Research Consultant, Africa Energy Transitions at World Resources Institute (WRI)

Job Summary

Africa’s role in the global energy transition is unique as the least electrified yet fastest growing continent on the globe, crucially in need of resilience investments. To ensure ambitious goals and commitments for Africa, robust evidence-based positions and leadership from the continent are crucial, requiring knowledge brokering with the continent’s key stakeholders. Africa’s leading institutions on energy transitions have clearly articulated the urgent need for data and evidence. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing and conducting analyses which answer some of the most complex and challenging questions for Africa’s power sector, identifying what is needed over the next 30-50 years to deliver economic development, universal energy access, and to support rising living standards.

They will be responsible for thorough background research and leading the design of this workplan. The successful candidate will have an appetite to grip the big picture and the systems-implications of the energy transition, while being a strong modeler with deep understanding of the details underpinning analytical work. The candidate will be proactive and able to deliver autonomously, taking ownership for delivery of the work program. The successful candidate will work closely with the energy, climate, and governance/equity programs as well as other research colleagues from the global and Africa teams to develop technical briefs that will inform a shared position and vision on Africa’s clean energy transition.

Job Responsibilities

• Structure the energy transition analytical program for Africa, developing appropriate methodologies and approaches, and synthesizing insights
• Conduct long-term, in-depth quantitative and qualitative analysis (including power sector simulation, cost benefit analysis, and financial modeling), overcoming data gathering & analytical roadblocks and quality assuring outputs produced by others
• Competently build, direct and refine complex models of the power sector and energy economics, identifying analytical gaps, limitations and opportunities
• Synthesize analytical insights to bring clarity & structure on complex and disparate energy transition topics
• Formulate analytically robust, high-ambition, compelling narratives based on analytical work, refining for multiple audiences (e.g. senior executives, technical experts, policy makers)

Job Qualifications

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in energy systems, energy economics, or related field, demonstrating significant mastery of analytical methods
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant research and analytics experience in a high-caliber environment specifically in the energy field, and with a focus on African country contexts.
• Strong subject matter expertise in energy systems and international energy markets, with a track record of working with energy sector stakeholders in Africa.
• Experience in conducting and publishing research on energy systems in Africa, with demonstrable execution of modeling techniques.
• Demonstrated expertise in structing and prioritizing a complex, multiple-faceted research work program
• Demonstrable expertise in engaging with government, academia and CSOs involved in energy research in Africa
• Superb interpersonal and networking skills and demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with others as well as independently and with the highest standards of integrity
• Proactive and self-starter, appetite for working autonomously in a fast-paced environment