Earth System Interventions Fellowship in Environmental Law and Policy

Overview

Earth System Interventions Fellow in Environmental Law and Policy

Position title: Earth System Interventions Fellow in Environmental Law and Policy

Salary range: See Table 13B at the UCOP table for the 2025-26 scales. A reasonable estimate for this position is $93,400 per year.

Open date: December 3, 2025

Next review date: Sunday, Feb 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Sunday, Feb 1, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time). Applications will continue to be accepted until this date.

UCLA School of Law's Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment is accepting applications for the Earth System Interventions Fellowship in Environmental Law and Policy for the academic years . This is a full-time two-year fellowship beginning as soon as July 2026. The fellow will conduct research and analysis on international and domestic legal and policy issues related to proposed climate-altering interventions such as solar radiation modification (SRM).

The fellow will also assist with project and Institute activities such as conferences, workshops, and expert working groups.

The Institute

The Emmett Institute is among the leading environmental law programs in the country, with faculty renowned for public service, teaching excellence, and scholarship in state, federal, and international law. The Institute educates future leaders and develops solutions to urgent environmental and environmental justice challenges. For more information, visit the Emmett Institute page: (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./

The Fellowship

Emmett Fellows work on issues relating to environmental law and policy and generate policy-oriented publications and other products for the Institute, in collaboration with UCLA Law faculty.

For 2026, the Fellow will conduct research and legal and policy analysis related to proposed active interventions in Earth and climate systems, including modifications of the Earth's radiation balance, large-scale removal of atmospheric greenhouse gases, and other interventions such as measures to preserve ice sheets and sea ice or large-scale interventions in ocean processes.

The fellow’s duties will consist principally of individual and collaborative research and writing, with some contribution to Institute projects such as conferences, workshops, and publications, and possible teaching opportunities. This may include:

• Supporting the development and execution of workshops with policymakers from Latin America and/or other regions.
• Supporting working groups of senior experts on cross-cutting research areas.
• Research, writing, and analysis on specific questions of policy importance established with project faculty.

The specific configuration of responsibilities will be developed in consultation with Professor Edward Parson and Project Director Nico Esguerra.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess a J.D. or other equivalent degree (such as a Ph.D.) in a field relevant to environment and climate policy; two to five years of post-JD experience (or equivalent); a strong academic record; excellent analytical and writing skills; and demonstrated interest and background in Earth system and climate interventions, science-to-policy processes, climate technology, and/or other frontier climate policy areas informed by emerging science and technology.

UCLA School of Law has a special interest in enriching its intellectual environment through further diversifying the range of perspectives represented within the faculty.

This is a full-time, year-round, non-tenure track, academic position with an expected start date of July 1, 2026. This appointment is subject to the rules and regulations of the Regents of the University of California, including The UCLA CAL and UC Academic Personnel Manual. See policy links for details.

Salary information is detailed in Table 13B. A reasonable estimate for this position is $93,400 per year, plus a competitive benefits package.

Please apply online by submitting pdf copies of a cover letter, a resume,…