Postdoctoral Fellow-Climate Economics

About SEI Africa
SEI Africa is based in Nairobi, Kenya, and is hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre. The centre collaborates with African governments, organizations and networks, acting as a hub for SEI's engagement across the continent. The centre's work focuses on four key areas: energy and climate; natural resources and ecosystems; sustainable urbanization; and health and environment.

The role
The Postdoctoral Fellow will play a vital role in developing country-level economic research that informs and builds country-level cases for adaptation and financing of adaptation in the national planning and budgeting processes, while supporting partner governments, academic institutions, communities and the private sector to use evidence and innovation to drive effective solutions to the climate challenge. The Fellow will build capacity for both institutional and individual partners, through carrying out research and by using the resulting evidence to inform policy and investment decision-making.

The Postdoctoral Fellow will be part of the SEI Africa Climate and Energy research cluster and work in a participatory, stakeholder-centred, co-development environment. They will work with a broad group of stakeholders, including national and subnational policymakers, international organizations, climate scientists, economists, research institutions, data providers, civil society organizations, and climate at-risk and vulnerable groups and communities.

Key Duties And Responsibilities
Bottom-up costs and benefits analysis
Based on inputs from the climate modelling team, the Postdoctoral Fellow will deliver economic assessments of proposed climate policy actions emanating from climate modelling and impact assessment studies. Key tasks include but are not limited to:

• Design and application of a robust methodology relevant to assessing the economic and fiscal impacts of proposed climate policy actions emanating from the climate modelling and impact assessment studies, taking into account the global greenhouse gas emissions scenarios, the ensemble of downscaled global climate models, and measures included in the proposed policy matrix.
• Working closely with SEI, the ), government departments and experts to collect and source relevant data for analysis.
• Bottom-up scenario analyses to assess regional and national-scale economic impacts of climate-related disasters (floods and droughts) for selected African countries, stemming from the modelling and impact assessment studies, and associated direct and indirect costs on key climate-sensitive economic sectors, including energy, agriculture and food systems, forestry, tourism, biodiversity and ecosystem services.
• Bottom-up scenario analysis of the health costs of climate change, including the costs of lost labour productivity from illness and premature deaths attributed to climate-related disasters (floods and droughts) and declining urban air quality.
• Bottom-up scenario analysis of the costs of climate-related disasters on infrastructure, including the potential direct and indirect costs of property damage from increased flooding and infrastructure damage from rising global temperatures.
• Bottom-up scenario analysis of potential economic benefits of proactive adaptation measures for energy, agriculture and food systems, forestry, ecosystems, biodiversity, tourism, infrastructure and health, projected by each climate model and emissions scenario in terms of avoided damages.

Top-down macroeconomic impact assessment
Based on inputs from the bottom-up cost-benefit analyses, the Postdoctoral Fellow will deliver macroeconomic assessments to help governments, businesses and consumers make informed decisions. Key tasks and/or expected outputs include but are not limited to:

• Integration of the findings of the bottom-up costs-benefits analysis into top-down macroeconomic models of selected African economies to simulate national-scale economic damages from climate impacts, including jobs and income losses, cost of living, export losses, productivity and GDP losses, investment risks, and government spending through the end of the century, for the same global greenhouse gas emissions scenarios and the ensemble of downscaled global climate models.
• Integration of the findings of the bottom-up costs-benefits analysis into top-down macroeconomic models of selected African economies to simulate national-scale economic benefits of proactive adaptation measures, including avoided direct costs, such as avoided disruption of supply chains, avoided loss of labour productivity, and avoided loss of income.
• covering the aforementioned sectors' context, proposing fiscal policy reforms and investment opportunities, and describing the rationale and challenges for implementing the policy reforms and transmission mechanisms, while outlining the economic benefits of the policy reforms on the aforementioned climate-sensitive sectors, clearly stating the underlying assumptions, including the possible adverse scenarios that are being assessed.
• Additional support and contributions, as required, including drafting of peer-reviewed publications, technical reports, and policy briefs, as well as the preparation of project concept notes, research proposals and grant applications in accordance with SEI strategic objectives.

*Who you are*
We are looking for a researcher with a strong interest and proven track record in analysing the economics of climate change, including the ability to manage large datasets and interpret complex economic and financial models.

Essential Qualifications, Skills, And Competencies

• A PhD in applied economics or a related field with 4 to 6 years of in-depth experience in climate micro- and macroeconomic modelling and comparative analytics, including cost effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of development programs, and knowledge of public financial management.
• Proficiency in applying advanced economic theory to analyse and design policies related to climate change.
• Peer-reviewed publications on micro- and macro-microeconomic modelling of the fiscal policy of climate change is a must.
• Results-oriented, as demonstrated by good planning and organizational skills, with the ability to meet tight deadlines, manage competing demands, and work effectively under pressure.
• Demonstrable track record of fundraising from a variety of funding agencies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strategic partnerships and to communicate and advocate across a diverse range of stakeholders, including media, academia, partners, civil society, government and the private sector.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate complex economic information to diverse audiences.

Additional Information
With a multinational team, SEI Africa welcomes applicants from all genders, nationalities, and social backgrounds for all posts and provides an internationally competitive level non-governmental organization salary and benefits package. All employee contracts are under Kenyan labour law.

How To Apply
SEI is an equal opportunity employer, and we consider all applicants based on qualifications and competencies, regardless of race, national origin, religious beliefs, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, and marital status. We are committed to ensuring diversity and equality within our organization, and applicants from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

We are reviewing applications on an ongoing basis, so please submit your application as soon as possible, but no later than 12 December 23:59 Nairobi local time. Applications should be written in English and consist of a short CV and cover letter highlighting relevant qualifications, experience, and publications.

As we only accept applications through our recruitment system, please apply online using the button below and include:

• Cover letter highlighting relevant qualifications and experience (two pages maximum)
• Curriculum vitae (three pages maximum)
• List of publications

Inquiries concerning the content of the position can be directed to:

Questions regarding the recruitment process can be directed to:

About SEI
Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research institute that tackles environment and sustainable development challenges.

We empower partners to meet these challenges through cutting-edge research, knowledge, tools and capacity building. Scientific quality and integrity are foundations of our work. Partnership is at the heart of our approach, leading to change that lasts.

Our work connects science to policy and practice, aiming to drive tangible impacts. It spans climate change, natural resources, water, air, and health, and addresses questions of governance, innovation, finance, poverty, gender equality and social equity.

We are committed to transparency and full disclosure of our funding. The Government of Sweden is our largest funder, and we also receive funds from a range of public research funders, philanthropic foundations, bilateral and multilateral development agencies, governments, NGOs and other partners.

Through SEI's HQ and seven centres around the world, we engage with policy, practice and development action for a sustainable, prosperous future for all.