Program Scientist

Responsibilities

Grantmaking and Strategic Leadership:

• Set the scientific vision and ensure the success of the Earth system modeling portfolio.
• Lead all aspects of annual grantmaking for multi-million dollar awards, assessing opportunities, evaluating the impact, and managing diverse recipient organizations.
• Manage a complex, international portfolio: milestones, risk, inter‑team dependencies, and synthesis of technical progress into model‑facing outputs ready for integration into global modeling centers.
• Build cross-disciplinary collaborations across Earth and energy science communities, integrating models and data from currently siloed communities, and ultimately tailoring model outputs to the needs of climate action.
• Serve as an expert advisor on scientific topics for the climate team, including coupled model development, climate emulators, AI and machine learning, Earth system model scenarios, carbon emissions and attribution, and climate mitigation.
• Review and vet research proposals for scientific promise and viability, in conjunction with the broader Climate team.
• Work with other parts of Schmidt Sciences while bringing an objective scientific approach to a variety of societal and organizational challenges.
• Architect, launch, and lead the next phase of VESRI beginning with the Climate Modeling Challenge, including leading RFP process.
• Drive the internal project assessment process for new and ongoing projects and ensure that the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning framework captures key insights for assessing progress and/or alignment within the context of the program’s core priorities and the broader Climate Institute.

Partner and Awardee Engagement:

• Broker collaborations with modeling centers to incorporate advances into legacy and next‑gen models without compromising stability or generalizability.
• Serve as a credible scientific counterpart to PIs, modeling centers, computing partners, and funders; represent the program in talks, briefings, and synthesis reports.
• Enable awardees to achieve impact by providing expertise and technical assistance, as appropriate.
• Clearly and consistently communicate with awardees, team, and other partners in a transparent, timely, and respectful manner.
• Organize Schmidt Sciences-sponsored meetings of awardees, advisors, and field experts.
• Identify organizations — including universities, labs, other research facilities, and philanthropic and government organizations — that could work in concert with Schmidt Sciences on efforts relating to Climate.
• Represent Schmidt Sciences effectively in meetings, presentations, public forums, and conferences, engaging with awardees, leaders across sectors, officials, academics, and journalists.

Portfolio Development and Organizational Leadership:

• Manage the award proposal process to ensure the overall scientific priorities in the carbon portfolio and set future directions for engagement.
• Conduct oversight, management, and evaluation of grants/gifts in the portfolio.
• Refine portfolio strategies, pursue new grantmaking opportunities, and conduct research in strategic priority areas.
• Integrate strategic communications and evaluation into grantmaking; foster ongoing learning among grantees and staff to inform strategy; and synthesize and share insights.
• Help to design programs and strategies that draw upon one or more scientific disciplines related to the program.
• Continually monitor and address complex legal, financial, and technical issues that may arise in partnership with Schmidt Sciences grantmaking teams.
• Create strategy documents, presentations, etc. for Schmidt Sciences leadership and founders.
• Provide support for all existing Climate Institute programs by providing networking assistance, scientific expertise, and mentorship, as needed, and by working closely and collaboratively with the teams responsible for delivery.
• Work with other members of the Schmidt Sciences team to drive organizational priorities and role model our values.

Skillset

• A scientific doctorate from an accredited institution.
• Demonstrated track record of scientific accomplishments, evidenced by peer-reviewed publications, patents, successful grant applications, or contributions to innovative research projects, ensuring the ability to bring expertise and insights to advance scientific objectives.
• At least 7 years of work experience, preferably with at least some experience in non-profits, philanthropy, or government post PhD.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and a record of impact in high-intensity, team-based environments.
• The highest integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.