Washington Climate Resilience, Equity, and Engagement 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: The Washington State Coastal Climate Resilience Initiative: Accelerating Implementation of 20 Years of Partnership Efforts.

Host Organization: Washington State Department of Ecology
Location of Position: Lacey, Washington
Duration of Position: Two years (June 2025-June 2027)
Annual Salary: $47,876
Benefits: Medical insurance, 11 paid federal holidays per year, 15 paid personal days per year, professional development training, travel funding, and relocation allowance

Work Environment: 

The fellow will be expected to work in the office once per week, typically on Wednesdays.

Fellowship Position Description:

This is an exciting opportunity to join an enthusiastic team that believes in the growth and development of fellows and provides many different opportunities to work on program initiatives that address climate impacts and advance community resilience, with an emphasis on supporting the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge projects funded through NOAA. These projects are described below.  

The Department of Ecology’s coastal team has a long history of successfully hosting fellows and a robust fellowship performance and development plan to ensure fellows have enriching, satisfying experiences in their role and that their positions are adaptive to their emerging interests and priorities. Our team aims to surround the fellow with a network of partners and mentors to create a meaningful introduction to a profession in coastal resilience. Through lived experience, we understand the importance of providing structure and clear goals while allowing for creativity and diverse interests and skills to be fostered. We strive to create a transparent and open work environment so that fellows feel welcomed, supported, and encouraged to thrive. 

Our team prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all of our work and seeks to center environmental justice and uphold Tribal sovereignty through our efforts. This priority is central to the implementation of all of the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge projects, and it is our hope that fellows who join us have a strong interest in and commitment to equity and environmental justice and can help grow our program in these areas.

The NOAA fellowships at the Washington State Department of Ecology will support key work areas that enhance the state’s coastal and shoreline management efforts. We have designed this fellowship to include a range of professional experiences across different sectors as well as collaboration opportunities with internal and external partners. At the heart of Washington’s award is a creative and collaborative approach with a broad coalition of partners to build an enduring vision for coastal resilience in Washington State.  

Depending on the fellow’s skills and interests, the fellow’s workplan could involve equity-centered research and writing, policy analysis, communications and web design, partnership building and engagement, event planning and facilitation, and strategic planning and project management.

With support from their mentor and other department staff, the fellow will develop a work plan that will position them to have ownership of projects while contributing to meaningful work that will progress program goals. A range of available experiences are listed below, some of which will be required (as noted). The fellow will support the program’s work across all focus areas and can choose to prioritize projects in certain areas, depending on their interests, skills, and professional development goals.

Coastal Resilience Partnership Support and Capacity Building

Many of the Department of Ecology’s grant-related projects focus on areas with capacity constraints at the local level and work in partnership with communities and Tribes that are most vulnerable to the impacts of sea level rise and other coastal hazards. Working closely with partners, the fellow will provide additional support to address resilience planning gaps and priorities within underserved communities and Tribes. This position has built-in flexibility to allow the fellow ownership of the work that they feel the most strongly about while supporting the priorities of the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. Fellows are encouraged to bring creativity and diverse perspectives and life experiences to this work. Below are the position’s core work areas, as well as several additional projects that the fellow may participate in based on interest and capacity. 

Core Responsibilities: 

• Support facilitation of community engagement, workshops and listening sessions, participatory mapping exercises, information sharing, etc., as identified by project sponsors. This may include organizing Willapa Erosion Control Action Now (WECAN) community forum meetings alongside Pacific Coast partners, facilitating community workshops alongside the Makah Tribe, and supporting similar community meetings in other project areas in collaboration with local Marine Resources Committees or other entities. 

• Support resilience partnerships in providing technical assistance to communities, Tribes, and other state agencies undertaking their resilience projects. This may include working with the Makah Tribe, Samish Indian Nation, Tulalip Tribes, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Washington Department of Transportation, Pacific Conservation District, Washington Sea Grant, and other partners.
• Leading an equity-focused project, to be identified. Support the Department of Ecology’s current Coastal Resilience Equity Implementation Plan by carrying forth projects to advance climate and Tribal justice as identified by the project team. Some potential ideas for this work include:
  • Policy analysis with an equity lens; review existing resilience and adaptation policies and identify where improvements could better serve diverse communities; recommend updates that support equitable adaptation
  • Facilitate a series of community engagement and outreach activities alongside Department of Ecology staff 
  • Use a newly developed geospatial tool to identify potential resilience project partners, funding gaps, emerging needs, etc.
• Work closely with the Storytelling and Outreach Fellow

Depending on their interests and expertise, the fellow may choose to undertake one or more of the following projects: 

