Parks California Climate Fellowship (2 positions)

Parks California
2023 - 2024 Climate Fellowship (2 positions)

WHO WE ARE

At Parks California, our vision is for vibrant, healthy parks that welcome, engage, and inspire. As California State Parks’ only statutory non-profit partner, we have a clear mission: to help strengthen parks and inspire all people to experience these extraordinary places. At Parks California, you will work within a unique partnership between a non-profit and California State Parks – a partnership set up to implement solutions that address issues ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss, to equitable access, to helping shape the future of parks – one that serves everyone in California.

As a team, each of us at Parks California strives to:

o Be a valued and trusted partner organization.
o Serve as catalysts for the future of parks.
o Cultivate a culture of philanthropy.
o Model emotional and cultural intelligence in our work every day.
o Embody the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

OVERVIEW OF THE FELLOWSHIP

Seeking Two Fellows for 2023-2024!

Parks California is currently seeking two Climate Fellows to serve year-long positions to advance climate planning at California State Parks. The Parks California Climate Fellows will have the unique opportunity to work with California State Park leadership, scientists, and planners to shape how climate change is considered in future state park planning and stewardship efforts. The Fellows will provide scientific expertise and assistance to the Department’s planning function, Natural Resource Division, Districts, Service Centers, and other Divisions to address technical, analytical, planning and/or regulatory work specific to climate adaptation/mitigation strategies.

1. Statewide Planning Climate Fellow: The Statewide Planning Fellow’s will support the coordination of a multidisciplinary Climate Change Working Group within California State Parks and assist in the development statewide guidelines, frameworks, and resources for integrating climate considerations into State Parks planning documents.
2. Big Basin GIS Climate Fellow: The Big Basin GIS Climate Fellow will assist the Natural Resource Division and Santa Cruz District staff in preparing a preliminary climate adaptation strategy for Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Assistance may include providing scientific expertise, GIS and technical writing support to develop a vulnerability assessment, selecting climate projections and impacts, scenario planning, and climate adaptation strategy development.

TERMS, COMPENSATION & LOCATION

Full-time, one-year limited term basis. A salary range of $55,000 – 60,000, including a comprehensive benefits package, will be offered based on experience. Both positions are hybrid and will require both remote and in-person work out of the California State Park Sacramento office, and occasional travel to the Santa Cruz District and other state parks.

The Fellows will work through a matrixed management framework under the general direction of the California State Parks Natural Resource Division, Strategic Planning and Recreational Services Division, and Parks California.

THE POSITIONS (2 ROLES)

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: STATEWIDE PLANNING CLIMATE FELLOW

Technical Assistance (50%)

• Researches and synthesizes current planning guidance relevant to addressing the impacts of climate change in State Parks and from other land management agencies.
• Assists in development of statewide State Parks-specific planning frameworks and decision-support tools related to climate change impacts and adaptation planning.
• Tracks and assimilates multiple planning processes occurring at different scales with the park systems and captures learnings from local park-level efforts that meet statewide needs

Program Coordination (30%)

• Provides coordination assistance to cross-functional State Parks working group to collaboratively develop materials for draft Park Planning documents, including narratives, maps, and other written or visual materials.
• Provides scientific expertise in resource management issues to assist the Department’s planning function with the preparation of climate planning guidance documents.
• Organizes and participates in relevant meetings related to climate change impacts and planning, emerging scientific and management issues, and adaptation strategies.
• Coordinates with Big Basin GIS Climate Fellow to distill learnings and finding from Big Basin Redwoods State Park Climate Adaptation strategy into statewide frameworks and tool development.

Program Administration (20%)

• Organizes and assists in training Department staff on emerging and relevant climate change impact management issues, science, and best practices, including updates at annual trainings.
• Prepares, reviews, and edits written scientific reports, environmental documents, guidance documents, spreadsheets, and resource maps.
• Researches and drafts responses to related correspondence. 

