California Marine Sanctuary Foundation Communications and Outreach 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: Regional Adaptation for Climate Resilience of Monterey Bay Coastal Communities.

Host Organization: California Marine Sanctuary Foundation (CMSF)
Location of Position: Santa Cruz, California
Duration of Position: Two years (June 2025-June 2027)
Annual Salary: $54,008 
Benefits: Medical insurance, 11 paid federal holidays per year, 15 paid personal days per year, professional development training, travel funding, relocation allowance

Work Environment:

The fellow will be expected to work a hybrid schedule including remote and in-office and attend frequent meetings with project partners.

Fellowship Position Description:

The Communications and Outreach Fellow will be housed at the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s office in Santa Cruz under the mentorship of the Monterey Bay Climate Adaptation Action Network (MBCAAN) coordinator. The fellow will assist the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation  and the Monterey action network’s coordinator with MBCAAN–related partner communications and outreach needs, as well as other communications needs directly related to the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge grant, and showcase the implementation projects supported by the grant as outlined below: 

• Participate in crafting a comprehensive five-year MBCAAN communications strategy with project storyboards and timelines for communications implementation 
• Work with the team to prepare and distribute meeting announcements and meeting materials related to quarterly MBCAAN convenings and plan meetings as needed
• Lead the daily creation and posting of project communications on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn
• Assist in developing outreach materials, including reports, brochures, slide decks, short videos, newsletters, blogs, social media posts, and other communications materials
• Assist in the development of press releases and in conducting press outreach
• Track and prepare data analytics, images, sample posts, and engagements garnered through social media for reports to demonstrate impact and reach related to grant deliverables
• Help develop, organize, and implement outreach events as part of the communications strategy, which may include field visits to showcase specific projects, tabling at conferences, and presenting at municipal and community stakeholder meetings
• Assist in adapting the above content, as appropriate, for posting on the Monterey Bay Climate Adaptation Action Network’s website.

This fellowship is an amazing opportunity for a highly motivated, creative, and communications-savvy individual to help craft the storytelling around our climate resilience and adaptation work through information sharing and communication strategies. The Communications and Outreach Fellow will have the opportunity to engage with regional, city, and county governments, universities, research institutions, Tribal groups, local communities, and nongovernment organizations (NGOs) while  focusing on adaptation actions that build climate resilience for the area’s low-lying, at-risk coastal communities threatened by sea level rise, storm surge, and flooding along the region’s major rivers and wildfire in the watersheds affecting these communities.  

Our goal is for the successful candidate to complete their fellowship with one or more tangible assets that can be added to their portfolio for future career advancement.

Anticipated Travel:

The fellow will travel locally to meet with project partners, collect visual stories, attend MBCAAN meetings, and attend community outreach events. Fellows are required to attend a NOAA peer-to-peer sharing event in 2027, possibly on the East Coast. NOAA provides the fellows with professional development funds (for activities identified by the fellows), funds to travel to the peer-to-peer sharing event in 2027, and a set amount of travel funds for the project. 

Desired Qualifications:

• Candidates must possess at least a high school diploma or its equivalent and demonstrate a strong interest in climate resilience and coastal management
• Outstanding oral and written communication skills
• Ability to create complete and concise press releases and daily social media posts (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn) 
• Aptitude for working collaboratively in a group setting with partners, especially NGOs, municipalities, universities, and research institutions 
• Demonstrated education, work, or volunteer experience related to developing communications content, climate impacts, or environmental science
• Experience planning, organizing, and facilitating both in-person and virtual meetings while reporting out notes and results from these meetings
• Flexibility, adaptability, integrity, and a positive, can-do attitude

Fellow Mentoring:

The fellow will work closely with, and under the supervision of, Emily Franc, the Monterey Bay Climate Adaptation Action Network coordinator, who will work collaboratively to set the annual work plan, establish expectations for task deliverables, provide content review and approval, and provide editorial support for outward-facing content. The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s executive director, Robert Mazurek, and the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge’s grant coordinator, Susan Robinson, will provide additional mentorship support with input on the five-year communications strategy and other products produced, and they will provide the overall direction of the communications and outreach effort.

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)