The World Resources Institute is seeking a highly motivated and innovative person to play a significant role in the continuing technical development and management of two of our premier on-line information tools: the Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT) and EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal. Depending on the applicant's interests and abilities, up to 40% of the position could include research support as well: analysis of climate and sustainable development issues, project planning, and data compilation.
Web Development and Project Research for Climate and Energy Program / EarthTrends
Application closing date: August 31, 2007.
Employment period: This is a one-year term position with a likely possibility of extension to full-time regular status.
POSITION SUMMARY
The World Resources Institute is seeking a highly motivated and innovative person to play a significant role in the continuing technical development and management of two of our premier on-line information tools: the Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT) and EarthTrends: The Environmental Information Portal. Depending on the applicant's interests and abilities, up to 40% of the position could include research support as well: analysis of climate and sustainable development issues, project planning, and data compilation.
CAIT is the Climate Analysis Indicators Tool—an interactive information and analysis tool on global climate change developed by WRI (http://cait.wri.org/). This unique tool provides a comprehensive and comparable database of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data (including all major sources and sinks) and other climate-relevant indicators for all countries of the world, as well as U.S. states.
EarthTrends (http://earthtrends.wri.org) is an award-winning reference site containing more than 700 international data sets along with maps, graphs, and analysis relating to sustainable development. The site has been accessed by more than 7 million users in 190 countries and territories. EarthTrends supports one of the Institute's core goals: to guarantee public access to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment, particularly among under-resourced populations.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
Work independently and within a small team to plan and implement web site improvements. More specifically:
- Develop more elegant and intuitive user interfaces.
- Help to create more robust application frameworks using PHP, MySQL and object-oriented design strategies.
- Design, develop and implement enhanced data manipulation and analysis tools.
- Maintain existing site infrastructure and help to develop load monitoring and other systems tools.
- Assist in the creation of new back-end administrative tools to manage site content with outside partners
- Monitor site traffic and create periodic reports on usage with Google Analytics and other metrics.
Depending on the qualifications of the applicant, other duties could include: identification of new data sets for both EarthTrends and CAIT; drafting of technical notes and indicator-reference materials; writing and editing on-line articles for submission on EarthTrends; and design and production of policy-relevant charts, tables, and graphics.
QUALIFICATIONS
The candidate should be an astute, highly organized individual with substantial experience in database-driven web development. Applicants should be college graduates with an interest in international environmental issues and a basic understanding of the role that scientific information plays in formulating environmental policy. Specifically, we are looking for:
- Advanced knowledge of PHP, MySQL, HTML.
- Advanced knowledge of Linux.
- Some knowledge of JavaScript, AJAX, CSS, OOP, Python, DHTML, XML.
- Experience with Apache configurations and shell scripting a plus.
- Knowledge of global and international geography and environmental issues, particularly climate change.
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a team with both technical and non-technical members.
- An affinity for graphic design and data visualization is a plus.
LOCATION
Washington, DC
SALARY AND BENEFITS
Commensurate with experience.
ABOUT WRI
World Resources Institute (WRI) is an environmental think tank that goes beyond research to create practical ways to protect the planet and improve people's lives. Our mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth's environment for current and future generations.
- People and ecosystems. Reverse rapid degradation of ecosystems and assure their capacity to provide humans with needed goods and services.
- Climate change. Protect the global climate system from further harm due to emissions of greenhouse gases and help humanity and the natural world adapt to unavoidable climate change.
- Markets and Enterprise. Harness markets and enterprise to expand economic opportunity and protect the environment.
- Access. Guarantee public access to information and decisions regarding natural resources and the environment.
- Institutional excellence. Support and enhance WRI's ability to achieve results.
WRI is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is WRI's policy to recruit, hire, and provide opportunities for advancement in all job classifications without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, marital status, sexual preference, parental status, or disability. WRI only accepts resumes for current vacancies.
Qualified applicants only.
Candidates please send cover letter and curriculum vitae/resume to:
World Resources Institute
Attn: Thomas Damassa
10 G Street, NE (Suite 800)
Washington, DC 20002
fax: 202/729-7775
email: tdamassa@wri.org
Please, no phone calls.
