Marine CDR Research Lead – The Poseidon Project

Overview 

Accountable to: Head of Research Programmes

Hours of work: Full-time (part-time considered), one-year contract (renewable) 

Location: UK, Fully Remote or Hybrid, with some time based in the Oxford office. Please note, occasional travel to the Oxford office will be necessary.

Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays 

Job Summary 

CTRF is now seeking a Marine CDR Research Lead to coordinate an exciting new project within the marine Carbon Dioxide Removal (mCDR) area. mCDR has long been debated as a possible solution to the climate crisis, but there is significant disagreement on whether there is a pathway to scaled solutions in the necessary timeframe. There are broad challenges in technical feasibility, societal acceptance and monitoring, reporting and validation. If mCDR is to become an important part of the removals portfolio then it is necessary to determine this as quickly as possible. To do this a consensus approach is required about the next steps to scalability. Effective investment can only be made when a route to maximal removals and minimal environmental impact can be found.

The post holder will need to synthesise significant amounts of information from a range of different sources and stakeholders and work with key stakeholders to prepare reports identifying priority areas and recommendations for investment and/or further action. Balancing the needs of different stakeholders and opinions will be a key activity for this post.

This is an excellent opportunity to join the rapidly growing and internationalising mCDR field, working across academia, industry, and philanthropy to have a significant influence and impact upon the future direction of the field.

CTRF is a non-profit company with a big ambition to tackle the climate emergency. We seek to invest in research which uses the power of biology to remove carbon and other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and the oceans. CTRF has been commissioned by the Novo Nordisk Foundation to head the Poseidon project. In particular, we seek research which has the potential to scale rapidly and to the scale needed by 2050. For more information, see our website: https://www.ctrfoundation.com/

Role Purpose

To manage and coordinate The Poseidon Project partnership and lead the development and write-up of the synthesis report and final mCDR action reports/recommendations for the initiative. The postholder will conduct the synthesis of future directions of the marine carbon dioxide removal field from existing literature and roadmaps, work with an international scientific steering committee and management group and produce a report with clear and actionable directions and funding recommendations to help catalyse significant progress in mCDR by 2030.

Main Duties

1. Management and co-ordination:
   1. Co-ordinate the initiative to ensure the timely delivery of key milestones, including regular reporting, as required
   2. Hold regular meetings with the management group to update them on progress and seek direction and support as needed
   3. Manage relationships with key consultants, e.g. external facilitators for workshops
2. Literature review:
   1. Conduct a globally inclusive literature review, including both scientific and grey literature, of marine CDR to identify common challenges, barriers and knowledge gaps
   2. Chair regular meetings with the scientific committee to exhaustively analyse the range of barriers/gaps and develop and prioritise potential investment options for future R&D.
3. Final report writing:

Prepare and publish a final scientific paper, reviewed by the scientific committee, providing a clear synthesis of the available information and distilling to recommend a research programme which will provide the highest chance of making the greatest impact on the challenges and barriers within the sector.

Further information

This position can be fully remote or hybrid, based in Oxford. If held fully remotely, the position must be held within the UK as CTRF is not able to sponsor international candidates.

This position is expected to be available immediately.

How to Apply  

Please provide a CV and cover letter to research@ctrfoundation.com (via the ‘Apply’ button above).

The cover letter should be no more than two pages long and explain why you are interested in this post and how your skills and experience make you a good fit for the role.  

The document should be saved in PDF in the following format: Your First Name-Your Last Name-Document Name-Date (mmyy)-CTRF-Poseidon. For example: DaveHillyard-CV-0924-CTRF-Poseidon or DaveHillyard-CoverLetter-0924-CTRF-Poseidon.   

Timeline  

• Closing Date: 31^st March 2025
• Interviews: April 2025

Selection process 

All candidates will receive an update regarding their application after the closing date. We advise candidates to add the role email to their safe senders list and regularly check their spam folder. 

Equality Statement 

Equality and diversity are at the core of the CTRF values. Staff are expected to work collectively and individually to promote a constructive and sensitive approach to others from a variety of backgrounds, where the work of others is valued and respected. 

Queries  

If you have any queries on any aspect of the appointment process, need additional information, or would like to have an informal discussion, please email in the first instance:  

Dr Luke Williams, Head of Research Programmes: lwilliams@ctrfoundation.com

Person Specification

Criteria: Essential (E) / Desirable (D) 

Knowledge, Education and Training: (Point of Assessment - Shortlisting)

• PhD in a social or natural science relevant to mCDR. This may include biogeochemistry, oceanography, and marine social science. (E)
• Postdoctoral experience in a discipline relevant to marine CDR. (D)
• Interdisciplinary research training across multiple disciplines relevant to marine CDR. (D)
• Professional membership of relevant organisation/professional accreditation. (D)

Experience: (Point of Assessment - Shortlisting)

• Track record of published research within a relevant discipline. (E)
• Track record of committee membership and chairing committees/teams. (E)
• Track record of running events designed for knowledge exchange, collaboration, or similar. (E)

Skills and attributes: (Point of Assessment - Shortlisting and Interview)

• Proven high level communication skills, obtained through representation, influencing, negotiating and presentation activities. (E)
• Ability to command the respect of and establish effective working relationships with senior members of the mCDR community. (E)
• Ability to negotiate effectively on key issues in the mCDR space. (E)
• Ability to project manage: prioritise work and manage time effectively and complete agreed objectives within agreed standards and deadlines. (E)
• Ability to provide advice, analysis and interpretation of complex issues and provide solutions.
• Ability to remain resilient, flexible, and work with conflicting priorities. (E)
• Proactive in approach to seeking and managing excellent working relationships with internal and external stakeholders. (E)
• Working effectively and collegiately as part of an interdisciplinary team. (E)
• Ability to manage challenges and seek consensus. (E)
• Ability to think “big picture” and place focused research in the context of the broader scientific field. (E)

Other: (Point of Assessment - Interview)

• Occasional requirement for national and international travel. (E)

Essential Criteria – requirements without which a candidate would not be able to undertake the full remit of the role. Applicants who have not clearly demonstrated in their application that they possess the essential requirements will normally be rejected at the short-listing stage.

Desirable Criteria – requirements which would be useful for the candidate to hold. When shortlisting, these criteria will be considered when more than one applicant meets the essential requirements.