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Title of Position: Sustainability Fellow
Location: Contra Costa County Department of Conservation and Development (Martinez, CA)
Work Environment: Hybrid (Remote & On Site). 3 days in the office, 2 days remote.
Term: March - August 2025; 900 hours, 6 months; 40 hours/week.
Living Allowance Stipend: $2,838.91/month
Education Award: $3,697.50 upon program completion
Benefits: Free healthcare coverage (w/dental & mental health), Education Award, student loan forbearance, child care allowance, CalFresh, professional development budget, industry networking.
Personal Vehicle required? No
Working with minors? No
ABOUT THE HOST PARTNER
Contra Costa County (County) is a diverse county of nearly 1.2 million people, 170,000 of whom live in communities in the unincorporated County. Contra Costa County extends from the San Francisco Bay to the San Joaquin Delta. Along this waterfront, Contra Costa County is home to seven of the ten largest industrial facilities in the San Francisco Bay Area: four refineries, as well as power plants and other large industrial facilities. Many of the communities identified as "low income disadvantaged communities" by the State of California are adjacent to these facilities. Our new General Plan and recently updated Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) incorporate environmental justice and economic development policies and actions to address the historic injustices our Impacted Communities have endured. The Fellow will join the County's Sustainability Team, housed in the Department of Conservation and Development. This Team of five leads implementation of the CAAP across all County departments, building partnerships with others in County government and in the many communities in the unincorporated areas of our County.
Position Overview & Description
The Contra Costa County Sustainability Team focuses on implementing the County's CAAP and Climate Emergency Resolution. Our vision is that Contra Costa County is a leader on climate and sustainability issues, centering equity while ensuring healthy, resilient communities for County residents and workers. In 2025, we will be focused on implementing grants to support development of a resilient shoreline, help homes in our Impacted Communities operate on clean energy, develop an urban forest management plan, and manage a large community change grant in North Richmond. We are launching implementation of our new CAAP. We also have ongoing initiatives.
Below is a list of projects and responsibilities for the Sustainability Fellow:
Contra Costa Resilient Shoreline Plan ($1.5 million grant from Ocean Protection Council)
- Liaison to Shoreline Leadership Academy Participants: County Point of Contact to whom Academy participants would reach out.
- Shoreline Leadership Academy Logistics Coordinator: Help identify locations for meetings, work with BCDC and other partners as needed to determine the locations meetings should take place in, date/time, speakers, recruitment collateral (flyers, social media boilerplate language, recruitment emails), helping with recruitment (attending community events and existing meetings to spread awareness about the Academy and larger RSP effort)
- Communications Coordinator: Suggestions for webpage content and updates, documentation/pictures of events, social media content creation for efforts
Urban Forest Management Plan (Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation, Extreme Heat grant)
- Potential support in managing advisory council and project team meetings, tracking community engagement and workforce development activities, and other tasks.
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
- Update the greenhouse gas emissions inventory
- Assist with ongoing updates to CAAP web page
- Other support as needed.
Ongoing Tasks
- Minutes for Sustainability Committee, Sustainability Commission, Contra Costa Resilient Shoreline Committee
- Develop, research, and write the quarterly "Sustainability in Contra Costa County" newsletter.
- Update list of community organizations.
Responsibilities
- Liaison to community members participating in County projects (see above).
- Take notes at meetings of Board of Supervisors Sustainability Committee and Resilient Shoreline Committee, and Sustainability Commission (citizen advisory body), as well as other meetings.
- Develop greenhouse gas emissions inventory.
- Provide suggestions for data presentation on website.
- Meeting coordination.
- Research and write quarterly newsletter.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience and knowledge of: Climate Communications, Community Outreach, Data Analysis, Energy Systems, Environmental Justice, Event Coordination, Marketing/Social Media, Multi-stakeholder collaboration, Policy Analysis, Project Management
- Flexible, creative, team player, strong written and oral communication skills
- Spanish proficiency is a plus.
Fellowship Experience
Contra Costa County has been hosting Sustainability Service Corps fellows for many years. In fact, two of the five people on our Sustainability Team started as Fellows! We are committed to providing our Fellow with training, mentorship, and opportunities to grow their professional skills. Fellows historically have participated in meetings with senior managers and elected officials, and are provided an opportunity to understand the policy-making and program implementation process. Our staff members regularly give informational interviews.
Contra Costa County is working on some of the key issues of our day: converting homes and offices to clean energy, building out an active transportation network, addressing historic racism and environmental justice, and more. Our department of 165 sponsors a range of services, from building permitting and inspection to code enforcement to economic development and more. The Sustainability Team is part of this. We also work frequently with staff in other County departments, particularly Public Works, Health, and Emergency Services.
Successful fellows will be self-starters, able to take instruction, ask questions as needed, and keep projects moving.
Our team works a hybrid schedule: 3 days in the office, 2 days remote. Everyone is in the office on Monday and Tuesday.
We will work with our Fellow to help them understand the County context, how we approach our work, and how to be successful in one's career. The Fellow will be part of all team meetings, as well as other meetings that occur as part of the Fellow's assignments. Our group hosts hiking meetings every couple of months, to which we invite colleagues from other groups and departments. We host regular meetings with sustainability champions in other County departments, and with staff from cities and special districts in Contra Costa County.
ABOUT US
Sustainability Service Corps (SSC) is a bridge-to-career AmeriCorps Fellowship program that delivers professional development to emerging climate protection leaders who implement projects related to sustainability, education, and community engagement for municipalities, nonprofits, schools, and disadvantaged communities across California.
Upon completion of the term, SSC Fellows receive a Segal Education Award of up to $7,395.00 in return for your service. You can use the award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs. Fellows who complete a 1700-hour term also receive a California For All Award of $2,605.00 for educational expenses.
Eligibility
- AmeriCorps Requirements
- Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States*
- Ability to pass FBI, CA Department of Justice, out-of-state (if applicable), and National Sex Offender Public Registry background checks prior to service
- Sustainability Service Corps Requirements
- At least 18 years of age
- Test negatively for tuberculosis if working with minors
- Adhere to COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements determined by host organization
- Live in the state of California
- Commitment to the full term of service
- Capability to work in a professional office or field setting
- Strong verbal and written communication and teamwork skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Passion for community-oriented climate change solutions and interest in launching a career in sustainability
- Experience with, or training in, climate science, sustainability, environmental justice, education, community outreach, and project management
- Past service experience (e.g., volunteering, community service, etc.)
- Associates degree or above AND/OR relevant experience
- Being local to the community where you will serve
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
Bay Area Community Resources, the administrator of Sustainability Service Corps, is an equal opportunity employer. We cultivate an environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all employees and National Service members. We are firmly committed to maintaining an atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. Therefore, we enthusiastically accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religion or religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, marital status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local laws or ordinances. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this equal opportunity policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.
