Host: Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG)
Region: Southern California
Openings: 3
Project Focus: Climate Adaptation, Disaster Response / Emergency Management, Energy Efficiency, Urban Planning, Water Management,Water Policy,Inclusive engagement.
Skills Needed: Community Engagement, Research, Data Analysis, Technical Writing, Critical Thinking, Flexibility / Adaptability

Service Needs & Plans

SCAG has limited staffing for these activities and could use additional support on tasks as described below. The Climate Action and Water Action Resolutions address environmental and social equity concerns, and the Public Partnerships with CBOs will address social equity.

Project Description

The Fellow(s) will have the opportunity to work collaboratively and conduct research, data collection, and outreach on a number of efforts to help advance SCAG’s Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS) implementation goals centered around promoting a “green region” through supporting the projects identified below:
1) Completing the Regional Resilience Framework & toolkit;
2) Completing a white paper on water management practices to discern SCAG’s role in addressing the water crisis in Southern California;
3) Update SCAG’s approaches to compensating community-based organizations for their activities and contributions to SCAG’s work, in terms of inclusive engagement.
Support from the Fellow(s) will help address staffing resource gaps and allow SCAG to advance its work on sustainable development and climate resilience in Southern California.

Desired Skills

The ideal fellow(s) will have strong writing and communication skills, as well as be able to conduct organized and independent research. Successful Fellows will have strong time management skills and interests in environmental/sustainability issues, public health impacts of climate change, and health equity. Some knowledge of GIS mapping and data collection is preferred but not required.

Organization & Community Highlights

As a mission-driven organization, SCAG is committed to attracting and retaining talent who embody SCAG’s values. SCAG’s workforce is passionate and committed to innovation that improves the quality of life for all Southern Californians. When you join SCAG, you can expect a culture where collaboration and teamwork is fostered. At SCAG, we embody a strong commitment to our core values, and the values we uphold are as follows:

Be Open: Be accessible, candid, collaborative and transparent in the work we do.
Lead by Example: Commit to integrity and equity in working to meet the diverse needs of all people and communities in our region.
Make an Impact: In all endeavors, effect positive and sustained outcomes that make our region thrive.
Be Courageous: Have confidence that taking deliberate, bold and purposeful risks can yield new and valuable benefits.

SCAG operates as a hybrid organization because we recognize that work can be successfully performed in various locations. Designing a work environment and culture where SCAG’s mission, effectiveness, and collaboration can be more flexibly served demonstrates our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) by supporting work-life balance for our employees, retaining our existing dedicated staff, and increasing access to new talent pools.

Remote or On-Site Placement

Hybrid