Southern California Region

City of Oceanside Climate Action Plan Implementation

Organization: City of Oceanside
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 4 days in office (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday)
Project Description:

The selected CivcSpark Fellow will be highly motivated and independent early professional looking to make measurable change in sustainable urban development practices and municipal climate policy through research, community engagement and political acumen.

  • Support the City’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) by identifying building codes and development policies that support electrification of new construction and the city’s existing building stock.
  • Working with city planners, the development community and interested stakeholders to align the development review process with actions in the city’s updated Climate Action Plan, such as urban forestry, walkable neighborhoods, expanding use of mass transit and electrical vehicle charging infrastructure.
  • Building upon existing relationships with community groups, environmental nonprofits and climate action stakeholders to promote collective awareness of the City’s climate and resiliency initiatives.
  • Engaging city staff, decision-makers and elected officials in the collection of municipal program data to inform annual reports on the Climate Action Plan’s implementation progress.

City of La Mesa Climate Action Plan Implementation

Organization: City of La Mesa
Openings: #2
Work Schedule: Hybrid, varies each week
Project Description:

Support implementation of the City of La Mesa’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) (adopted 2018, updated 2024)

Advance progress on 21 CAP measures and 153 actions across key focus areas:

  • Clean and renewable energy.
  • Building energy efficiency.
  • Clean and efficient transportation.
  • Water efficiency.
  • Waste reduction.
  • Urban natural environment.

Expand City capacity to effectively implement priority transportation and community engagement initiatives.

Increase community awareness, participation, and behavior change to support CAP goals.

Strengthen programs and projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions communitywide.

Enhance outreach and engagement efforts to better serve La Mesa residents and stakeholders.

Implementation of West Hollywood Climate Action Plan & Building Decarbonization

Organization: City of West Hollywood
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 2-3 days onsite
Project Description:

Fellow will serve on the City’s Long Range Planning team, collaborating with the community to balance diverse community goals with future city needs.

  • Team focuses on policy development and strategic planning related to:
  1. Sustainability
  2. Housing
  3. Land Use
  • Work directly impacts the broader community and is carried out by a small, dedicated staff, highlighting the need for additional support.
  • Additional capacity is urgently needed to help the City achieve its goal of carbon neutrality by 2035.
  • New initiatives, including Equitable Building Performance Standards, require expanded efforts.

The City must rapidly scale outreach, engagement, and technical support for owners of older multifamily buildings, Fellow will contribute by:

  • Supporting equity-centered climate priorities.
  • Helping reduce emissions from existing buildings.
  • Assisting stakeholders who may face challenges meeting new building requirements.

 

Energy Efficiency and Decarbonization Support

Organization: South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 2 days in office (Monday, Tuesday)
Project Description:

The SBCCOG work culture can be described as inclusive, diverse, talented, collaborative and outcome oriented. Staff members reflect a range of characteristics including race, sex, gender, age, work experience and educational background. The SBCCOG prioritizes diversity to gain varying perspectives that enhance the workplace environment and project outcomes.

  • Support South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) member agencies: The SBCCOG serves 16 cities and the South Bay portions of Los Angeles County. Due to limited staff time and resources, these agencies require support in assessing, identifying, and implementing energy efficiency projects at government facilities and other community buildings.
  • Address sub-regional climate and sustainability priorities: The SBCCOG works to reduce energy costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, protect air quality and public health, and adapt to extreme climate events. These priorities reflect the needs of communities differing in geography, population, ethnicity, income, language, industry, and climate zones. The SBCCOG has previously addressed these priorities through sub-regional climate action and adaptation plans, assistance for member cities in developing their own climate action plans and vulnerability assessments, and updates to greenhouse gas emissions inventories.
  • Advance energy efficiency initiatives through regional partnerships: Through the SBCCOG’s partnership with the Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN) and SoCalGas, public agencies can access resources to help reduce energy use. The Fellow will support and manage various SoCalREN and SoCalGas energy initiatives, encouraging cities to further their climate action and adaptation efforts.

Community Outreach & Organic Waste

Organization: South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 2 days in office (Monday, Tuesday)
Project Description:

The SBCCOG work culture can be described as inclusive, diverse, talented, collaborative and outcome oriented. Staff members reflect a range of characteristics including race, sex, gender, age, work experience and educational background. The SBCCOG prioritizes diversity to gain varying perspectives that enhance the workplace environment and project outcomes.

  • Support South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) member agencies: The SBCCOG serves 16 cities and the South Bay portions of Los Angeles County. The sub-region is diverse in geography, population, ethnicity, income, language, industry, and climate zones.
  • Facilitate regional sustainability programs: The SBCCOG created the South Bay Environmental Services Center (SBESC) in 2003 to reduce energy costs and share sustainable resources with the South Bay sub-region. These objectives are met through partnerships with agencies including Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, SoCal Gas, Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN), Water Replenishment District, and West Basin Municipal Water District. Through these partnerships, the SBCCOG’s SBESC provides information, programs, projects, strategies, and resources to cities, businesses, property owners, and residents. The Fellow will support community engagement initiatives to promote sustainable action in water conservation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.
  • Coordinate organic waste programs: The Fellow will work closely with SBCCOG staff to coordinate organic waste programs and assist with statewide mandatory organic waste collection (SB 1383) requirements for South Bay agencies. To support these efforts, the Fellow will coordinate stakeholder meetings, work with volunteers, conduct research, etc.

