The Senior Research Specialist will report to and work with the Research Director to advance research and investigations to support GPUS’s campaigns. The Senior Research Specialist will also typically be assigned to a specific GPUS campaign and will work directly with that Campaign Director or Project Team Leader. They will work with campaign staff to develop the factual basis for the campaign strategy, messaging, and outputs, and to design strategies to communicate GPUS positions and unleash the activist energy of our supporters.

The Senior Research Specialist will identify opportunities to deploy both field and desktop investigations using a variety of tools and techniques. They will be expected to move between topics and campaigns as needed, at times managing multiple projects simultaneously. They will need to build relationships internally with various departments, and manage external relationships with contractors, collaborators in other organizations, and members of the media.

This position will be based in Washington, DC or Oakland, CA.

The Senior Research Specialist will:

In conjunction with the Research Director and the Campaign Director and/or Project Manager of the assigned campaign, identify and execute research needs and opportunities for Greenpeace campaigns and media response. In different moments, this position can involve a variety of responsibilities, including:

• Proactively work with campaigns, media and communications teams to identify research needs and opportunities that help drive Greenpeace’s campaigns forward.
• Work with program staff to set strategic direction and priorities for Greenpeace  campaigns.
• Help prioritize and execute the objectives and work plan of the Research Unit.
• Initiate, develop and carry out short and long term investigations, using a variety of tools and techniques, potentially including: markets research, corporate research, opposition research, open source investigations, chain of custody, scientific research, mapping and GIS, sampling and analysis, data analysis, analysis of public information, political and policy research, and other research as needed.
• Oversee project management for the writing, editing, layout, production, and publication of reports, policy briefings, and smaller research outputs.
• Effectively communicate research findings to supporters, the media and the public via blogs, research briefings, and through social media.
• Compose, send and follow up on Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and other public records requests.
• Maintain expertise with a variety of organizational research tools; research and test new software tools.
• Work with campaigns, comms and online staff to develop talking points and approved facts for public communications.
• Develop quick response information, statistics and analysis as needed for reaction to daily campaign needs, media response and other priorities as they arise.
• Respond to media requests and serve as campaign spokesperson when required.
• Work with the legal team to fact check public-facing materials.
• Work with online and devo teams to review, fact-check, and approve. communications to supporters such as action alerts and fundraising appeals.
• Manage research project budgets and contracts with external parties.
• Conduct research trainings and presentations to internal and external audiences on the work of Greenpeace Research Unit.
• Participate in policy development groups with coalition allies.
• Represent Greenpeace at public events. Maintain a professional decorum with brand stewardship in mind. Make decisions that have organizational impact, often on the fly or in the field.