Indigenous Adaptation Planning and Data Management Fellow

This position is part of the NOAA Coastal Resilience Fellowship Program, supporting the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge (CRRC) projects. The fellow will support the project: Bristol Bay Climate Adaptation Planning Program.

Host Organization: Adaptation International
Location of Position: Remote (Alaska community preferred)
Duration of Position: Two years
Annual Salary: $56,133 
Benefits: Medical insurance, 11 paid federal holidays per year, 15 paid personal days per year, professional development training, travel funding, relocation allowance

Work Environment:

Adaptation International has a distributed team where most team members work from home or coworking spaces. The exact configuration and details of the fellow’s work environment for this position will be developed in collaboration with selected candidates and depend on where they are located. The ideal candidate will be located in Alaska.

 Fellowship Position Description:

The fellow will be joining the Bristol Bay Climate Adaptation Planning Program project in the early stages and will play a key role in helping to establish the Bristol Bay Resilience Collaborative. In addition to supporting Bristol Bay Native Association staff and project partners with the development of the Collaborative, the fellow will focus specifically on: 1) helping to build out an online database of regional and state resources to support adaptation planning and 2) supporting the first of two regional climate resilience workshops to be held during the second year. Due to the remote nature of this position, the fellow will be required to attend multiple virtual weekly meetings and have regular check-ins with their mentor(s), the frequency to be determined at the outset of the fellowship. 

The fellow will work closely with Adaptation International staff, the Climate Adaptation Planning program manager (to be hired), another NOAA coastal resilience fellow, and other key project collaborators throughout the project to: 

• Support outreach and engagement with key stakeholders, community leaders, Tribal staff, and others in the Bristol Bay region to learn about adaptation and resilience efforts underway in the region
• Conduct research on climate adaptation collaboratives and Tribal community resilience and compile examples of best or promising practices in both spaces that can be used to inform the creation and support of both the Climate Adaptation Planning Program and the Regional Collaborative 
• Develop outreach and engagement materials, including digital and print materials as well as a web presence for the Regional Climate Collaboratives 

In addition to the above responsibilities, the fellow will be asked to:

• Support the development of a digital/online repository (library or database) of regional documents and resources for adaptation planning in the state and region. This will require that the fellow works with the project team and the contracted database developer to think strategically about how best to compile these resources in a way that is most useful and accessible for the Collaborative partners.
• Work closely with Adaptation International and project partners to help plan and develop detailed materials for the series of two regional climate resilience workshops. The fellow will learn from the work that Adaptation International does across the country with Tribal and Western communities to understand climate-related risks and develop community-centered adaptation and resilience plans. Adaptation International envisions providing on-the-ground real world training experiences, working to develop resilience workshops and facilitate community conversations around resilience. The fellow will work on content for the workshops, engagement activities, programming, and behind-the-scenes logistics to make the workshops successful. The first of these workshops is planned in the fellow’s second year, so the fellow will help facilitate the first workshop and other smaller focus groups or in-person meetings. 

Anticipated Travel:

For this project, travel is recommended to Dillingham and communities within the Bristol Bay region to meet with Bristol Bay Native Association staff and other project members within the first year of the fellowship. The fellow will also travel to the first workshop, which will be held in the second year. In addition, there may be opportunities to attend related national and state events and environmental conferences in Anchorage, other Alaskan cities, or other states, including but not limited to the National Adaptation Forum, BIA Tribal Providers, Alaska Forum on the Environment, Alaska Tribal Administrator’s Conference, Alaska Tribal Conference on Environmental Management, Bristol Bay Sustainability Summit, and the Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference.

Desired Qualifications:

Minimum qualifications include a high school diploma or GED, enjoyment working with a diverse group of people and backgrounds, and the ability to demonstrate computer skills and outstanding written and oral communication skills. An ideal candidate should have a strong interest in climate change, resilience, adaptation practices, and familiarity with Alaska Native and Indigenous peoples, cultures, and environmental challenges. Desired background includes relevant education or work experience post–high school. Education and experience can be focused on climate-related fields or related topics such as equity, public policy, urban planning, climate change science, environmental science, environmental management, or community engagement. Individuals who have experience participating in or facilitating gatherings or workshops and with a strong interest in working directly with Tribal and Indigenous communities to develop effective approaches and investments in resilience are encouraged to apply. 

Fellow Mentoring:

Mentors: Sascha Petersen, Cassandra Jean, and Celine Rendon – Adaptation International
Role in Fellow’s Project: Sascha will serve as the main point of contact for the fellow, though all members of the Adaptation International team will work closely with the fellow to develop and support the fellow’s interests and work on this project. The fellow will be expected to join virtual team meetings as well as set up regular administrative and project-specific check-ins with their mentors. Adaptation International has 15 years of experience working with Tribe and Indigenous communities on climate resilience and will be able share knowledge and expertise related to resilience and adaptation with the fellow. Mentors will commit to supporting professional development by including the fellow in appropriate and relevant opportunities within Adaptation International’s networks, when possible. Adaptation International will also customize the fellowship to meet the interests of the fellow and the needs of the project. 
Role in Overall Project: Adaptation Specialist, Workshop Design and Implementation Lead
Role within Organization: Resilience Specialists

To apply, please upload the following materials in one PDF file:

• Resume (two-page limit)
• Statement of interest, where the candidate describes what they hope to gain from the fellowship experience and what they can contribute. Candidates should also highlight any connections to or special interests in the region, including Indigenous or local knowledge and relevant life experiences (500-word limit)
• Unofficial academic transcripts to show coursework (or joint services transcript for veterans)
• Two professional or academic references (names and contact information)