Join Open Earth Foundation as Energy Systems & AI Research Lead for Innovative Climate Transition Initiative – Salary $75,000 – $115,000 @Unknown

Open Earth Foundation Job Summary

Job Title: Energy Systems & AI Research Lead — NEST
Location: Remote (overlap with CET and US Pacific hours required)
Closing Date: [Not Specified]
Contract: Full-time, grant-funded (3-year term, renewable)
Compensation: $75,000 – $115,000
Reports to: PI / Executive Director
Start Date: As soon as possible

About Open Earth Foundation

Open Earth Foundation (OEF) is a non-profit research and development organization dedicated to building open digital infrastructure for planetary stewardship.

The organization develops open digital infrastructure, AI systems, and data platforms to enhance multi-stakeholder coordination, accelerate environmental protection, climate action, and Earth-system resilience.

Their flagship platform, CityCatalyst, supports local governments and city networks in climate initiatives, from greenhouse gas inventories to AI-assisted prioritization.

OEF also develops OpenClimate for nested climate accounting and advances research in AI, energy systems, climate science, and open-source technology.

About NEST

NEST (Nested Energy System Transitions) is a three-year research program funded by Schmidt Sciences under the Decarbonization and Energy Virtual Institute (DEVI) initiative.

It aims to develop an AI-powered coupling framework that links energy models across scales—from national energy system optimization to city-level building stock simulation—to produce coherent, multi-scale transition pathways.

Led by OEF in partnership with IIASA (Vienna), Central European University (Vienna), Imperial College London, and the Active Inference Institute, NEST involves cross-institutional research across four workstreams, focusing on AI research, energy modeling, policy analysis, and Bayesian inference.

The Role: Energy Systems & AI Research Lead – NEST

Open Earth Foundation seeks an experienced Energy Systems & AI Research Lead to serve as the scientific integrator and program manager for the NEST consortium.

This role requires a recognized energy-systems researcher with a strong background in interdisciplinary research coordination.

The successful candidate will oversee the scientific integration of energy models across scales, ensuring rigorous, relevant, and cohesive outcomes that inform real-world energy transition decisions.

They will lead cross-disciplinary collaboration, shape modeling methodologies, and facilitate knowledge sharing among AI researchers, energy modellers, and policy experts.

This position combines scientific leadership with program management, including coordinating meetings, maintaining the project roadmap, tracking milestones, and ensuring effective collaboration across an international consortium.

AI-native tools will support administrative activities, allowing the focus to remain on scientific innovation and methodological development.

Responsibilities

Scientific Integration & Research Leadership

• Lead the scientific integration of NEST, ensuring coherence of national, urban, and system-dynamics models into a unified framework
• Own energy-systems methodology and the scientific framing of cross-scale coupling
• Provide leadership in energy-transition modeling, guiding research planning, validation, and publications
• Facilitate translation between disciplines—energy modellers, AI researchers, Bayesian inference specialists, and policy analysts

Consortium Research Coordination

• Coordinate and align research activities across partner institutions including OEF, IIASA, CEU, Imperial College London, and the Active Inference Institute
• Promote joint methodology development, boundary-variable alignment, and validation against benchmarks and real-world data
• Organize workshops and review sessions, particularly during major climate events
• Support pilot engagement and scientific validation efforts with organizations such as C40, ICLEI, and SCAC

Requirements

Must Have:

• Master’s or PhD in energy systems, energy engineering, or a closely related field
• Deep expertise in energy systems across national, urban, and system-dynamics scales; postdoctoral experience preferred
• Proven experience in leading interdisciplinary research and integrating multiple institutions

• Track record of scientific coordination, translating between disciplines, and aligning collaborators
• Fluency with AI-native productivity and coordination tools
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
• Ability to engage in technical discussions and understand modeling approaches

Strong Preference:

• Experience with AI/ML research programs or deep-tech R&D
• Familiarity with academic-industry collaboration dynamics
• Experience coordinating international research partnerships (Europe + Americas)
• Experience with grant-funded research, scientific reporting, and milestone management

Nice to Have:

• Familiarity with IPCC, UNFCCC, or urban climate action networks (C40, ICLEI)
• Experience with energy modeling tools (e.g., MESSAGEix, building-stock models)
• Working knowledge of research-adapted Agile/Scrum and open-source collaboration practices

What We Offer

• Leadership of a high-profile international research program at the forefront of AI and climate science
• A mission-driven, remote-first organizational culture with a collaborative environment
• Competitive salary commensurate with experience
• Influence in shaping the scientific-integration approach of a pioneering program from inception
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; welcoming applicants from all backgrounds

How to Apply

Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through the following link:

Open Earth Foundation looks forward to hearing from passionate professionals dedicated to climate action and innovative research.