Part-time Science Engagement Fellowship – Energy

Background
The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) is offering a unique opportunity for a highly motivated PhD student or postdoctoral researcher to engage with the RMetS’s Science Engagement activities and work with our team under a part-time Fellowship programme. Applicants are welcome from a variety of meteorological backgrounds, however this position will have a focus on the energy sector.

The overarching purpose of the part-time Fellowship programme is to support the RMetS to deliver some of its strategic objectives through interdisciplinary activities and the communication of the science to a broad audience. Ongoing priorities for the Society include building engagement with the energy and insurance sectors, and improving support for youth and early career individuals who are considering, or currently working in, a career related to weather and climate.

Our part-time Fellowship programme is embedded across the Society, with the potential to influence ongoing activities and deliver new initiatives in events and publishing, whilst supporting growth in membership, accreditation and partnerships.

The RMetS is the UK’s Professional and Learned Society for weather and climate and its mission is to advance the understanding of weather and climate and its application for the benefit of all. The RMetS plays a key role as the custodian of both the science and the profession of meteorology in the UK and has an important role to play internationally as one of the world’s largest meteorological societies.

Role

To help steer and build the Society’s engagement with the energy sector, an RMetS Energy Special Interest Group (SIG) was formed in 2022. The Energy SIG aims to sustain, encourage and progress engagement between meteorology and the energy sector, with expert members from both academia and industry.

The energy Science Engagement Fellow has a key role in managing, developing and promoting the RMetS Energy SIG and its deliverables to build the Society’s engagement with the energy sector.

This exciting role enables the successful applicant to engage with non-academic stakeholders to build multidisciplinary partnerships, develop engagement skills and experiences, enhance their profile with stakeholders and leading academics, and grow their research impact.

The position will work closely with the Science Engagement Committee, Science Engagement Manager and the other part-time Science Engagement Fellow on sector engagement initiatives, as well as other activities that are part of the RMetS’s Science Engagement Strategy.

Responsibilities

• Project manage and develop the RMetS Energy SIG and its deliverables. This could involve producing and commissioning content such as blog posts, events, reports, briefing papers and peer-reviewed journal content, for specialists and non-specialists, with guidance from SIG members. It may also require delegating tasks to the other part-time Science Engagement Fellow.
• Work with the Energy SIG to follow up on the key themes raised at the RMetS Energy Forum in 2023 and explore how RMetS can best support the sector on these topics into the future.
• Proactively represent and promote the RMetS and the Energy SIG at sector relevant events and meetings, whilst identifying new opportunities.
• Lead on programme development for the Energy SIG’s seasonal forecasting webinar in Autumn 2024.
• Support the RMetS partnerships team with ongoing and new partnership opportunities within the energy sector.
• Provide expertise and guidance to the Society on the energy sector.
• Support the delivery of other science engagement activities within the Society’s Science Engagement Strategy, such as events, career resources, briefing papers, communiques and RMetS’s Climate Change Communication Training.
• Work with and support as required the part-time Science Engagement Fellow responsible for the RMetS Insurance SIG.

Requirements
The successful candidate will ideally have:

• A good knowledge of the science of weather and/or climate, and its applications to the energy sector, as well as a passion for the subject;
• Knowledge of the UK’s energy sector and the role of key stakeholders;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and experience of meeting and working with people from a range of backgrounds and disciplines;
• Ability to communicate complex concepts in a way that is appropriate to the target audience;
• Confidence to represent the Energy SIG at external meetings and events;
• Well-developed organisational skills and the ability to establish and manage simultaneous projects;
• Ability to prioritise own workload as not continuously supervised;
• Able to use standard software packages (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
• All applicants are required to demonstrate the right to work in the UK.

Mini Fellowship funding: £7,500 - £8,500 per annum, part-time (approx. 8 hours per week)
Application: To apply for this role, please send your CV, and a cover letter to [email protected]. Within your cover letter please demonstrate your knowledge of and experience with the energy sector, how your skills align with this role, and the rationale for applying.

Closing Date: The closing date for applications is 26 March 2024, however, we will be reviewing applications as they are submitted. Interviews will take place during the last two weeks of April.
Start date: June 2024
Duration: 12 months initially

Location: This will be a remote working role, with opportunities to visit Society headquarters and relevant RMetS events.
Support: The role will be supervised by the RMetS Science Engagement Manager. Expenses will be reimbursed in line with the RMetS’s Expenses Policy.

If you require adjustments to allow you to apply for the role (for example application forms in a different format, wheelchair access for interviews etc), please contact the Society to discuss (0118 2080 142).  

The Royal Meteorological Society values diversity of background and perspective and is committed to treating all people equally and with respect irrespective of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation