The Frederick S. Pardee Institute for International Futures is the home of long-term forecasting and global trend analysis at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies. International Futures (IFs) is a large-scale, long-term, integrated global modeling system that represents demographic, economic, health, energy, agriculture, education, infrastructure, socio-political, environmental, and international politics subsystems for 188 countries interacting in the global system. The Pardee Institute works heavily on sponsored research projects with various government institutions, international organizations, NGOs, and to a lesser extent, private sector clients. The Pardee Institute is committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and staff who, in turn, are committed to working in a pluralistic environment.

Position Summary

This is a senior, high-level research position within Pardee. The senior scientist plays a crucial role in advancing Pardee’s research agenda, contributing to knowledge generation, and informing policy and practice in relevant areas of social science. The senior scientist provides expertise in research, conceptualization, and development of computing models to support the Pardee Institute’s IFs platform.
The senior scientist reports directly to the Institute Director, with a dotted line to the Director of Operations. As senior staff, the senior scientist is regarded as a strategic advisor on research direction setting and as a key contributor to building internal capacity for wide-ranging and sophisticated research using IFs. The senior scientist is accountable for deliverables and deadlines on all projects and tasks that they are assigned to lead.

Essential Functions

• Communication and Timeliness: Communicate regularly and often with the Director and Director of Operations on individual and team work-plan progress. Communicate regularly and often with project team members on progress and as developments arise. Meet deadlines consistently.
• Collaboration: Foster and contribute to building a collaborative research environment that encourages the exchange of ideas and direction setting.
• Model Development: Develop and expand core areas of the IFs platform.
• Software Development: Design and develop user interfaces for the IFs model; set up IFs development system; troubleshoot system.
• Data Analysis: Analyze data collected from research projects using statistical or qualitative analysis techniques, depending on the nature of the research.
• Publication and Dissemination: Contribute to the publication of research findings in academic journals, books, briefs, reports, or other written deliverables. May also present findings at conferences or seminars to disseminate knowledge within the academic community and beyond.
• Research Design and Implementation: Lead or and contribute to the design of research projects, including developing research questions, selecting methodologies, and designing data collection instruments.
• Grant Writing and Funding Acquisition: Help secure funding for research projects by writing grant proposals and seeking funding opportunities from government agencies, private foundations, or other sources.
• Supervision and Mentoring: May supervise junior researchers, providing guidance and mentorship to help them develop their research skills and advance their careers.
• Collaboration and Networking: Collaborate with colleagues within the research institute as well as with external partners such as other research institutions, government agencies, or nonprofit organizations to facilitate interdisciplinary research and knowledge exchange.
• Policy Engagement: Engage with policymakers and stakeholders to translate research findings into actionable policy recommendations or to influence public discourse on relevant social issues.
• Strategic Planning: Contribute to strategic planning initiatives within the research center, helping to set research priorities, define objectives, and allocate resources effectively.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Expertise in developing the International Futures model.
• Knowledgeable with advanced statistical analysis (or with demonstrated ability to become knowledgeable), with an ability to apply techniques to real-world data and produce analysis for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong project management skills, including (but not limited to): tracking and communicating progress of toward milestones/deliverables; coordinating multiple tasks toward completion; communicating and managing expectations with subordinates and supervisors; and effective resource management.
• Excellent technical writing skills.
• Ability to create professional quality presentations and visualizations on relevant research products.
• Ability to organize and efficiently manipulate data in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong communication skills. Anticipates, understands, and meets the communication needs of colleagues, clients, and audiences; quick to communicate knowledge of new developments that could impact deliverables, timing, resourcing, direction, etc.
• Careful attention to detail; demonstrated ability to thoroughly check and validate their own work and collaborative works.
• Excellent time management; ability to respond to changing circumstances quickly and effectively.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Development Economics, Environmental Policy, International Relations, Political Science, Demography, Economics, Public Policy, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in high quality social science research related to international development, security, and/or the environment using quantitative methods.
• Supervisory experience of hourly employees and/or students.
• Experience developing integrated assessment models.
• Demonstrated leadership in academic publications.

Preferred Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in high quality social science research using IFs.

Working Environment

1. Standard office environment.
2. Unexpected interruptions occur often and stress level is moderate to high.
3. Noise level is quiet to moderate.

Physical Activities

1. Ability to sit in front of a computer for an extended period of time.
2. Occasionally required to move about the office/campus with the capability of transporting objects up to 20 lbs.

Work Schedule

The University’s administrative offices are open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Work schedule may vary.

In accordance with the University’s flexible work policy, this position is eligible to be considered for partial remote work. Further details regarding this plan will be determined with the hiring manager and are dependent on the division and team specific needs.

Application Deadline

For consideration, please submit your application materials by 4:00 p.m. (MST) December 10, 2024.

Special Instructions

Candidates must apply online through jobs.du.edu to be considered. Only applications submitted online will be accepted.

Salary Grade Number:

The salary grade for the position is 15.

Salary Range:

The salary range for this position is $115,000 - $140,000.

The University of Denver has provided a compensation range that represents its good faith estimate of what the University may pay for the position at the time of posting. The University may ultimately pay more or less than the posted compensation range. The salary offered to the selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information, but not based on a candidate’s sex or any other protected status.

Benefits:

The University of Denver offers excellent benefits, including medical, dental, retirement, paid time off, tuition benefit and ECO pass. The University of Denver is a private institution that empowers students who want to make a difference. Learn more about the University of Denver.

Please include the following documents with your application:

1. Resume
2. Cover Letter

The University of Denver is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital, family, or parental status, pregnancy or related conditions, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. The University of Denver does not discriminate and prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, creed, disability, sex (including sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression), marital family, and parental status, pregnancy, genetic information, military enlistment, or veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance in any of the University’s educational programs and activities, and in the employment (including application for employment) and admissions (including application for admission) context, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; the Americans with Disabilities Act; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; the Age Discrimination Act of 1975; the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967; the Equal Pay Act; the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act; the Colorado Protecting Opportunities and Worker's Rights ("POWR") Act; and any other federal, state, and local laws, regulations, or ordinances that prohibit discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation. For more information, please see the University of Denver's Non‑Discrimination‑Statement.

All offers of employment are contingent upon satisfactory completion of a criminal history background check.