Postdoctoral Research Associate - Corporate Climate Action and Social Tipping Points

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Posted: 19-Feb-26

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Internal Number: 308763

Vacancy ID: PDS004695

Position Summary/Description:

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.
The Data-Driven EnviroLab (DDL) is an interdisciplinary and international research initiative based at UNC's IE that is redefining how data is used to tackle the world's most pressing environmental challenges. Analyzing the global environment at multiple geographical and jurisdictional levels – from cities, countries, and regions to local communities and corporations – we turn complex, large-scale, and often messy datasets into actionable insights that shape policy, drive accountability, and create real-world impact. We operate with a commitment to evidence-based, equitable solutions, building connections across disciplines, sectors, and geographies while giving special attention to underrepresented communities and data-scarce regions in the Global South. DDL was founded and is led by Associate Professor Angel Hsu.
The DDL is seeking a Postdoctoral Research Associate to contribute to an interdisciplinary research initiative to study corporate climate action and its potential to catalyze social tipping points (i.e., nonlinear shifts in societal norms, policy, technology uptake, and consumer behavior) that will accelerate climate action beyond a company's direct emissions footprint. The Postdoctoral Research Associate will be researching how corporations contribute to decarbonization and net-zero trajectories through systemic influence (i.e., influencing new governmental regulations, or industry partnerships) beyond their corporations' operational reductions. The goal of the research project is to develop a novel and robust research that provides cutting-edge thought leadership that has real-world application paired with academic rigor.
Specifically, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will lead a team of researchers in conceptualizing and operationalizing corporate catalytic cascading mechanisms, or how corporations' climate action can build momentum and positively influence national climate commitments. As a researcher in the DDL, the Postdoctoral Research Associate will work with team members and external collaborators in defining how corporate climate actions, such as net-zero commitments, procurement shifts, public communication, and coalition-building, can function as triggers of systemic social change.
The Postdoctoral Research Associate will lead the team in developing a conceptual framework that links corporate spheres of influence to social tipping mechanisms (e.g., norm diffusion, policy mimicry, or supply chain alignment) and outline the theoretical pathways through which corporate actions have impact beyond their organization's direct emissions and resource use. To the extent possible given data availability, we will test our methodology using real-world data to establish whether we empirically see evidence of corporate social tipping/catalytic cascading effects.
The position is initially for 1 year with the possibility of extension pending funding and performance.

Education and Experience:

- Background in corporate climate action, CSR, ESG reporting, carbon accounting, or net-zero emissions planning.
- Excellent organization and time management skills.

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