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Equity and Deep Decarbonization Fellow - AmeriCorps - Sept 2021 - July 2022
7/30/2021 8:55:29 AM City of Oakland
Job
Fellowship
City of Oakland
Monthly Stipend $2255
End of Program Award $10000
Location
Position Title: Equity and Deep Decarbonization Fellow
Term of Service: Full-time, September 1, 2021 – July 31, 2022
Time requirements: 40 hours/week; 1,700 hours in an 11 month term
About Climate Corps AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a national service commitment that meets a community’s critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. Climate Corps AmeriCorps partners with local government, educational institutions and nonprofit organizations across California to provide full-time service opportunities in the Bay Area and the Greater LA and San Diego Area supporting communities’ critical needs in building climate resilience. Climate Corps AmeriCorps fellows dedicate 1,700 hours of service in exchange for leadership and career development, and a living stipend supported by our AmeriCorps grant. Climate Corps AmeriCorps is an exciting opportunity for service-minded individuals who are passionate about building climate resilience for communities. For more information, please visit www.americorps.gov.
About City of Oakland
The City of Oakland, represented by nearly 5,000 employees serving more than 420,000 residents in one of America’s most diverse cities, strives to address historic inequities through the equitable reduction of GHG emissions, resilience-based climate adaptation, and continued expansion of the green economy. One of the earliest adopters of sustainability, Oakland has maintained a climate program since 1998, creating and implementing some of the most creative and successful policies and plans anywhere in the world. Oakland has among the lowest per capita GHG emissions in the United States, having reduced its emissions approximately 36% from 2005 to 2020. The City also tracks its consumption emissions, recognizing that the true picture of climate impact must be measured globally. Yet these successes are only a fraction of what is needed to serve our community. To learn more, visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/sustainable-oakland-1
Description of duties:
Oakland has set deep decarbonization goals of reducing GHG emissions 83% by 2050 and 60% by 2030, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2045. These goals will require our Fellows to assist in designing and implementing cutting-edge programs that reduce emissions and sequester carbon -- building employment pathways for underserved communities, creating meaningful engagement opportunities, and ensuring that every Oaklander can experience the benefits of clean air and water, less flooding, and improved health. Fellows will also support data analysis and tracking to ensure Oakland is meetings its ongoing targets. Oakland Fellows are expected to be passionate leaders in developing solutions to climate challenges; supportive teachers in educating the next generation of climate leaders; and intelligent team members in building collaborations that span internal departments as well as local, national, and international climate efforts. The City will hire two Sustainability Fellows to serve in the Environmental Services Division of Public Works (ESD), who will work individually and together, as well as with numerous City staff and outside partners and experts, to accomplish the projects below:
- Equitable Climate Action Plan (ECAP) Implementation – Oakland City Council adopted its 10-year ECAP in July 2020, which guides climate and adaptation action until 2030. This is the culmination of several years of community engagement, technical analysis, and iterative plan development. Both Fellows will support ECAP implementation, including policy research, policy and program development, ongoing equitable community engagement, and coordination among City work groups across multiple departments.
- Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Action Plan Support – The City will finalize its ZEV Action Plan in January 2022. Supportive work may include best practices review, technical research, data analysis, community outreach and engagement, and draft development. This project will address passenger vehicle electrification, ZEV infrastructure, medium- and heavy-duty vehicle electrification, and internal policy review.
- Deep Decarbonization Program Support – The 2030 ECAP and the City’s adopted 2045 carbon neutrality target will require all existing buildings to be all-electric by 2040, and the transportation sector to be fully zero-emission by 2045. Both Fellows will serve with staff in ESD, the Department of Transportation, and the Planning and Building Department, to incorporate new data, best practices research, and new tools that are rapidly being developed at the local, regional, and state levels into the City’s long-range planning, as well as specific policy and program development. These efforts will include transportation mode shifting, vehicle electrification, municipal and private building energy electrification, and improving building envelope performance. Per the ECAP, Oakland must develop a plan by the end of 2022 to electrify all existing buildings by 2040. Both Fellows will support development of this plan.