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

• B.A./B.S. with focus in environmental science, natural resource management, planning, landscape architecture, or closely related field. Advanced degree a plus, but not required.
• Strategic thinker who enjoys building integrative and unifying frameworks that support planning decisions
• Working knowledge or interest in climate change science and policy, with a focus on California ecosystems, principles of climate change, sustainability, adaptation, equity, and resiliency.
• Working knowledge or interest in public lands management, including such issues as wildlife management, facilities planning, cultural and natural resource stewardship, and climate adaptation planning.
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to articulate climate science in an accessible manner and effectively engage, interact, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent organizational skills and an ability to work concurrently on multiple projects and manage deadlines independently.
• Ability to develop clear and concise reports and recommendations
• Ability and willingness to travel periodically and flexibility to work some evenings
• Ability to work on diverse teams or with a diverse range of people
• A passion for California State Parks
• Proficient in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel and virtual communication and productivity tools.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: BIG BASIN GIS CLIMATE FELLOW

Technical Assistance (60%)

• Works with Santa Cruz District staff to prepare climate adaptation strategy for Big Basin Redwoods State Park, including compiling and summarizing relevant studies; data acquisition, processing, documentation, and metadata development; developing map products, working with District staff to identify adaptation strategies based on key project vulnerabilities, meeting with a staff working group, and drafting the strategy document.
• Evaluates and recommends datasets and climate projections assembled regionally and by state/ federal partners to inform climate planning.

Program Coordination (20%)

• Coordinates with Statewide Planning Climate Fellow to support cross-functional State Parks Climate Change Working Group and collaboratively develops materials for draft Park Planning documents, including narratives, maps, and other written or visual materials.
• Coordinates with Statewide Planning Climate Fellow to distills learnings and best practices from Big Basin project to support development of statewide State Parks-specific, scientific decision-support tools for climate planning
• Organizes and participates in relevant meetings related to climate change impacts and planning, emerging scientific and management issues, and adaptation strategies.

Program Administration (20%)

• Organizes and assists in training Department staff on emerging and relevant climate change impact management issues, science, and best practices, including updates at annual trainings.
• Prepares, reviews, and edits written scientific reports, environmental documents, guidance documents, spreadsheets, and resource maps.
• Researches and drafts responses to related correspondence.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

• A./B.S. with focus in environmental science, natural resource management, planning, landscape architecture, or closely related field. Advanced degree a plus, but not required.
• Experience conducting literature reviews and experience with data acquisition, processing, and documentation
• Proficiency with ESRI ArcGIS products and map creation
• The ability to develop clear and concise reports and recommendations
• Working knowledge or interest in climate change science and policy, with a focus on California ecosystems, principles of climate change, sustainability, adaptation, equity, and resiliency.
• Interest in public lands management, including such issues as wildlife management, facilities planning, cultural and natural resource stewardship, and climate adaptation planning.
• Highly effective written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to articulate climate science in an accessible manner and effectively engage, interact, and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams
• Excellent organizational skills and an ability to work concurrently on multiple projects and manage deadlines independently.
• Ability and willingness to travel periodically and flexibility to work some evenings
• Ability to work on diverse teams or with a diverse range of people
• A passion for California State Parks
• Proficient in MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel and virtual communication and productivity tools.

TO APPLY:

We encourage you to apply even if your experience is not a 100% match with the positions. We are looking for someone with relevant skills, experience, curiosity, and interest – not a checklist that exactly matches the job description. Part of the Fellowship experience is to support your growth and experience in this field.

Interested candidates can apply by submitting a cover letter and resume here. Candidates should indicate in their cover letter if they are more interested in the Statewide Planning or GIS Fellowship, or if they would like to be considered for both.

TIMELINE

Application review will begin May 29, 2023. Applications submitted after May 29, 2023 will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. The Fellowships will start by July 10, 2023 for a one-year term.

More information on Parks California can be found at https://parkscalifornia.org/.

Parks California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe that our overall effectiveness is enhanced when equity and inclusiveness are practiced and protected throughout our organizational governance, culture, and staffing. We are committed to leadership in and serving as a catalyst for promoting equity and inclusion in parks communities.