Full-Time CivicSpark AmeriCorps Fellowship
Job Description
Launch Your Career in Sustainability While Making a Lasting Impact!
CivicSpark is a Governor Brown’s Initiative AmeriCorps program that aims to tackle climate change and water resource management issues in California through local government initiatives and community service. We are currently recruiting 68 motivated candidates who are interested in gaining professional experience, developing technical skills, and creating a meaningful and lasting impact in their communities. During their 11-month service year, fellows will complete research, planning, or implementation projects that provide local government agencies with the support they need to advance their climate, energy, and sustainability initiatives.
WE ARE CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY FOR THE FOLLOWING PROJECTS:
California High Speed Rail Program
Organization: California High Speed Rail Authority*
Openings: 2 of 2
Project Description: The California High-Speed Rail Authority is responsible for the planning, designing, building and operation of the first high-speed rail system in the nation. By 2029, the California high-speed rail will connect the mega-regions of the state, running from San Francisco to the Los Angeles basin in under three hours at speeds capable of over 200 miles per hour. Fellows will focus on supporting the station area planning process with a specific lens of incorporating climate readiness, energy efficiency, and relevant climate issues into the local jurisdiction station area plans. This work could include being engaged and incorporating climate adaptation or other climate planning into wider jurisdiction planning efforts to incorporate climate preparedness into local planning efforts.
*One fellow will be based in San Jose, and one fellow at TBD
Community-Based Transportation and Land Use Solutions for DACs
Organization: Local Government Commission
Openings: 1 of 1
Project Description: The Local Government Commission (LGC), who oversees the CivicSpark program, works to build livable and sustainable communities throughout the nation. This project aims to develop community-based equitable transportation and land use planning solutions to improve mobility, support economic development, and reduce GHGs in 3 disadvantaged communities (DACs) in the San Joaquin Valley: City of Fresno (focusing on transformation of a large strip commercial corridor), City of Sanger (revitalization of a small town in Fresno County), and Merced County (focusing on establishing a healthy, active town center in Winton, a rural unincorporated community). The fellow will assist in charrette-driven processes to produce plans for sustainable transportation, infill, and compact development. The fellow will also help organize and participate in intensive public participatory planning projects led by the LGC on behalf of the three jurisdictions, and assist with development of the resulting plans, which will include community-based visions and projects that are ready for pursuit of local, regional, state and federal funding sources for implementation.
Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) Program
Organization: Local Government Commission
Openings: 1 of 1
Project Description: As part of the California Energy Commission‘s EPIC Challenge: Accelerating the Deployment of Advanced Energy Communities program, the Local Government Commission is developing an Integrated Community Resource Market (ICRM) that includes a funding platform, a pipeline of projects, a resource verification toolkit, and a Fresno Master Community Design. The ICRM will be applied to Fresno’s Blackstone Corridor and downtown-specific plan areas to identify projects, funding, and a pathway towards becoming an Advanced Energy Community (AEC) by producing more projects with higher value and the capability to verify and report these accomplishments to various state agencies. The CivicSpark fellow will provide research, analysis, coordination, outreach and engagement support for all project tasks, including the development of the project pipeline, funding platform, verification toolkit, and Fresno Master Community Design, and all associated memos and reports. The fellow will work closely with all project partners, including the LGC, Tierra Resource Consultants, City of Fresno, Fresno Metro Ministries, and CALSTART. The fellow will gain exceptional experience working with a wide array of different types of organizations and stakeholders and developing critical project management and execution skills.
Accelerating EV Use in the Central Valley
Organization: CALSTART
Openings: 1 of 1
Project Description: CALSTART is dedicated to the growth of a clean transportation technologies industry that will clean the air, secure the nation’s transportation energy future, create high-quality economic opportunities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The fellow will assist businesses in Fresno County with deployment of EV charging equipment through collaboration with the City of Fresno Business Energy Tune-up program and the San Joaquin Valley Air District. The fellow will also assist Fresno County Rural Transit Agency with deployment of six electric transit buses and associated charging equipment, work with Visalia and Modesto Transit with the deployment of electric transit buses using lessons learned from experience with Fresno County Rural Transit, help collect data from thirteen EV ARC off-grid solar powered EWV chargers deployed in rural Fresno County cities, and provide research assistance for new advanced transportation technology projects to be deployed in the San Joaquin Valley.
Water-Energy Community Action Network, San Joaquin Valley (WE CAN — SJV)
Organization: Local Government Commission
Openings: 1 of 1
Project Description: The Local Government Commission aims to maintain adequate water supplies and water quality, and protect the beneficial uses of water, by working with local governments. For this project, a fellow will be working on two integrated LGC projects, both of which are designed to help local governments respond to California’s historic drought. The Employment Training Panel (ETP) Drought Response Training program will provide critical training and information for municipal employees to: a) reduce immediate water waste within agency operations, b) identify medium-term water use efficiency opportunities within each jurisdiction, and c) promote long-term technology adoption and management practices to increase water-use efficiency, stabilize water demand, and improve water supply reliability. The WE CAN — San Joaquin Valley project will help local jurisdictions meet their water use, energy use, and greenhouse gas reductions targets through incentives and financing options for residential water and energy efficiency upgrades. WE CAN will also provide training for local practitioners and general outreach to the community.
For the water related work, the fellows’ role will be to assist the project manager in developing training materials, recruiting trainees, coordinating training sessions, developing outreach materials and participating in community engagement opportunities, and verifying water and energy upgrade implementation. The fellow will work with the Regional Coordinator to identify key local contacts and opportunities for engagement. The fellow must have his/her own mode of transportation, and will be required to travel between the cities of Reedley, Clovis, and Fresno.
How to Apply
Apply for the CivicSpark fellowship online at http://civicspark.lgc.org/join-civicspark/fellow/. Positions are available until filled, so apply ASAP! The 2016-17 service year has begun on October 10th, but applications received after October 10th will be reviewed depending on project availability. Candidates selected for interviews will be contacted on a rolling basis. To learn more about the program, you can visit www.civicspark.lgc.org. If you have any questions or concerns about the program, please don’t hesitate to contact Melanie Chu at [email protected] or 916-448-1198 x334.Apply for this Job
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