Staff Geoscientist

The Staff Geoscientist will serve as a CATF resident expert in geologic sciences, with a focus on geologic carbon storage supporting CATF’s mission to make carbon capture & storage technologies widely available and deployed by mid-century.  

The Staff Geoscientist will report to the Chief Geoscientist and will be responsible for providing expert technical support to carbon capture efforts in the US and internationally and US legal team.  

General Responsibilities 

• Serve as CATF’s principal U.S. geologic storage science and policy resource.  
• Provide geotechnical support for CATF’s EU staff as needed. 
• Support Chief Geologist with China CCUS projects or superhot geothermal. 

 Technical Responsibilities 

• Track development of U.S. domestic onshore and offshore geologic storage resources; acquire familiarity with global geologic storage resources, especially in UK, EU and China. 
• Track tools and strategies for permitting and management of geologic storage sites including characterization, monitoring, verification and accounting. 
• Routinely digest relevant global scientific and engineering studies; update CATF’s advocates and collaborating groups and coalitions as appropriate. 
• Build relationships with global thought leaders on geologic storage management.  
• Establish and maintain relationships with academic, industrial and institutional leaders who can be called upon as expert resources.
• Develop and manage a research agenda to support geologic CO2 storage related policy development at the federal and state/regional levels by engaging closely with CCS and H2 and state CES teams. 
• Prepare reports and communicate findings of any investigations to the public, press, policymakers. 
• Manage consultants as needed to deliver technical work in a timely fashion. 
• Manage or undertake GIS mapping efforts, as appropriate. 
• Attend domestic and international conferences on geologic carbon storage such as GHGT-16, SECARB, UT/Gulf of Mexico GoMCARB.  
• Present, publish CATF research and perspectives at conferences, in technical journals. 
• Support CATF’s superhot rock geothermal energy initiative.

Domestic Policy Support 

Support US federal and state legislative and regulatory CCUS initiatives: 

• Development of geologic storage hubs and organizations (aka “utilities”). 
• Provide expertise on federal geologic storage related regulations (such as EPA Underground Injection Control Rule (UIC), IRS 45Q tax incentives program; EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program). 
• Track and participate in ISO standard development and implementation activities. 
• Serve as geoscience lead on state CCUS initiatives such as California’s LCFS program/CCS Protocol, state UIC Class VI primacy applications.  
• Review of Class VI applications. 
• Provide regulatory support; serve as a resource to the legal team in developing technical cases for new legislation and regulations on a state and federal level. (E.g. Clean Air Act sections 111 B and D (clean power) 
• Engage in discussions relating to commercial business models for deploying wide-scale geologic CO2 storage. 
• Work with CATF’s communications team to provide creative / geoscience content and perspectives for press, including press releases, interviews, and social media.  

International  

• Support CATF International team activities to promote CCS projects and geologic storage resources in the EU. 
• Develop and maintain understanding of international geologic storage regulatory policies, especially EU. 
• Assist Chief Geologist with CATF’s CCS and geologic storage initiatives in China. 
• Establish and maintain relationships with academic, industrial and institutional leaders who can be called upon as expert resources in the EU and China. 

 Culture 

• Bring enthusiasm and creative thinking to energy system decarbonization. 
• Committed to adapting CATF strategies based on new and changing scientific and engineering developments in zero carbon energy. 
• Thrive in a self-motivated entrepreneurial environment; be a self-starter and a collaborator. 
• Communicate regularly with CATF team members to strategize and stay abreast of CATF work and developments. 

 Requirements 

The successful applicant will have a completed Ph.D. or master’s degree in geology, geophysics, or geotechnical engineering, and demonstrate expertise in areas pertinent to geologic carbon storage such as subsurface structure and stratigraphy, petrophysics, well logging and subsurface characterization, reservoir engineering, well completion, CO2 enhanced oil recovery. The well-qualified candidate will be competent in GIS and ideally have experience in building and running spreadsheet-based models. Demonstrated competencies should include a track record of professional publication and demonstrated technical writing skills and ability to communicate and work well with the public in translating research to public understanding. Work experience in the areas of carbon storage and/or enhanced oil recovery a plus but not necessary.  

 Benefits. 

Competitive salary, full-time position with health benefits and 401k. 

 To Apply:  

To apply please write to [email protected] and submit a CV accompanied by a letter describing your background and interests, a sample of technical writing, 3 references.