Climate Policy Coordinator

Organization: City of Irvine
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 4 days in office (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Project Description:

The fellow will help research and implement the City of Irvine’s sustainability strategy. Goals include supporting City staff, engaging and educating the public including residents, businesses, students and visitors. They also will work collaboratively with regional agencies and partners to address climate issues in the region.

  • Research climate policies in areas not limited to waste reduction, decarbonization, community engagement and emissions reduction to best prepare the City for climate impacts.
  • Develop and implement community engagement practices not limited to surveys, workshops, townhalls to engage the community on climate and sustainability practices.
  • Organize and gather data related to sustainability policies and new areas of research including utilizing tools such as GIS, PowerBI, Excel and others to track data, waste, emissions and community engagement.
  • Meet, collaborate and idea share with other local governments and public agencies in the region to solve regional climate issues.
  • Help staff find grants and other innovative financing mechanisms to fund climate initiatives.

Communications & Outreach

Organization: South Bay Cities Council of Governments
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 2 days in office (Monday, Tuesday)
Project Description:

The SBCCOG work culture can be described as inclusive, diverse, talented, collaborative and outcome oriented. Staff members reflect a range of characteristics including race, sex, gender, age, work experience and educational background. The SBCCOG prioritizes diversity to gain varying perspectives that enhance the workplace environment and project outcomes.

  • Support South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG) member agencies: The SBCCOG serves 16 cities and the South Bay portions of Los Angeles County. The sub-region is diverse in geography, population, ethnicity, income, language, industry, and climate zones.
  • Facilitate regional sustainability programs: The SBCCOG created the South Bay Environmental Services Center (SBESC) in 2003 to reduce energy costs and share sustainable resources with the South Bay sub-region. These objectives are met through partnerships with agencies including Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, SoCal Gas, Southern California Regional Energy Network (SoCalREN), Water Replenishment District, and West Basin Municipal Water District. Through these partnerships, the SBCCOG’s SBESC provides information, programs, projects, strategies, and resources to cities, businesses, property owners, and residents. The Fellow will manage communication strategies to ensure that audiences for these programs are better informed of opportunities to contribute to local sustainability efforts.
  • Support homeless services programs: The SBCCOG collaborates with nonprofits and government agencies to provide resources for homeless services. The Fellow will help communicate these resources to relevant audiences, increasing awareness, engagement, and coordination across the sub-region.

Climate Ready Public Works Implementation

Organization: Los Angeles County Public Works
Openings: #2
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 2 days in office (Monday, Tuesday)
Project Description:

Los Angeles County Public Works (PW) is the largest Public Works agency in the nation, serving more than 10 million people across a 4,000-square-mile regional service area. Public Works has a vision to become the most trusted public agency in the region and a mission to plan, design, build, and maintain modern infrastructure that uplifts all communities of Los Angeles County.

  • Advance implementation of Los Angeles County Public Works’ sustainability and resilience priorities in alignment with the Strategic Plan, OurCounty Sustainability Plan, and 2045 Climate Action Plan.
  • Address complex climate mitigation and adaptation challenges across a large, diverse region, including extreme heat, wildfire, air quality, drought, and flooding.
  • Support development and implementation of the Climate Ready Communities (CRC) initiative to strengthen climate resilience in highly vulnerable communities.
  • Utilize data and findings from the Los Angeles County Climate Vulnerability Assessment to inform targeted, place-based resilience -strategies.
  • Prioritize equitable climate solutions by focusing investments and planning efforts in underserved communities and communities disproportionately impacted by climate hazards.
  • Build community capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from climate-related impacts through coordinated planning and infrastructure strategies.
  • Identify and advance projects and programs that reduce climate risk, enhance infrastructure resilience, and improve long-term community outcomes.

Climate Action Plan Update and Sustainability Program Support

Organization: City of Vista
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 3 days in office (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)
Project Description:

Vista is a diverse community of residents, businesses, industry, and open space. We serve a primarily English- and Spanish-speaking community where everyone can have their voice heard. Vista grew from agricultural roots, and farming remains an important part of our community to this day. We have a range from rural/semi-rural areas to high-density commercial and industrial areas. The City of Vista is a Charter Law city and was incorporated in 1963. It is located 7 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County and is known for its mild Mediterranean climate. Residents and visitors enjoy a wide range of year-round outdoor activities, including biking, walking, skating, disc golf, and farmers’ markets. Our Mission is: The City of Vista is dedicated to providing exceptional services, improving Vista’s quality of life, and enhancing the uniqueness of the Vista community.

