Lead Research Associate, Sustainability in Canada Creek, Nova Scotia at Jobgether

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Lead Research Associate, Sustainability based in Canada.

This is an opportunity for an experienced researcher to lead high-impact, evidence-based work addressing some of Canada's most pressing sustainability and resilience challenges.
You will bring deep expertise in disaster finance, insurance, emergency management, disaster recovery, or climate adaptation to complex research projects.
The role combines rigorous quantitative and qualitative analysis with strategic thinking, client engagement, business development, and thought leadership.
You will translate complex evidence into clear, actionable insights for senior decision-makers across the public and private sectors.
As a senior member of a multidisciplinary research team, you will also mentor colleagues and help shape new methodologies, research ideas, and strategic initiatives.
The position is fully remote across Canada, offering significant autonomy while requiring strong collaboration, communication, and organizational discipline.
If you are intellectually curious, impact-driven, and passionate about strengthening Canada's resilience to increasingly frequent and severe disasters, this role offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference.

• Lead applied research projects: Design, manage, and deliver research using quantitative and qualitative methodologies, ensuring rigorous, evidence-based, and actionable outcomes.
• Develop new business: Identify research and consulting opportunities, contribute to pitches and proposals, and help develop and finalize stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Own project delivery: Lead the execution, quality assurance, and finalization of project deliverables while managing priorities, timelines, and competing requirements.
• Provide research leadership: Guide and support direct reports, including Research Associates, while fostering a collaborative culture of excellence and continuous learning.
• Shape research strategy: Conceptualize new research questions, methodologies, and approaches designed to maximize the relevance and impact of research.
• Provide subject-matter expertise: Bring specialized knowledge of disaster resilience, climate adaptation, insurance, and disaster finance to client engagements and business development activities.
• Lead industry convenings: Develop content, manage stakeholder relationships, identify speakers, coordinate sponsorship outreach, and support the delivery of sustainability-focused leadership roundtables and events.
• Support strategic membership initiatives: Contribute to membership growth and retention strategies for a strategic resilience and emergency management council.
• Engage with senior stakeholders: Communicate complex research findings effectively to public- and private-sector decision-makers and facilitate meaningful discussions with senior leaders.
• Monitor and synthesize emerging trends: Identify developments across policy, economics, climate risk, disaster finance, insurance, and resilience that may influence clients and research priorities.
• Champion professional standards: Demonstrate collaboration, ownership, excellence, evidence-based thinking, passion, and integrity in all interactions and deliverables.
• Operate effectively in a remote environment: Maintain strong communication, organization, responsiveness, and accountability while working independently from a home office.

• Master's or PhD degree in disaster science, actuarial science, geoinformatics, emergency management, climate adaptation, or a closely related discipline.
• Deep knowledge of disaster insurance models, reinsurance, disaster financial instruments, and emerging approaches to disaster finance.
• Strong understanding of the relationships and interdependencies between social, institutional, and infrastructure capacity in building disaster resilience.
• Demonstrated knowledge of practical, place-based disaster resilience and climate adaptation measures at community and household levels.
• Strong understanding of how environmental, economic, and social policies intersect and influence disaster resilience and climate adaptation in Canada.
• Experience with climate hazard modelling, particularly for flooding, wildfire, or other climate-related disaster events, is an asset.
• Knowledge of disaster governance and relevant regulatory frameworks is an asset.
• Experience with GIS tools such as QGIS is an asset.
• Familiarity with qualitative and textual analysis tools such as NVivo is an asset.
• Advanced Excel capabilities and demonstrated ability to analyze, interpret, and visually communicate trends within large datasets.
• Exceptional writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, high-quality content efficiently.
• Advanced presentation and communication skills, including the ability to translate complex technical and research findings into clear insights for senior decision-makers.
• Strong project management and leadership capabilities, including priority setting, time management, and the ability to deliver high-quality work under pressure.
• Experience organizing or chairing professional convenings, including moderating panel discussions involving senior leaders, is an asset.
• Proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities, deadlines, stakeholders, and deliverables simultaneously.
• Strong teamwork, professionalism, responsiveness, and client-service orientation.
• Intellectual curiosity and a passion for collaborating across disciplines while navigating uncertainty, complexity, and research bottlenecks.
• Strong commitment to research excellence, integrity, evidence-based decision-making, and measurable impact.
• Ability and willingness to travel within Canada for client or team meetings when required.
• Bilingualism is an asset.
• Ability to work full-time from a professional, productive, and secure home office in Canada, including access to a reliable internet connection.

• Annual salary: Hiring range of CAD $96,900–$114,000, with the full compensation band extending to $131,100, depending on experience, qualifications, skills, market conditions, and business considerations.
• Fully remote work: Work from home anywhere in Canada with financial support to establish a suitable home office.
• Healthcare coverage from Day One, supporting physical and mental wellbeing, including up to $2,500 for psychologist, social worker, or psychotherapist services.
• 20 days of annual vacation plus additional time off throughout the year.
• 13 paid holidays per year, including a company closure between Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
• Friday afternoon closures to support work-life balance and personal wellbeing.
• Defined benefit pension plan with a 5% employer match from Day One.
• Employee and Family Assistance Program (EFAP) providing support to employees and their families during challenging circumstances.
• Maternity and parental leave top-up plan.
• Recognition programs designed to celebrate and reward exceptional contributions.
• Supportive, inclusive, and collaborative work environment where diverse perspectives and individual strengths are valued.
• Accessible and flexible interview process, including advance access to interview questions, live captions or transcription, and flexibility around interview formats, timing, and assessments where possible.
• Opportunities to contribute to nationally relevant research, engage with senior public- and private-sector leaders, and influence discussions around Canada's sustainability and resilience priorities.