• Experience working with environmental geochemistry datasets, and extra bonus if related to enhanced rock weathering or other carbon dioxide removal pathways.
• A Ph.D. in earth science, geochemistry, environmental engineering, data science, statistics, or similar.
• Experience managing a relational database (e.g. PostGreSQL)
• Proficiency in multiple languages for data analysis.
• Experience using version control platforms such as GitHub.
• Knowledge of both frequentist and Bayesian statistical paradigms and experience building inferential statistical models.
• Experience with process-based (bio)geochemical modeling.
  
  
  

More generally, we are looking for someone with the following mindsets and interests that are at the heart of Cascade’s culture

• Palpably demonstrates the empathy, humility and contagious curiosity that are at the heart of Cascade’s culture
• Ability to embrace tension and ‘inhabit’ both sides or perspectives on an issue
• Uncommonly strong self-driven learning habits with clear evidence of this hungry auto-didacticism in your past education and work experience.
• Comfort working under uncertainty and ambiguity without any clear right answer
• Naturally high standards and expectations of yourself while avoiding letting “perfect get in the way of really good” so that you can deliver strong work quickly
  
  
  

Location   

Cascade is headquartered in Boston and has hubs in Washington D.C., New York City, and the Bay Area. We have a preference for candidates located in one of these four hubs, but candidates working remotely will also be considered.

Diversity     

At Cascade, we believe that a diverse, inclusive team is essential to advancing our mission. We’re committed to recruiting, hiring, and supporting a team that reflects the communities we serve and brings a wide range of perspectives to the table.

Cascade is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Work Authorization:

Please note that Cascade Climate is unable to sponsor H-1B work visas for this role. For full-time applicants, candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for H-1B visa sponsorship at the time of application.

Compensation:

The salary will be pro-rated for a 9-month period. It will be determined based on a variety of factors, including the candidate’s experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity within our team.

As a full-time, fixed-term employee, the fellow will be eligible for a prorated set of benefits.