[ES_JOBS_NET] Partner Scientist, Asterisk Labs, Remote, 4 Day Week, £58k, Worker Co-op Lab

[Jacqueline Campbell]

Role: Partner Scientist

Asterisk Labs, the UK’s first worker co-operative research lab, is
expanding its team of climate and Earth observation scientists. You could
help us build an alternative to the usual routes for doing research,
prioritising positive societal impact and democratic worker control!

If you want to learn more about Asterisk Labs, visit our about page
<https://asterisk.coop/about.html>
what we’re looking for

Currently, we are able to consider applications from two types of
candidates.

Atmospheric specialist: You will initially be working primarily on the
Clouds Decoded project, funded by ARIA. Therefore, our current preference
is for applicants with existing skills and knowledge in atmospheric
sciences, cloud processes and/or radiative transfer. You will be helping to
design and create models for retrieval of physical cloud properties from
multispectral data, and harnessing those measurements to study
cloud-climate interactions.

Wildcard scientist: If you are coming from a different discipline and have
a clear vision of how you could grow Asterisk with us, especially with
ideas for how to fund new research projects, you could be a great addition
to our interdisciplinary team. We are ready to consider domains like
oceanography, ecology, spatial epidemiology, cryospheric science, or any
other field that could benefit from open Earth data. Please note, Asterisk
would work with you to seek funding for a project that we co-define, and
hiring would be subject to the success of that process.

Regardless of which position you fulfil, you will be working with us to
shape the future direction of Asterisk, and be part of a growing
interdisciplinary lab finding new uses for open Earth data. We want someone
who looks at problems with a fresh perspective, and enjoys designing and
working on ambitious projects that challenge assumptions and asks the big
questions. If you’re someone who has used Earth data imaginatively or in an
unexpected way, or if you’ve collaborated across different Earth science
disciplines, we’d love to hear about it!

Besides technical skills, Asterisk shares the work that supports our
science and our business across the team. We require you to be able to
demonstrate some mix of skills in the following areas, or to show a
willingness to learn (there is NO expectation for all of these skills, but
any relevant experiences will be taken into account):

   - Project management
   - Financial planning and accounting
   - Communications and public-speaking
   - Networking
   - Fundraising and proposal writing
   - Sysadmin and software/hardware management
   - Business development
   - Interest or experience in the co-operative sector
   - Any other administrative or supporting skills
   - B2B SaaS lol just kidding

This is a remote position. We can employ you directly in the UK, or use an
Employer of Record service if you will be working in another country.
Unfortunately, at this time, we are not able to sponsor Skilled Worker visa
applications in order to relocate to the UK, so if applying from abroad,
you must have the right to work in your country of residence, and be able
to travel to the UK a few times a year. We are an equal opportunities
employer and welcome applications from all qualified candidates, regardless
of age, disability, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation,
gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, or pregnancy and
maternity.

We do not place specific requirements on official qualifications and we
welcome applications from people with atypical career paths. With that
being said, we see this position as suitable for someone who has the
equivalent amount of research experience that a PhD would bring. We
especially welcome applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.
what we offer

Terms of employment may differ if you are working in another country, but
we will try to make them as similar as possible to what is offered in the
UK. The following information is what we offer if employed in the UK.

We have a flat, transparent salary structure. You will receive:

   - £58k per annum gross (with raises agreed upon collectively on a
   roughly annual basis)
   - 8% employer pension contribution
   - salary sacrifice scheme
   - 4-day work week and flexible hours
   - 30 days paid leave per year plus public holidays
   - life insurance
   - personal accident insurance
   - personal travel insurance

Alongside other benefits such as:

   - Funding for skills and courses
   - Opportunities to travel
   - (Optional) full membership of the worker co-operative and seat on the
   Board of Directors after a 6-month probationary period.

You will be joining a democratically managed, mission-driven organisation.
This opportunity comes with both the benefits and responsibilities attached
to our co-operative structure. After your probationary period, you will be
able to take part in the democratic process that controls your working
conditions and the business. You will not be ‘our employee’, but rather
working alongside us as an equal partner.
how to apply

This position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. We will
begin reviewing applications and contacting applicants for interviews on a
rolling basis from 22nd August onwards. We will conduct a short virtual
interview of roughly 15 minutes for shortlisted candidates, followed by a
longer 45 minute virtual interview for the selected few. We will endeavour
to respond to all applicants as quickly and efficiently as possible.

If you’d like to apply, please send the following to join at asterisk.coop:

   - CV
   - Cover letter explaining what you’d like to work with us on in the
   future and why you want to join Asterisk. We’d appreciate it if this letter
   could be roughly 1 page.
   - (Optional) A single page portfolio document with links to
   papers/code/datasets/projects/talks/anything else that you think we should
   see.
   - Any reasonable adjustments for the interview process that you would
   like us to make (e.g. written questions in addition to spoken ones).

For any questions or clarifications on these requirements, please also
reach out to join at asterisk.coop

If you don’t meet all of the criteria listed above, but still think you
belong at Asterisk, we want to hear from you.

Please note that we will process your application data in accordance with
our privacy policy, which can be found here:
https://asterisk.coop/privacy-policy.html
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <https://mailman.ucar.edu/pipermail/es_jobs_net/attachments/20250813/74a020f6/attachment.htm>