Accepting applications until April 10 at 5pm E.T.

About WattTime

WattTime is a nonprofit tech start-up. We find or conduct original research into emissions datasets that can unlock new or more effective emissions-reducing interventions, then help implement and scale those interventions. Our best known intervention is Automated Emissions Reduction (AER), the technique currently used by over 1 billion devices daily (e.g. all Nest thermostats, U.S. iPhones, Toyota EVs, etc) to cut their carbon footprints by using energy when the grid has surplus clean energy. We also enabled and scaled other techniques, like Emissionality, a technique to multiply the emissions benefits of renewable energy.

WattTime is also the secretariat of Climate TRACE, a joint initiative of over 100 non-profits, tech companies, universities, and individual researchers pooling their expertise in AI, remote sensing, and emissions data to collectively build a highly advanced comprehensive open global greenhouse gas measurement system. Climate TRACE is a powerful enabler of novel emissions-reducing interventions, as well as an important transparency tool in its own right.

About the Role

The world of emissions data is speeding up. Between AI-based vibe coding and the tremendous consolidation happening in emissions datasets, it’s becoming more and more common that entirely new concepts for how to monitor or use emissions data to drive impact can sometimes be prototyped in as little as a day. And given WattTime’s growing prominence supporting hundreds of the world’s premiere emissions organizations, we are getting asked for possibly important new features almost daily. So we have a growing need for people who can operate in a world where it’s ever faster to develop new interventions, yet more important than ever to triage.

The role of Senior Data Scientist, Special Projects will have elements of a data scientist, product manager, and quantitative marginal gains expert. Your role will not be to dream up new possible projects (we have plenty). It will be to jump in on many new potential projects already under consideration. To rapidly prototype, apply critical thinking and decision science to triage which projects are likely to most increase our impact per day, and swiftly either prove out or ruthlessly deprioritize projects.

All of this will be possible at speed because you’ll be drawing on WattTime’s vast related capabilities, from our unparalleled and highly structured emissions data, to remote sensing resources, to our deep network of users. Unlike most roles at WattTime, your work will be cross-cutting across multiple teams. But you’ll have to stay focused and resist going down rabbit holes.

A successful applicant for this role will demonstrate they can think not in terms of success or failure, but in terms of how to maximize impact per day. To do this, you will need to rapidly understand complex novel emissions data concepts; grab large amounts of data in ETL pipelines that do not necessarily need to be reusable; rapidly build good-enough prototypes; quantify impacts if projects succeed; analyze systems for marginal additional impact from improving various limiting factors (engineering, economic, and political); iteratively chip away at those limitations; and communicating all the above in plain English. 

Responsibilities

• First-order modeling: Rapidly stitch together estimates of relevant variables from data you can rapidly obtain (e.g. health harm caused by different Climate TRACE assets)

• Data assimilation: Iteratively improve estimates by continuously improving algorithms with new input data using Bayesian updating or similar methods

• Construct ETL pipelines: Pull, clean, format, and organize relevant data from the web, satellites, our databases, and partners

• Technical communication: Write clear methodologies, API documentation, and papers for technical audiences

• Stakeholder communication: Write brief punchlines or blog posts for team members, policymakers, nonprofits, and corporate decision makers

• Comparative causal inference analysis

• Estimate the causal impact of various interventions (like building solar)

• Quantify opportunities to increase impact by adjusting control variables (e.g. moving air quality sensors to where it will minimize GHGs)

• Marginal gains analysis

• Conduct formal analysis of the comparative shadow value of relaxing different control variable constraints across many complex causal chains

• Apply this to inform the team’s data assimilation work: where would improving our data or methods cause the most impact?

• Skip to the punchline whenever non-quantitative critical thinking is enough 

This job description is intended to describe the general nature of work performed by employees in this role and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Duties and responsibilities may be modified at any time, with or without notice, based on operational needs, in compliance with applicable law, and employees may be required to perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

Required technical skills

• Minimum of a BA in economics, operations research, quantitative finance, physics, or other quantitative field involving optimal decision making under constraints

• Minimum 2 years in economics, finance, astrophysics, data science, or other highly quantitative field that involves making estimates 

• Minimum 2 years working in Python in a git, code-reviewed environment

• Mathematical Modeling skills

• A deep understanding of a variety of modeling techniques which must include supervised learning, Bayesian approaches, and regression analyses

• Experience selecting modeling approaches based on impact and explainability

• Comfortable choosing and defending simple models, like averages within groups, when a complex model is unnecessary

• Economics or Business

• Experience predicting changes in demand (economics, finance, or similar)

• Experience with causal inference techniques (triple differences, regression discontinuity, etc.)

• Experience with optimization techniques (using Lagrangians/shadow values for maximization under constraint, etc.)

