About Us

Driven by a passion to solve the climate crisis, The Sunrise Project is a team of experienced change-makers with a mission to scale social movements to drive the global transition beyond fossil fuels. With affiliated programs and staff in the United States, Europe and Asia, we have developed a unique model of grant making and campaigning that supports networks of organisations to drive powerful change towards our mission.

We have a dynamic and nimble organisational culture. We’re serious about supporting our people to thrive as we tackle the urgent climate challenge. We believe that a diversity of experiences and perspectives will help us build stronger strategies, teams and movements. We 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. We are continually working on becoming a better workplace for everyone.

About The Role

The Australian fossil fuel sector is vast. Australia is the world’s second-largest exporter of coal and liquified 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 Sunrise Project’s research team is a specialised and collaborative team producing high-quality and timely research which enables The Sunrise Project and its partners to accelerate a global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The Research Lead, Fossil Fuels focuses on monitoring and evaluating the Australian fossil fuel sector to deeply understand and communicate its current activities, future plans, drivers and enablers.

About You

You are deeply curious, enjoy getting into the heart and details of research and are open to sharing your knowledge, analysis and insights. You are keen to support our strategists and partners, thus ensuring that our programs and strategies are both ambitious and focused on achieving our goal accelerating a global transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

A typical day will see you undertaking a mixture of self-directed research, collaborating with campaign strategists and communications experts across our network. Your work will focus on assessing and scrutinising the Australian fossil fuel industry and its projects from reviewing the pipeline of proposed new coal mines or assessing the potential impacts of a planned LNG export facility to conducting a deep-dive investigation on the decision-making within a petroleum company. The work is truly multidisciplinary, it’ll see you delving deep into data, considering how to communicate your insights in the most compelling (and accurate) way, conducting substantial investigative projects and providing rapid-response support.

The role could suit individuals with wide range of backgrounds and interests from investigative journalism to physical sciences. For us, however, your passion for the work, appetite for learning about new fields and issues and desire to have an impact by empowering other with insightful and robust research are far more important than your past roles and any academic qualifications.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitors, tracks and assesses the status and prospects of existing and proposed new fossil fuel extraction and infrastructure projects, maintains databases of Australian fossil fuel projects, operations and the companies behind them.

• Conducts deep-dive investigations into major coal and gas extraction projects, assessing their viability, environmental & social impacts, approvals pathway and key enablers.

• Participates in strategy development processes: empowers colleagues with research insights and leads the design and development of research projects to meet program objectives.

• In collaboration with the research team and working autonomously, provides research and analytical support to Sunrise and partners by leading the execution of research and investigation projects through the development and implementation of appropriate research methodologies and applying quality control processes.

• Leads the communication of research results: translates complex research into accessible, insightful findings that empower Sunrise colleagues, movement partners and diverse public audiences, through the production of research reports, publications and via presentations in a wide range of forums.

• Develops a network of experts spanning corporate, advocacy and academic sectors, drawing on their insights to inform our work and, where appropriate, establishing collaborations and commissioning research (including defining ToR, managing contractors and assessing deliverables).

• Aligns work plans and OKR’s with Sunrise’s mission and values.

Required skills, knowledge and experience

• A good understanding of the environmental and social impacts of fossil fuel extraction projects and the approval systems that govern their operations.

• Demonstrated ability to understand mining/extractives companies and their key drivers.

• Experience in and/or a strong ability to acquire an understanding of the factors governing resource project economics and investment decisions is desirable.

• Highly developed research, investigative, numerical, analytical and reporting skills, with a strong inclination towards detail and accuracy.

• Well-developed verbal, written and visual communications skills with a strong ability to communicate complex information to non-technical audiences.

• Flexible disposition, and ability to work outside areas of expertise to support the work of other team members and willing to get stuck into laborious task when required.

• Well-developed interpersonal, collaboration and relationship building skills particularly with issue experts and movement partners.

• A deep passion for and demonstrated commitment to action on climate change and a commitment to social justice.

• A working knowledge of the environmental assessment and approval processes relevant to Australian fossil fuel projects.

• Some skills across Excel, databases, GIS and/or data visualisation an advantage.

• Demonstrated ability to synthesise and distil complex technical information for a non-specialist audience.

Job requirements

• You must have full working rights for Australia. The Sunrise Project is unable to sponsor applicants for employment visas.

• Employment background checks may be required.

• You’ll sometimes need to attend local in-person partner actions.

• Intermittent travel domestically, rurally and internationally with advanced notice may be required.

• COVID-19 vaccinations may apply in accordance with local legislation and/or Sunrise policy.

How Sunrise supports our staff

The Sunrise Project Australia is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. We have the following in place to help us achieve that, noting pro rata will apply for part time staff:

• Superannuation 12.5%

• Birthday leave (if it’s your birthday, you get a day off)

• Life Leave (40 days p.a.)

• Solidarity and community leave 1 week p.a

• Cultural leave (floating & additional public holidays)

• Gifted leave (over Christmas and New Year)

• Paid Parental Leave that is gender-neutral & inclusive of all types of families, incl. Parental Return To Work & Keeping In Touch Program

• Employee Assistance Program

• VIDA - An AI tool to support your health and wellbeing.

• A range of generous Allowances:

  • Workspace Benefits incl: Macbook & accessories, initial $2,000 for home workspace and IT equipment + $800 every 2 years + up to $75/mth phone/data/internet.

  • Shared office support

  • Higher Duties

• Regular all-org and team meetings & retreats

• Learning & Development Program incl. a professional development budget for you

• Coaching & manager support with regular 1:1 meetings

• Annual performance & development reviews with 360 feedback

• A co-developed work plan to ensure clarity on your role & key responsibilities

• We provide our staff with a voice on issues that concern them via consultation, eg JEDI caucuses, working groups, slack channels, surveys and meetings.

How to apply for this job

We recognise that racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, classism and other forms of discrimination creates structural barriers that impact opportunities to formal education and experience. When assessing candidates we look at more than the jobs you've been paid to do but the range of ways you've picked up skills and knowledge throughout your life. This is why we assess candidates on how well they respond to application questions and don’t require a cover letter. You’ll be taken to Be Applied to complete your application.