Job Description

[What the role is]

About EDB

The Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), a government agency under the Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry, is responsible for strategies that enhance Singapore’s position as a global centre for business, innovation, and talent. We undertake investment promotion and industry development, and work with international businesses, both foreign and local, by providing information, connection to partners and access to government incentives for their investments. Our mission is to create sustainable economic growth, with vibrant business and good job opportunities for Singapore.

For more information on EDB, please visit www.edb.gov.sg

About Environmental Sustainability (ES)

The Environmental Sustainability division in EDB charts the vision and strategy for Singapore to transit to a low-carbon economy and leverage environmental sustainability trends as a growth engine. We also develop and execute national and ecosystem-level strategies to improve Singapore’s competitiveness in energy, chemicals and materials, and identify new green growth opportunities in established and emerging industries. To achieve this mission, we undertake research, analysis and solutions development in close partnership with others teams in EDB, as well as external stakeholders in government and industry.

Background

Singapore is significantly scaling up research and development (R&D) in low-carbon technologies under the S$800 million Decarbonisation Grand Challenge (DGC), as part of the national Research, Innovation and Enterprise (RIE) 2030 plan.

As an alternative energy-disadvantaged country with a significant manufacturing and industrial base, Singapore will need to leverage technology and innovation to develop new and viable pathways to reduce emissions while maintaining industrial competitiveness.

EDB leads the industry decarbonisation work under the DGC. Leveraging EDB’s close relationships with companies across Singapore's manufacturing and industrial sectors, the team will work with industry to understand key decarbonisation challenges and technology needs, identify where R&D can make a difference, and bring together companies, research institutions and other partners to develop solutions.

EDB will also actively build a pipeline of companies and projects across the DGC, from earlier-stage R&D collaborations to technology demonstration and deployment.

This role combines industry engagement, technology and R&D strategy, and project development, with the opportunity to work across companies and sectors, build partnerships and projects to advance promising solutions towards deployment, and help shape Singapore’s longer-term decarbonisation technology priorities.

[What you will be working on]

Key Responsibilities

Understand industry needs and identify opportunities

• Build trusted relationships with companies across Singapore’s manufacturing and industrial sectors to understand their decarbonisation strategies, technology roadmaps and key challenges.
• Translate industry needs into clear technology and R&D problem statements, and identify where new solutions or R&D could make a difference.
• Develop a cross-sector view of emerging decarbonisation needs and opportunities to inform Singapore’s technology priorities.
• Work closely with other EDB teams to identify and engage priority companies, reach relevant decision-makers in Singapore and globally, and surface potential areas of collaboration.

Assess technologies and shape R&D priorities

• Develop and execute R&D strategies and priorities for industry decarbonisation, grounded in industry needs and aligned with Singapore’s climate and economic priorities.
• Assess emerging decarbonisation technologies and pathways, across technical maturity, technology gaps, potential emissions impact, commercial viability and scalability, and develop an independent view on their relevance to Singapore.
• Determine where Singapore should build capabilities locally, collaborate with international partners, or adopt solutions developed elsewhere.
• Develop recommendations on R&D priorities and funding approaches, and support the development of programmes and partnerships to address priority industry needs.

Build partnerships and develop projects

• Build a pipeline of industry partnerships and projects across the DGC, from R&D collaborations to technology demonstration and deployment.
• Work with companies to shape promising opportunities into projects, bringing together relevant research institutions, technology providers and other partners.
• Bring together technical, commercial and policy considerations to assess project viability, identify appropriate support mechanisms, and address barriers to progress.
• Work across EDB, government agencies and various stakeholders to advance projects towards demonstration and deployment.

[What we are looking for]

Requirements

• At least 5 years of relevant work experience in areas such as energy, industrial decarbonisation, environmental sustainability, engineering, R&D and innovation, climate technology, corporate strategy or related fields.
• Good understanding of industrial decarbonisation, sustainability, R&D or related technology areas, with an interest in emerging decarbonisation technologies.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to work through complex technical and commercial issues and develop clear recommendations.
• Strong business acumen and industry orientation, with the ability to understand companies’ operational and commercial considerations.
• Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to engage effectively with senior stakeholders across industry and government.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across new and evolving topics, multiple stakeholders and workstreams.
• Experience in business development, project development, technology commercialisation, R&D partnerships or innovation programmes would be advantageous.
• A background in engineering, science, energy or another relevant discipline would be advantageous but is not essential.