• Location: Fully Remote or Sydney, Newcastle or Melbourne office: WFH / Hybrid
• Salary: $90 - $110k base plus super
• Hours: Full time (35 pw)

Why join The Sunrise Project?

Do you want to create a world that runs on renewables? The Sunrise Project supports networks of organisations to work together to achieve outcomes that would not be possible by individual organisations acting alone.

Motivated by their passion to solve the climate crisis, this team of experienced change-makers share a mission to build social movements. You can be part of it. Join them as they support networks of organisations in Australia, the United States, Europe and Asia to achieve global change for climate action.

Not only will you feed your passion to save the planet, you’ll also receive all these awesome benefits:

• Superannuation 12.5%
• Birthday Leave Day
• Solidarity and Community Leave 1 week
• Cultural Leave (floating public holidays)
• Gifted Leave (over Christmas and New Year)
• Paid Parental Leave (subject to eligibility conditions)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Flexible work policy
• Coaching and management support with regular 1:1 meetings
• Performance reviews and feedback to support you and the team to reflect and grow
• A co-developed initial 3 month work plan to support your onboarding and provide clarity on your role and responsibilities

The opportunity

The Australian fossil fuel sector is vast. Australia is the world’s second-largest exporter of coal and liquid natural gas (LNG), and coal power is still the largest source of domestic electricity generation. An urgent shift away from fossil fuels is required to limit future global warming. The Research Lead - Fossil Fuels will enable Sunrise Project to achieve its mission by deeply understanding the Australian fossil fuel sector: understanding its current activities, future plans, drivers and enablers.

A typical day would see you undertaking a mixture of self-directed research and working in project teams: collaborating with strategists and communications experts.

Your role will include:

• Monitoring and analysing trends and developments in key markets for Australian fossil fuel exports
• Coordinating the tracking and evaluation of proposed new fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure projects in collaboration with colleagues and movement partners
• Conducting deep-dive investigations into major coal and gas extraction projects, assessing their viability, environmental & social impacts, approvals pathway and key enablers
• Maintaining databases of Australian fossil fuel projects, operations and companies, generating and disseminating insights gleaned from these
• Providing high quality, timely research and analytical support to the Sunrise Project and its partners
• Developing a network of experts spanning corporate, advocacy and academic sectors, drawing on their insights and commissioning research as required

About you

You thrive on following a trail and extracting as much information and interpreting it into meaningful, insightful and digestible research. Previous experience conducting investigative research in journalistic, political or advocacy contexts would serve as a helpful background for this role.

Equally you are passionate about positively contributing to combatting the climate emergency facing our planet and have a demonstrated commitment to action on climate change.

In addition, you will have:

• A strong grasp of international commodity markets particularly coal (thermal and metallurgical) and LNG
• Demonstrated ability to understand mining/extractives companies and their key drivers
• A working knowledge of the environmental assessment and approval processes relevant to Australian fossil fuel projects
• Highly developed research, investigative, numerical, analytical and reporting skills, with an excellent attention to detail and accuracy
• Experience in and/or a strong ability to acquire an understanding of the factors governing resource project economics and investment decisions is desirable
• Demonstrated ability to synthesise and distil complex technical information for a non-specialist audience

If your relevant experience is from volunteering, from the grassroots or is lived experience and you meet some but not all the criteria for this position, but you’re keen on the role and believe in the cause, please get in touch.

The Sunrise Project has a dynamic and nimble organisational culture. They are serious about supporting their people to thrive as they tackle the urgent climate challenge. They believe that a diversity of experiences and perspectives will help them build stronger strategies, teams and movements. They take the broadest possible view of diversity and encourage First Nations people, people of colour, people living outside of cities, people living with disabilities, neurodiverse, and LGBTQIA+ people to apply. They are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone.

ONLY AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS WITH UNRESTRICTED WORKING RIGHTS WILL BE CONSIDERED

To Apply

Please submit your CV (as a WORD doc) via the Apply Now link or contact Teresa on 0405 417 882 for a confidential discussion.