Postdoctoral Associate, Institute for Global Sustainability

The BU Institute for Global Sustainability is seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented Postdoctoral Associate to join the interdisciplinary research team of the Clean Energy and Environment Legacy Transition (CELT) Initiative a partnership between Boston University UMass Lowell and the government of Massachusetts. This role focuses on the intersection of energy systems public health environmental sustainability and energy affordabilityadvancing understanding of how energy production distribution consumption and policy affect human health environmental quality and equitable access to clean energy.

The successful candidate will conduct quantitative research integrating multiple research streams:

(1) quantifying health impacts of energy systems through air pollution greenhouse gas emissions extreme heat and environmental inequities; and

(2) analyzing energy affordability dynamics through cost structures clean energy adoption electricity markets and socioeconomic factors.

Working collaboratively with faculty researchers and external partners across engineering public health environmental science economics public policy and social science the Postdoctoral Associate will apply advanced analytical methods to evaluate interconnections between energy affordability climate health and equity. This research will support evidence-based decision-making that promotes clean affordable resilient and equitable energy systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct interdisciplinary research examining relationships between energy systems air quality climate change public health and energy affordability
• Analyze large and complex environmental health demographic emissions energy utility socioeconomic and market datasets using advanced statistical and computational methods
• Quantify health impacts of energy production and consumption including exposure to air pollutants greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related hazards
• Evaluate public health co-benefits and equity outcomes of clean energy technologies electrification renewable energy deployment and emissions reduction strategies
• Conduct quantitative analyses of energy affordability and energy burden using large-scale datasets from utilities government agencies and research partners
• Clean integrate and manage diverse datasets ensuring high standards of data quality reproducibility and scientific rigor
• Develop refine and work on models to identify drivers of energy burden health impacts and evaluate clean energy interventions
• Integrate data from environmental monitoring networks satellite observations health surveillance systems energy models utility systems and geospatial databases
• Prepare scientific manuscripts technical reports policy briefs and presentations for academic government and industry audiences
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams and stakeholder groups
• Present research findings at scientific conferences and stakeholder workshops

About the Opportunity

The CELT Initiative at the BU Institute for Global Sustainability provides a collaborative research environment committed to addressing global sustainability challenges. Postdoctoral researchers have opportunities to work alongside recognized faculty engage with government and industry partners publish high-impact research in leading academic journals and contribute to solutions that improve the health affordability resilience and sustainability of energy systems. This is an excellent opportunity for an early-career researcher seeking to build expertise at the intersection of energy environment public health data science and policy.

Required Qualifications

• PhD degree in Public Health Environmental Health Epidemiology Environmental Science Data Science Statistics Economics Engineering Energy Systems Applied Mathematics Geography Computer Science or a closely related quantitative discipline
• Demonstrated experience conducting quantitative research using large and complex datasets
• Strong programming skills in Python R or equivalent analytical software
• Experience applying statistical analysis epidemiological methods machine learning predictive modeling or other advanced quantitative techniques
• Familiarity with data visualization reproducible research practices and scientific computing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including scientific writing and publication
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively within multidisciplinary research teams

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of energy systems electricity generation transportation electrification renewable energy technologies or energy policy
• Experience with energy affordability energy burden or energy justice research
• Experience with environmental epidemiology exposure assessment health impact assessment or climate and health research
• Familiarity with air quality datasets emissions inventories atmospheric modeling outputs or satellite-derived environmental data
• Experience working with utility electricity market socioeconomic or census datasets
• Experience with GIS and spatial analysis cloud computing or high-performance computing environments
• Familiarity with environmental justice health equity and community-based research approaches

Skills and Competencies

• Strong quantitative and analytical problem-solving abilities
• Advanced attention to detail and commitment to research quality
• Knowledge of public health statistical and econometric research methods
• Ability to integrate diverse environmental health energy and socioeconomic datasets
• Excellent scientific communication skills for technical and non-technical audiences
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Collaborative approach to interdisciplinary and cross-sector research
• Intellectual curiosity and commitment to impactful sustainability research

Application Instructions:

To apply please email the following materials as PDFs to IGS Director of Finance & Administration Serrie Anderson at :

1. Cover letter articulating your expertise and why you are interested in the position
2. CV detailing academic background relevant research methods expertise publications and presentations
3. A list of two professional references (including titles phone numbers and emails)

A rolling review of applicants will occur until the position is filled.