- Public Education and Knowledge Sharing – At least one Fellow will assist in providing the Oakland community with actionable and relevant information on climate science, policy, and focus. Oakland maintains relationships with education providers from the Oakland Unified School District, adult education providers, and numerous community groups, and is regularly asked to speak to students of all ages to help spread the understanding of the role that greenhouse gas emissions and environmental equity play in the lives of people in the community. The Fellow will regularly provide leadership in Oakland through the sharing and teaching of tomorrow’s leaders.
- Equitable Community Engagement – At least one Fellow will support engagement activities both city-wide, and with historically-underserved and frontline communities, for a number of sustainability initiatives. These efforts will entail direct community and stakeholder engagement, as well as social media, maintaining a monthly newsletter, and more. - - The Fellow will support staff in understanding specific needs of underserved and frontline communities, developing equitable engagement plans, and supporting the development of policies that will mitigate environmental burdens disproportionately borne by communities of color and other frontline communities.
Municipal energy analysis support – One Fellow will spend a majority of their time focused on database management and problem solving to improve the City's energy portfolio. - Energy background is preferred but not required. Tasks will include Excel-based analysis of energy trends and other activities relying on analytical and organizational skills.
Basic Eligibility
AmeriCorps fellows must:
- Be US citizens or legal permanent residents
- Have a high school diploma/GED
- Be 17 years old or older
- Pass state criminal and FBI background checks, and a national check in the Dru Sjodin National Sex Offender Public Registry
- Test negatively for tuberculosis
- Be able and willing to commit to the 11-month service term
- Be able and willing to work remotely if needed due to ongoing COVID-19 public health considerations and shelter-in-place orders.
Desired qualifications/characteristics:
- College degree and/or work experience in environmental policy, science, or planning with an emphasis on energy or climate are preferred, but other relevant experience is considered (internships, volunteer experience etc.)
- A solid foundation of math and science coursework
- Classroom experience in energy and environmental policy
- Community outreach and communications experience
- Comprehension of energy systems, climate change science, California environmental policies, climate adaptation, and/or waste reduction
- Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and speaking skills
- Ability and willingness to work independently, and possibly telecommute, if needed as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shelter in place.
Benefits of service
- Collaborative, positive, and diverse team atmosphere.
- Access to and direct collaboration with City staff across multiple departments and disciplines (economic development, transportation planning, city planning, capital improvement, race and equity, finance, etc), as well as direct collaboration with staff and organizations outside of the City agency, including partner agencies and grassroots nonprofits.
- Opportunity to learn various outreach web applications, including website management and mass mailings.
- Opportunity to learn GHG tracking and accounting software (CDP reporting, ClearPath).
- Hands-on community stakeholder outreach for equitable existing building electrification planning.
- Opportunity to be trained through our Department of Race & Equity’s Advancing Racial Equity Academy.
- You will not be bored! Oakland is a complex city with a small Sustainability staff, many incredible partners, and a sweeping mandate for climate equity and adaptation. Fellows will contribute deeply to numerous and wide-ranging topics, while having the opportunity to learn about many more.
- Receive a living allowance stipend of $2,255 per month
- Receive free MEC healthcare, child care support, and qualifying federal student loan deferment throughout your term of service.
- Upon the successful completion of your 1,700 hours and term of service, receive a Segal Education Award of $6,345 and a California for All Education Award of $3,655.
- Receive ongoing training & support, including a 4-day orientation, monthly trainings, a 2-day retreat, and personal professional development support.
- Benefit from the robust, ever-growing Climate Corps network of partner organizations and alumni.
- Develop sustainability skills, implement impactful climate change resiliency projects, and build partnerships in your community.
Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Statement
BACR 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.