Host: County of Santa Barbara, Sustainability Division
Region: Central California
Openings: 1
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation, Climate Mitigation, Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy, Transportation / Mobility, Urban Planning
Skills Needed: Project Management, Research, Data Analysis, Data Collection, Communication, Critical Thinking

Service Needs & Plans

The County seeks to develop an implementation framework and management system to implement its soon to be adopted Climate Action Plan.

The County seeks to develop a carbon neutrality plan for municipal operations.

Project Description

The Fellow will help to develop this framework and system with County department stakeholders and support coordination. The outcome from this project would be a robust internal implementation management system to communicate and coordinate with various County department leads. This project would also help to support interdepartmental coordination on other plans and projects such as the Active Transportation Plan, Adaptation Plan and Environmental Justice Element. This integrated and coordinated system will help the County to align and leverage efforts to efficiently and effectively implement projects.

The Fellow will analyze the County’s energy and fuel use and carbon emissions, estimate emission reductions based on potential actions and support the preparation of a plan with recommendations. This plan will help provide the County with a roadmap to deep emission reductions as well as considering carbon offsets.

Desired Skills

Experience with Excel or other types of databases, quantitative analysis, collaborative projects, communications

Organization & Community Highlights

The Sustainability Division is a division within the Community Services Department, which includes Parks, Libraries, Arts & Culture and Housing & Community Development. We are a small team focused on delivering innovative and collaborative programs and projects. We try to foster an open and fun environment, even while working remotely.

The Sustainability Division has led the County in several JEDI areas. We created the Equity Advisory & Outreach Committee which advises County planning efforts and projects. We initiated a collaborative effort to work with Promotores to conduct outreach in Spanish and Mixteco. We are allies to the Central Coast Climate Justice Network.

Because we are a small division, there are lots of opportunities to support and lead initiatives, as well as interact with a variety of topic areas and stakeholders.

As the supervisor, I am available for daily check-ins and weekly meetings. I offer as many opportunities to learn from others, participate in different events and activities and network. I encourage fellows to practice their soft skills, like public speaking.

Santa Barbara County is blessed with beaches, mountain and an eclectic culture. There is an abundance of outdoor recreation opportunities, breweries and wineries. The County is a microcosm of the country; there is a dichotomy between the more affluent, liberal south coast and the more industry-friendly north county. The structural and political challenges of climate change and climate policy are intriguing and complex.

Remote or On-Site Placement

Remote