Director, Research

Remote-based in the US

Overview

GoodPower is a global organization working to unlock the economic potential of decarbonization through research, innovation, strategic communications, and disruptive technology. We focus on advancing more affordable and reliable energy, expanding economic opportunity, strengthening energy security, supporting healthier and more resilient communities, and accelerating the transition to a predictable, secure, modern low-carbon economy.

Operating at the intersection of data, digital media, emerging technology, behavioral research, and public engagement, GoodPower develops and deploys scalable strategies designed to accelerate the adoption of decarbonized technologies and infrastructure—including renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, energy storage, and electric transportation. Our work combines rigorous research and experimentation with advanced communications and innovation capabilities to better understand public attitudes, test effective interventions, and help build the social, economic, and market conditions necessary for large-scale transformation.

GoodPower is at a pivotal stage of organizational growth as we approach completion of the first year of our 2030 Strategic Plan. Over the next five years, we intend to significantly expand our reach, capabilities, and impact—investing deeply in innovation, AI-enabled systems, data and analytics, research and development, and next-generation communications infrastructure to help accelerate the global energy transition and the economic opportunities it creates.

Job Summary

The Director of Research will work internally with staff, in collaboration with partners, and alongside vendors to design, launch, and implement quantitative and qualitative studies that increase GoodPower’s efficacy across a wide variety of key impact areas, including voter registration, issue persuasion, GOTV, issue and advocacy engagement, and attitude and behavior change. The Director will strengthen the diversity of methodological approaches and further scale in-house research into GoodPower’s own digital platforms, qualitative research, and field-based work. The Director will lead the implementation of research studies in collaboration with department staff. This position will include sharing results externally with partners, funders, and journalists through webinar presentations, conferences, and interviews. 

GoodPower is an evidence-based, nimble, and adaptive organization that routinely evaluates our programs to measure impact. Over the last decade, we have continually tested and refined our approach, and have successfully built a set of program offerings that blend cost-efficiency, rigor, scale, and measurable impact. Our programs have demonstrated success through external evaluation, including with partners at Stanford, Yale, and George Mason Universities. We also collaborate regularly with research partners such as Analyst Institute, GrowProgress, One Minus Beta, and Tufts University’s Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE).

This is a full-time position based remotely anywhere in the United States. The Director of Research will work from home, meet as required by video chat with teams and have weekly national full-staff meetings and departmental meetings with colleagues online. This position reports to the Chief Research Officer. Travel will be required to departmental meetings, staff retreats, and other events.

Key Responsibilities

• Research design: Independently author and contribute to research proposals and project designs that assess GoodPower’s messaging and/or attitudes of target audiences.

• Research analysis and interpretation: Analyze and interpret quantitative and qualitative data. Write up results in the form of short white papers, reports, and presentation materials for internal and external use. Author peer-reviewed publications on occasion when relevant. 

• Grant Development and Budgeting: Support development of grant and other funding proposals. Manage budgeting for research spending and track grant spending.
  Research staff management: Implement the day to day activities of the research department and implementation of research projects. Manage the Researcher and Senior Research Manager, and support research contractors when relevant.
• Project leadership: Lead and manage multiple, simultaneous projects in GoodPower’s key program areas of renewable energy advocacy, civic engagement, policy, and digital strategy. This includes leading inter-departmental projects and coordinating tasks with staff across departments as well as external research partners and vendors.
• Dissemination of results: Collaborate with other Research Lab members to share findings to key stakeholders that include staff, partner coalitions, funders, board members, journalists and constituents through emails, reports, and webinar and conference presentations.
• Stay updated: Stay abreast of research findings from partners,the community and academics, including by attending online and live events and conferences. Monitoring the latest research developments relevant to our work. Prepare guides and literature reviews on existing research and best practices.

• Increase brand recognition: Help to establish GoodPower as a visible leader in data-driven impact in the fields of climate education, advocacy, civic engagement, and democracy. Represent GoodPower in coalitions and meetings with other organizations, such as the Environmental Polling Consortium.

• Attend annual training on 501c3 & 501c4 compliance, conduct work with an understanding of nuance and rules between each entity, raise any questions with legal team, and track expenses and staff time appropriately

Qualifications

• PhD in social or behavioral science – political science, communication, public health, sociology, environmental studies or related field

• 8 or more years (with at least 5 years post-PhD) of experience in social science research design and analysis 

• Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research and evaluation methods, preferably with expertise in longitudinal, recontact, and field-based designs and/or qualitative research designs (e.g., interviews, focus groups)

• Experience designing and analyzing voter file data use, voter registration, and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) research

• Expertise in authoring research proposals

• Experience with statistical software such as SPSS, SQL, STATA, R, SAS or others

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English for technical and non-technical audiences

• Existing expertise or willingness to master trends in renewable energy, electrification, political campaigns, civic engagement, and climate change.

• Strong computer skills (Google Apps, Microsoft Suite, Salesforce, Slack, Monday.com)

This description reflects GoodPower’s assignment of essential functions; it does not restrict the tasks that may be assigned. GoodPower retains the right to change or assign other duties to this position at any time. Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their job, absent undue hardship. GoodPower has a zero-tolerance standard for abuse and inappropriate behavior by staff members.

Job Summary

Position Details

• Annual salary range: $110,000 - $125,000, commensurate with experience
• Generous benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision, 403b retirement savings plan, Vacation, Sabbatical, Paid Parental Leave, 2 Floating Holidays, 2 Community Service Floating Holidays, sick time, two weeks of full-staff time off (July 4 week and Christmas-New Years week) and 13 observed holidays
• GoodPower is an equal-opportunity employer that highly values staff diversity
• Location: Remote

GoodPower is an equal-opportunity employer that highly values diversity, equity, and inclusion and views the climate crisis as a social justice crisis. People who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), people who experience gender oppression, people with disabilities, and people who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community are particularly encouraged to apply.