‍Position Overview: 

MEER is seeking an accomplished Lead Scientist to establish and direct its China research and development program. This senior role will be responsible for designing and executing MEER's experimental agenda within China, spanning multiple fields and laboratory sites, and serving as the central scientific coordinator for partnerships across academia, industry, and government. 

The successful candidate will build and lead a new interdisciplinary research team, develop and manage experimental facilities, and ensure that project outcomes meet the highest international scientific and engineering standards. The position requires a strong experimental background, the ability to manage complex field operations, and the vision to translate laboratory findings into scalable real-world applications. 

This is an exceptional opportunity to contribute to one of the world's most ambitious initiatives in surface-based climate adaptation and solar-reflective engineering. The Lead Scientist will play a pivotal role in connecting rigorous scientific research with applied engineering and policy outcomes-helping shape MEER's contribution to global cooling, energy efficiency, and climate resilience. 

The role involves close coordination with MEER's leadership, including the Science Director, and frequent collaboration with international partners and research teams in Africa, the U.S., Europe, and Asia. It requires both high-level research insight and strong operational capacity in managing field deployments, data integrity, and multi-site research logistics. 

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Program Establishment and Leadership: 

Develop, launch, and oversee the MEER China research program, establishing field stations and laboratory facilities in partnership with host institutions. 

Recruit, train, and supervise a multidisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, and field technicians. 

Design and implement operational procedures, safety protocols, and quality control systems for field and lab research. 

‍Scientific Research and Experimentation: 

Lead and coordinate controlled field experiments and laboratory validation to quantify solar reflectivity, heat flux, and cooling performance across key environmental domains — rooftops, water bodies, and agricultural surfaces. 

Focus research and design efforts toward developing deployable, low-cost, high-albedo, and high-emissivity cooling structures for large-scale application in the Global South, including: 

      • Rooftop systems for passive urban cooling and energy savings. 

      • Floating MEER platforms for water-reservoir protection and thermal regulation. 

      • Prototype systems for agricultural microclimate stabilization and soil moisture retention. 

Drive innovation in reflective materials, instrumentation design, and data-acquisition systems to support both near-term product development and long-term climate adaptation goals. 

Integrate results from field trials into MEER's global datasets and modelling frameworks to accelerate design optimization, scalability assessments, and impact evaluation. 

‍Partnerships and Collaboration: 

Build and maintain strong partnerships with Chinese research institutions, universities, industrial collaborators, and local authorities. 

Coordinate joint research agreements, technology testing, and data-sharing protocols. 

Facilitate collaboration between MEER China and other regional teams to ensure knowledge transfer and technical consistency. 

‍Data and Publications: 

Ensure rigorous data collection, calibration, and archiving procedures across all project sites. 

Analyse experimental data to produce peer-reviewed publications and technical reports that advance understanding of surface-based cooling and energy balance interventions. 

Represent MEER at national and international conferences, contributing to scientific discourse and outreach. 

‍Strategic Development: 

Contribute to MEER's long-term research planning, particularly regarding scaling and optimization of reflective systems for diverse environmental contexts. 

Identify opportunities for new funding, collaboration, and technology transfer in alignment with MEER's mission. 

Mentor junior researchers and visiting students, fostering a collaborative and innovative research culture. 

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‍Essential qualifications and attributes: 

We are seeking a scientist of exceptional capability, creativity, and dedication—someone eager to work at the frontier of experimental climate adaptation research. The ideal candidate will combine rigorous academic credentials with practical field experience and a long-term commitment to planetary problem-solving. 

Doctoral degree (PhD) in experimental physics, experimental engineering, or a closely related field such as environmental instrumentation, materials science, or energy systems engineering. 

Hands-on expertise in instrumentation and hardware systems, including the design, calibration, and deployment of sensors, data-acquisition hardware, and environmental monitoring platforms. 

Demonstrated experience in field-based research - ideally involving outdoor experimental setups, long-duration data collection, and adaptive problem-solving under variable or challenging conditions. 

Strong data-analysis skills, including familiarity with experimental uncertainty quantification, environmental statistics, and digital data-logging systems. 

Excellent health and physical condition and resilience for sustained fieldwork in remote, high-temperature, or high-humidity environments, ensuring safety and reliability during prolonged outdoor campaigns. 

Broad STEM interests, with the ability to integrate insights from physics, engineering, ecology, and materials science into coherent research design and interpretation. 

Long-term (decadal) commitment to advancing climate adaptation and mitigation research-driven by both scientific curiosity and moral purpose. 

Outstanding scientific writing and publication record, showing the capacity to communicate complex experimental results to both specialist and interdisciplinary audiences. 

Leadership and mentoring experience, including a proven ability to guide students, technicians, and junior scientists in experimental best practice, data quality assurance, and scientific reasoning. 

Cultural adaptability and a collaborative spirit, with openness to working across languages, disciplines, and international contexts. 

Fluent in English (written and spoken), with strong technical communication skills. 

‍Desirable (but not required): 

Experience with remote sensing, radiative transfer modelling, or albedo measurement instrumentation. 

Familiarity with solar energy systems, hydrological studies, or agricultural microclimate monitoring. 

Basic proficiency in Mandarin or willingness to learn for on-site coordination in China

‍Application Process: 

Please submit your CV, cover letter, and list of publications to kposey@meer.org. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

‍Compensation: ‍

Competitive and commensurate with experience. Relocation support and research setup assistance are available. 

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