• Track innovations in coastal resilience work and develop educational programs or materials to share with coastal communities and Tribes, providing clear, accessible information on coastal hazards, green infrastructure, and holistic resilience strategies
• Work with their mentor and Department of Ecology staff to share updates and lessons learned from the project team’s equity-focused resilience efforts
• Support Department of Ecology staff in developing grant proposals and gain experience in developing compelling proposal narratives
• Develop collaborative science guidance for coastal resilience planning, including the co-creation of knowledge; responsive, inclusive and impactful science; relevant resilience and project performance metrics; and integration of partners into research and monitoring, referencing https://nerrssciencecollaborative.org/guide/mindset-principles
• In collaboration with the Department of Ecology’s Applied Coastal Research and Engineering (ACRE) team, the fellow may:
  • Engage in field data collection and integration of monitoring and data products with underserved community partners and Tribes to integrate disparate data and information sources for enhanced hazard assessment and mitigation
  • Develop a Tribal engagement strategy for identifying priority needs for coastal resilience assessment and actions
  • Review and document Indigenous coastal management practices such as sea/clam gardens that enhance coastal resilience

Program Communications, Outreach, Web Development, and Other Projects

The Department of Ecology looks to expand and improve the information, graphics, photos, and case studies we share to facilitate knowledge exchange among communities and practitioners and to highlight and provide detail on the variety of important work that our Coastal Zone Management Program carries out. Depending on the fellow’s background and expertise, this work could include: 

• Writing or contributing to ecology blogs and exploring new ways to share coastal resilience news and updates (e.g., through a Department of Ecology listserv, a semiannual newsletter, or social media)
• Support the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge partnership planner and the storytelling and outreach fellow to develop a communications plan and implementation plan for conveying information to target audiences in service to Washington State’s Coastal Resilience Regional Partnership
• Serve as the department’s lead for the collaborative development of the monthly PNW Coastal Hazards Resources newsletter.
• Support planning and coordination for the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge award, events, and the subaward partners implementing the projects for Washington State.

Agency Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement: 

Diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect (DEIR) are core values central to the Department of Ecology’s work. We strive to be a workplace where we are esteemed for sharing our authentic identities while advancing our individual professional goals and collaborating to protect, preserve, and enhance the environment for current and future generations.

• Diversity: We celebrate and appreciate diversity; our unique perspectives and abilities enrich us all and lead to innovative approaches and solutions.
• Equity: We champion equity, recognizing that each of us need different things to thrive.
• Inclusion: We intentionally create and hold space so that we all have meaningful opportunities to participate and contribute to the Department of Ecology’s work.
• Respect: We treat each other with respect and dignity, acknowledging the inherent worth of our diverse perspectives and lived experiences, even in times of uncertainty and disagreement.

We believe that DEIR values are both a goal and an action. We are on a journey, honoring our shared humanity and taking steps to demonstrate our commitment to a vision where each of us is heard, seen, and valued. 

Anticipated Travel:

Our team prioritizes professional development and always seeks opportunities to connect fellows with broader networks, training opportunities, and events. The fellow will be encouraged to attend staff and partner meetings, trainings, and other opportunities to gain exposure and understanding of how government and nongovernmental organizations work on regional shoreline and coastal management. Travel will be primarily in the project region. When opportunities arise, the fellow will be encouraged to attend and present at regional meetings and conferences. In addition to funds provided by NOAA for the fellow’s professional development, the department may provide additional resources to support fellows. All fellows are required to attend NOAA’s peer-to-peer sharing event in 2027.

Minimum qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in environmental science, environmental studies, environmental policy, social sciences, environmental justice, or a closely aligned field
• Commitment to public service and diversity, equity, and inclusivity and environmental justice
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

Desired skills and experience: 

• Experience or interest in: 
  • Tribal and social justice 
  • Coastal management
  • Climate adaptation 
  • Community engagement and communication
  • Project management and facilitation
  • Science communication

Fellow Mentoring:

The fellow will work with the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program at the Department of Ecology in Lacey, Washington. While there is opportunity for the fellow to primarily telework if they choose, the fellow is expected to work in the office a minimum of one day per week to collaborate with team members and support networking and professional development. Olivia Zimmerman, coastal resilience project coordinator, will be the lead mentor and will oversee activities and guide development. A secondary mentor may also be assigned to guide the fellow’s work assignments in specific work areas. The fellow’s supervisor will be Jay Krienitz, coast and ocean management unit supervisor.

The fellow will have a tailored Performance and Development Plan (PDP) that will provide a framework for how the fellow will work with the mentors and supervisors throughout the fellowship. The plan supports evaluation of the fellow’s progress on tasks and professional growth and ensures clear and open discussions about goal setting, opportunities for improvement (for all parties), and self-evaluation. 

The fellow will be part of a cross-sector, multiagency team supported by a range of coastal and shoreline management experts, including ocean policy, shoreline management, coastal engineering, floodplain management, and wetlands conservation professionals. Our team values flexibility and agility in our fellowship programs and wants to be sure that the fellow’s performance and development plan is  adaptable to arising and newly discovered interests. While this position description provides a general outline for the work the fellow can expect to undertake, there will be plenty of opportunity for the fellow to work with their mentor to revise and update their work plan as they progress in their position. 

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)