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Sustainability Research & Knowledge Management

Produce the evidence sustainability decisions rest on.

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Researchers and knowledge managers produce the evidence base: running studies, writing briefs and reports, and building the systems that keep findings findable. Employers include think tanks, universities, NGOs, foundations, UN agencies and corporate strategy teams.

The path splits into two lanes: research (methods-heavy, publication-oriented) and knowledge management (systems-heavy, platform architecture). The research lane hires on methods and publications; the knowledge lane hires on platform architecture and information design.

Typical job titles

Entry-level
  • Research Assistant
  • Knowledge Management Officer
  • Junior Research Analyst
Mid-level
  • Sustainability Research Associate
  • Policy Researcher
  • Knowledge Manager
Senior
  • Head of Research
  • Director of Knowledge Management
  • Principal Researcher

Skills needed

Requirement levels feed the matching engine: mandatory gaps block the score, recommended gaps shape upskilling, differentiators set seniors apart.

Carbon & Climate Accounting
SkillRequirementWeight
IPCC science literacy (AR6)Mandatory2.0
Quantitative & Data Systems
SkillRequirementWeight
Research & literature reviewMandatory3.0
Qualitative & quantitative research methodsMandatory3.0
R / Stata / SPSS analyticsRecommended2.0
Data visualizationRecommended1.5
Survey designRecommended1.5
Knowledge platform architecture (Notion, Airtable)Differentiator1.5
Strategy & Stakeholder Delivery
SkillRequirementWeight
Policy analysis & brief writingMandatory2.5
Editorial judgmentRecommended1.5
Peer-review publishingDifferentiator1.0

Key frameworks & regulations

  • IPCC AR6
  • UNEP GEO / Emissions Gap
  • GRI
  • ISSB

Typical entry backgrounds

  • Environmental Science
  • Policy / Law
  • Data / Analytics

Proof-of-work portfolio projects

Evidence-based policy brief
Intermediate
Write a 4-page evidence-based brief on a climate or sustainability topic.
~20 hours of effort
Literature synthesis
Intermediate
Produce a synthesis of the last 10 key papers on one sustainability question.
~25 hours of effort
Knowledge repository build
Intermediate
Design and populate a Notion/Airtable knowledge hub for a sustainability team.
~25 hours of effort
Mini research study
Capstone
Take one question through method, data collection and analysis, then publish an 8-page report with recommendations.
~80 hours of effort

Recommended certifications

CertificationProviderLevelStudy time
Carbon Literacy ProjectCarbon Literacy Trustbeginner8 h
GHG Protocol Corporate StandardWRI / WBCSDbeginner6–10 h
GRI Sustainability Reporting StandardsGRIintermediate30–40 h
ISSP Certified Sustainability ProfessionalISSPadvanced100+ h

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