• Experience predicting changes in outcomes based on changes in incomplete information (game theory, Lean start up, or other)

• Software Engineering

• Experience scoping work into tasks that can be completed in short sprints

• Exemplified good code hygiene and software practices

• Highly collaborative code reviewer, experienced authoring PRs that are single purpose, well described, and reviewable

• Experience maintaining code that has been released, including bug fixes, error handling, refactoring, and scaling

• Can work effectively from a remote environment on fairly regular U.S. work hours through tools like Slack, Zoom, GSuite, and several other systems 

 Required soft skills

• Energetic, positive, proactive person who is excited to move at a speed far faster than normal jobs. This is not an easy job!

• Iterative thinker who thrives making 0th, 1st, and nth order estimates, always despite imperfect data (perfectionists, this role is not the one for you)

• Excellent problem-solving skills, particularly in breaking problems into component parts

• Comfortable operating in a fast-moving, often verbal, environment where many important concepts are not documented anywhere

• Exemplify ownership and leadership through proactive, clear communication centered around outcomes and needs

• Clear, precise, frank communicator who cuts to the chase and can succinctly and honestly summarize what they currently do and don’t know

• Strong flexibility (things change very fast around here)

• Ruthless prioritization: able to constantly prioritize work based on impact and organizational strategy. Must be able to resist getting distracted by shiny objects!

• Collaborative, respectful, and kind 

• Willingness to travel to team collaborative sessions a few times a year

• Above all, a deep-seated commitment to stopping climate change and a willingness to place that above all other goals, even when it’s messy and hard

Nice-to-have skills

• An MBA or practical experience running a startup

• Experience working with remote sensing

• Experience working with emissions data

• PhD or extensive publications in causal inference, Bayesian or analogous data fusion methods, or modeling

• Experience working with coding agents

How We Measure Success at WattTime

• Productivity: hard work, efficiency, completing ambitious deadlines on time

• Quality: producing high quality work, proactivity, use of specialized skills 

• Doing the work: on-task, flexibility, prioritizing whatever climate impact requires

• Judgment: critical thinking, clear communication, anticipating problems, impact-focused decision-making

• Helping others: collaboration, active listening, respect, giving/receiving feedback, self-awareness
  
  

Logistics

• This is a full time, fully remote position - work from anywhere in the U.S. subject to organizational approval and applicable employment laws 

• This position requires the ability to sit, stand, and use a computer for extended periods. 

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S. - work authorization will be verified through E-Verify system

• Salary: $170,000-$190,000 based on where you can hit the ground running

Application Process

• Resume screening 

• Initial phone screening

• Skills assessment and 3 technical interviews 

• Final round interviews including with the team at large

• Reference checks and conditional offer pending results of one-time federal criminal background check and work authorization in E-Verify (WattTime will not conduct background checks or open a case in E-Verify before an offer letter is signed)

Read more about what WattTime’s like in this LinkedIn post from one of our fantastic engineers.

Why Work with WattTime

• Join a highly impactful, fast-moving, relentlessly mission-driven tech nonprofit

• Competitive salary

• Full medical, dental, vision, life insurance packages for employees and 80% coverage for dependents

• Paid parental leave 

• Flexible time off 

• Professional development support 

• Home office support and employee choice technology 

• 403b with up to 5% matching contribution

What we’re like: we’re obsessed with making practical, results-driven change. We believe nothing has more potential for fast, world-changing impact than software. We embrace change. We are lean and rapid prototypers. We never confuse growth with impact. We are all personally, fiercely committed to our mission. We are quietly radical in unexpected ways. We don’t believe in competition–other people doing good work are allies. Our deep bench of expert volunteers helps us routinely punch above our weight class. We trust in data and everyone’s voice being heard. We know diversity is central to success. We consider respect non-negotiable; there are no jerks here.

How to Apply

You can apply for this position on our website at www.WattTime.org. From the “About” tab, select the “Careers” page, then select the job for which you want to apply.  

In lieu of a cover letter, please use the application form field to explain why you are interested in this particular role and how your experience does or doesn’t match the requirements.

Equal Opportunity Policy 

WattTime is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion, creed, pregnancy, marital status, family care status, age, appearance, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental ability, medical condition, military or veteran status, political affiliation, genetic information or characteristics or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local laws. We encourage all individuals to apply and are committed to a diverse workplace where every person is treated with respect and dignity. 

The responsibilities listed in this job description represent essential functions of the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

WattTime is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, WattTime will ensure that candidates are provided with reasonable accommodations for the hiring process upon request. If reasonable accommodation is needed for the application process described above, please write to hr@watttime.org.

WattTime sometimes uses AI on a limited basis to streamline parts of the hiring process. We don’t allow AI to autonomously make decisions in the hiring process. We also carefully monitor the use of AI to ensure compliance with applicable anti-discrimination and employment laws. Candidates may request alternative evaluation methods in compliance with applicable law.