What we're looking for

The Building Environmental Researcher will provide technical support for TAF's projects related to improving energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality. This position contributes to TAF’s overall vision by examining the multiple benefits that energy and carbon reduction initiatives can have on the built environment.

A typical day in this role can involve connecting with residents and building staff on a site visit to install indoor environmental quality (IEQ) monitoring devices or following up on an ongoing study. It can also involve diving in to the analysis of heat pump data to better understand the performance of a project, or collaborating with coworkers on an upcoming white paper on a new overcladding technology. Day-to-day work varies, and there is always something interesting going on!

Position Responsibilities

• Investigate energy and IEQ monitoring strategies, technologies, and equipment, including best practice review of published industry studies, guidelines, and protocols.

• Assist team members with implementing energy and/or IEQ monitoring programs. This work will involve site visits to various multi-residential buildings and communication with site staff and residents.

• Assist team members with coordination between equipment manufacturers, service providers, and building site staff, as needed.

• Analyze energy and IEQ data and assist with the development of technical reports and case studies to answer key building retrofit design and research questions.  

• Represent TAF publicly in a manner consistent with TAF’s professional standards.

• Collaborate with other staff members to seek out areas of synergy among different program areas.

• Support the preparation of TAF staff knowledge seminars to transfer learnings to others on the team.

• Participate actively at staff meetings, retreats and through ad hoc staff working groups.

The kind of candidate we're looking for

• Undergraduate or master’s degree in engineering or applied Science

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• Detail-oriented and able to maintain focus for extended periods of time.

• Excellent organizational, administrative, research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to develop research with an experiential design approach.

• Ability to exercise mature judgement, initiative, diplomacy and tact.

• Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.

• Ability to analyze and disseminate data, and to report to audiences with varied technical skills.

• Ability to arrange suitable transportation to various work locations

About TAF

TAF is a regional climate agency with a $90 million endowment fund to invest in innovative low-carbon solutions in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and scale them up for broad implementation. We are experienced leaders and we collaborate with stakeholders in the private, public and non-profit sectors. We advance the most promising concepts by investing, providing grants, influencing policies and running demonstration programs. We’re particularly interested in ideas that offer benefits in addition to carbon reduction such as improving people’s health, creating local jobs, boosting urban resiliency, and contributing to a fair society.

We are a registered non-profit, with a Board of Directors appointed by the City of Toronto, made up of city councillors and citizens. Learn more at taf.ca.

Working at TAF

Talk to our staff and they will tell you that working at TAF comes with amazing advantages. We’re on the leading edge of urban climate change solutions and our work makes a tangible difference. We build meaningful relationships with all kinds of stakeholders – from thought leaders advancing concepts to the people who implement change on the ground. Join our dedicated and collaborative team to contribute to the value and impact of our work

Building an inclusive community with a shared purpose is critical to our work and mandate. We are Equalx30 signatories and believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion makes climate action more just and effective. We believe that teams work best when they vary in background and approach, including diversity of race, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, ethnicity, national origin and all the other fascinating characteristics that make us different.

Virtual Office Update: TAF staff are currently working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic and we have no way of knowing when we’ll return to our downtown Toronto location.  We are open to hiring candidates from different locations, provided you have relevant knowledge of the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area, and ideally live within the region. We expect that all staff will work at the office, in person, on regular occasion when we can safely return to our office.

Perks

• Comprehensive extended health, vision and dental benefits package and RSP contribution after your first year of employment

• Support for virtual office during pandemic, including hardware and stipend for internet and other expenses

• Flexible work hours and work from home options

• Starts at three weeks vacation per year