  • Provide City of Vista staff support in program management, customer service, report writing, community outreach, and data collection.
  • Build and maintain relationships within the City of Vista and with neighboring cities such as Oceanside, Carlsbad, San Marcos, and more. In addition. In addition, with any City partners, such as the San Diego Bike Coalition, Vista Chamber of Commerce, Vista Community Clinic, or Universidad Popular.
  • Engage with community members through assisting in the coordination of public workshops and events.
  • Provide education and outreach to the community through in-person or online customer service.
  • Contribute to internal data collection and monitoring for the city’s sustainability efforts and reporting.
  • Assist in grant administrative work, like timeline visualization and task tracking.

Climate and Sustainability Analysis

Organization: Port of San Diego
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 3 days in office (Monday, Tuesday, Friday)
Project Description:

The Port is a public corporation and government agency created in 1962, through the California State Legislature’s adoption of the San Diego Unified Port District Act (Port Act). Through the Port Act, the Port was granted the state tidelands and submerged lands in and around San Diego Bay and is entrusted to manage the diverse waterfront uses on these lands in a manner that is consistent with the California Public Trust Doctrine, promoting and balancing navigation, commerce, fisheries, recreation, and environmental stewardship. As a trustee of State lands, the Port balances these uses within its jurisdiction (Port Tidelands) for the benefit of the people of the state of California. Within Port Tidelands are the waterfronts of five cities: San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach, and Coronado. The member cities appoint members to the Port’s Board of Port Commissioners.

  • Strengthen the Port of San Diego’s climate action and resiliency planning efforts through enhanced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions tracking and analysis.
  • Expand understanding of Scope 3 emissions by developing a commuting and telework emissions component to assess employee transit-related impacts.
  • Improve internal decision-making by supporting development of energy tracking tools (e.g., dashboards) to monitor energy usage, costs, and trends.
  • Support data-driven strategies to meet climate goals through analysis of both jurisdiction-wide and operational emissions inventories.
  • Advance sustainability across the Port’s diverse tenant base by supporting engagement and programming through the Green Business Network.
  • Enhance stakeholder coordination and external engagement to promote sustainable practices across industrial, commercial, and public-facing Port operations.
  • Build internal capacity for sustainability through support of staff-focused initiatives led by the Green Team, including major campaigns such as Earth Month and Green Port Month.

City of Beverly Hills Drinking Water

Organization: City of Beverly Hills
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: In-Office, Mon-Fri
Project Description:

The City of Beverly Hills has a long-standing reputation for providing superior customer service to residents, businesses, and visitors. This commitment, combined with the dedication and expertise of staff across all departments, has been a hallmark of success for this high-performing organization. With approximately 1,080 full-time and part-time employees, the municipal government delivers high-quality public safety, recreational, municipal, and environmental services to the community.

  • Improve management and integration of drinking water quality data through development of a comprehensive laboratory data management system (e.g., Excel tools, databases, and vendor platforms).
  • Strengthen regulatory compliance by supporting implementation of Federal Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) monitoring across residential, preschool, and K–12 settings.
  • Enhance coordination between City staff, laboratories, facilities, and external vendors to support sampling, reporting, and data management processes.
  • Support renewal and expansion of analytical methods to maintain and enhance operations of the City’s State-accredited drinking water laboratory.
  • Improve public communication and transparency regarding drinking water quality through timely reporting and notification processes
    Increase operational efficiency and long-term capacity for water quality monitoring, data tracking, and regulatory compliance.

Climate Action Plan Public Outreach and Reporting

Organization: City of Encinitas
Openings: #1
Work Schedule: Hybrid, 4 days in office (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday)
Project Description:

Located along six miles of Pacific coastline in northern San Diego County, the city of Encinitas offers a unique blend of old-world charm and sophistication, and newworld culture. With its pristine beaches and rolling hills, famous Botanic Garden and vibrant downtown business district, the City of Encinitas attracts visitors from all over the world. Encinitas is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in California and is known for its excellent surfing conditions. Each year, surfers from all over gather in Encinitas to compete in local surfing tournaments. The San Elijo Lagoon boasts the largest coastal wetland in San Diego County and is home to nearly 300 different bird species throughout the year. The warm California sunshine provides for year-round enjoyment of our beautiful parks, beaches and trails and makes Encinitas a spectacular place to live, work, and visit. The City of Encinitas is staffed by a 250-member team of hard-working individuals, committed to supporting each other and serving the community. The professional yet laid-back culture of the organization makes the City an ideal place to work. Working with the City of Encinitas would provide an invaluable experience for young professionals looking to develop their career in the environmental sustainability sector. Few other cities in the San Diego region prioritize and embrace climate action initiatives as vigorously as the residents and leaders of Encinitas.

  • Enhance community-wide awareness of and involvement in the City of Encinitas Climate Action Plan through various public engagement activities.
  • Build and maintain relationships with community-based organizations, schools, and businesses withing the City of Encinitas to widen the reach of Climate Action Plan engagement.
  • Publish a Climate Action Plan Annual Monitoring report that details progress of measure implementation.
  • Develop reporting mechanisms for newly developed Climate Action Plan Update measures.
  • Assist with implementation of Climate Action Plan measures and supporting measures, particularly any public outreach activities.

Project Name

Organization: Organization Name
Openings: #
Work Schedule: Insert work schedule (Hybrid, Remote, In-Person)
Project Description: Insert project description here. 3-4 sentences max

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