Science Lead

ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE: The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) protects people from toxic chemicals by working with communities, consumers, workers, government, and the private sector to demand and support business practices that are safe for public health and the environment. CEH believes that air, water, food, and the products we use every day should be free of dangerous and untested chemicals. We hold companies to account through public interest litigation, work together with institutions to implement environmentally preferable purchasing, and reform entire regulatory systems through policy. This is an organization of committed advocates who work together to protect the health of all people, including those who face disproportionate health effects of toxic chemicals caused by systemic racism and social injustice.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES: The Science Lead will report to the Senior Director of the Toxic Exposures and Pollution Prevention Program and is a key member of the senior staff. The successful candidate will collaborate across CEH teams to enable science-driven decision making and policy and to champion justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion. The Science Lead is responsible for ensuring that all of CEH’s programmatic work follows the best available science. This scientific foundation allows CEH to successfully reduce the public’s exposure to toxic chemicals. The Science Lead will manage an interdisciplinary portfolio that accomplishes ambitious goals to eliminate and reduce toxic chemicals from food, water, air, and consumer products via litigation, compliance testing, policy, community engagement, and other strategies. The Science Lead provides scientific leadership, support, and technical assistance to all CEH programs including directing all testing and research efforts related to programmatic work. This role also acts as a representative of CEH in the media, at conferences, and in other public forums. The successful candidate will be highly empathetic, and emotionally intelligent; exemplify adaptability and flexibility, and embrace complex problem solving.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Litigation Support

The Science Lead will work closely with the Senior Director of Toxic Exposures and Pollution Prevention to manage and strategize around CEH’s public interest litigation:

  • Evaluate the scientific and technical bases for new legal cases and develop research strategies to support case development
  • Review, analyze, and summarize primary scientific literature for internal and external audiences
  • Manage relationships with third-party commercial laboratories and track consumer product testing
  • Identify and coordinate with industry experts and consultants when subject matter is outside of the candidate’s experience
  • At a minimum, have working knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations and compliance; preferably including knowledge of the Toxic Substances Control Act, Clean Water Act, Clean Air Act, Safe Drinking Water Act, and Proposition 65
  • Write confidential memorandums to be submitted to the California Department of Justice in support of litigation brought under Proposition 65
  • Develop and conduct exposure assessments and other scientific support as necessary in support of litigation
  • Collaborate with allied individuals and organizations in the scientific and academic communities on enforcement and compliance of other environmental regulations
  • Collaborate in teams and work with lawyers and policy advocates to critically review and draft regulatory language and comments to proposed legislation, or other policies.
  • Provide scientific leadership and support for community-based air and water contamination cases as well as initiatives related to environmentally preferrable products and standards development.
  • Provide scientific support when CEH investigates strategies that would both reduce people’s exposure to toxic chemicals and create revenue for CEH

General Program Support:

  • Manage science coordinators and scientific and technical consultants
  • Work closely with key staff to determine and implement CEH’s scientific priorities
  • Partner closely with senior program staff to ensure that their programmatic work is supported with a strong scientific foundation
  • Serve as primary contact for the commercial labs that provide testing for CEH to ensure that testing processes are legally and scientifically defensible
  • Oversee CEH’s internal testing procedures and supervise any outside scientific consultants
  • Together with program staff, co-author reports and/or scientific articles that support CEH programmatic efforts to create change in the world.
  • Engage in science communication and serve as a spokesperson for CEH externally to partner agencies, news media, conferences, external meetings, and the public.
  • Contribute to CEH’s communications about program accomplishments, toxic chemicals, science and our testing and reports in blog posts, newsletters, and action alerts.
  • Assist the Philanthropic Partnerships team on fundraising and reporting needs related to CEH’s initiatives, engaging with key funders and foundation staff and speaking at donor events as needed, and coordinating the science team’s contributions to proposals.

NEEDED QUALIFICATIONS:

  • Master’s degree required, PhD preferred or equivalent professional experience.
  • Minimum of 7 years of experience in relevant area(s) (e.g. toxicology, biology, chemistry, environmental health sciences, etc.). Experience/familiarity with methods in analytical chemistry is a plus.
  • Ability to think creatively about sources of exposure to toxic chemicals.
  • Understanding of standard exposure assessment methods and theories.
  • Experience communicating with diverse groups and working with a multicultural workforce; sensitivity to and appreciation of cultural differences.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate technical information into accessible forms. Comfort with public speaking and a clear writing style are a must.
  • Demonstrated commitment to nonprofit/public interest advocacy and environmental justice.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills with a demonstrated successful track record as both a proactive self-starter and a flexible team-player that adapts well to change.
  • Extensive project management experience, including demonstrated ability to design, launch, and manage projects against tight timelines, to apply a proactive collaborative style that gains the support of stakeholders, and to identify and/or secure funds to support critical activities.
  • Ability to communicate and liaise effectively with senior management.
  • Ability to effectively communicate with the public and multiple audiences.
  • Ability to travel regularly, including to CEH headquarters in Oakland, CA, up to 30% annually.

SALARY:

We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. The salary range for this position is $105,000 – 125,000 per year. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. Internal equity will be reviewed and considered to determine a final offer. Our offices are open, and we are operating in a hybrid model.

CEH is an equal opportunity employer. As an organization committed to diversity and the perspective of all voices, it considers applicants equally of race, gender, gender identity or expression, color, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, age, ability, personal appearance, family responsibilities, or national origin.

APPLYING FOR THE JOB:

Write/gather the following materials and send in a single PDF:

  • Cover letter
  • Resume

Please merge these materials into a single PDF whose file name includes “Science Lead” and your surname. Then email that PDF to: jobs@ceh.org (subject line: Science Lead).