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Closing Date: January 11, 2026

Salary Range: $60,000–$80,000 depending on qualifications and experience

Location: Anywhere in Canada

  • This posting is for an existing vacancy

Overview

In December 2025, the federal government announced seed funding to develop Canada’s sustainable investment guidelines, commonly referred to as a sustainable finance taxonomy. As Canada’s foremost climate policy research organization, the Canadian Climate Institute has been selected to lead the research and technical work to inform development of the proposed guideline criteria.

To support the taxonomy development, the Institute’s Sustainable Finance team is expanding its research capacity to deliver on this important and timely work. If you join our team, you’ll be collaborating with some of the most dedicated and influential thinkers working on sustainable finance in Canada with a direct impact on the future of sustainable finance policy. Learn about our latest work at climateinstitute.ca.

The Role

Reporting to the Research Lead, the Research Associate will support the Director and the Research Lead in developing made-in-Canada sustainable investment guidelines. The successful candidate will contribute to technical research, analysis, and writing for priority research areas related to developing a Green and Transition Taxonomy. The research involves supporting the development of the core framework based on the Sustainable Finance Action Council’s Taxonomy Roadmap and international models and conducting technical work to define the technical taxonomy screening criteria for priority sectors.

Primary Responsibilities

  • Support on all aspects of technical taxonomy development as required, including development of technical screening criteria, preparation of documents and reports, analysis of international literature and data, and supporting engagement processes
  • Maintain up-to-date expertise on major sectors of Canada’s economy, including but not limited to electricity, mining, buildings, heavy industry, and transportation
  • Stay up-to-date on current developments in sustainable finance, climate policy, and factors affecting the Canadian economy broadly
  • Contribute to maintaining a system for tracking technical, advisory committee, and public feedback
  • Take meeting minutes and track action items

Preferred Qualifications And Skills

  • Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Environmental, Sustainability or Climate Change Studies, Resource Management, Public Policy, Social Sciences or other relevant field of study (e.g., engineering) if combined with relevant policy research experience
  • Strong quantitative research skills. An understanding of energy-economy modeling and interpreting results of modeling analysis is an asset.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Strong understanding of and interest in climate policy and/or finance. Specific knowledge and expertise in sustainable finance taxonomies is an asset.
  • Minimum of 2 years’ experience in public policy or research
  • Demonstrated experience with data gathering, analysis, and literature reviews
  • Bilingual (French and English) fluency is an asset
  • Self-directed and able to work independently
  • Applicants must have legal authorization to work in Canada to be considered

What we Offer

  • A full-time (40 hrs/wk) salaried position with occasional travel
  • The opportunity to do meaningful work with a dynamic, highly committed team located across the country
  • A flexible, virtual workplace with funds to cover home-office setup
  • Four weeks’ paid vacation plus federal stat holidays and additional paid days off at year-end
  • Up to 5 days of unpaid leave per calendar year in order to participate in traditional Indigenous practices
  • The option to substitute statutory religious holidays for religious or cultural holidays you observe
  • Employer-paid health care benefits, Employee Assistance Program, half-day Fridays in the summer, paid sick days, and paid parental leave among other employee supports
  • An RRSP contribution plan available to staff after one year
  • Funding for professional development, skill training, and participation in conferences

The Canadian Climate Institute is committed to advancing justice and equity in our organization, our work, and our hiring practices. We encourage applications from Indigenous peoples, visible minorities, women, LGBTQIA2S+ and persons with disabilities, and are working to create an inclusive culture that supports collective growth, learning/unlearning and meaningful work. We value diverse perspectives and will consider relevant life experience alongside professional qualifications when reviewing applications.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) to review resumes of candidates and assess their fit based on the criteria outlined in the job posting. We do not use AI to make any final hiring or interview decisions.