Conservation and Justice Fellow

Title:                     Conservation and Justice Fellow

Supervisor:         ABC host varies based on project, also works with Naamal De Silva

Location:              Remote

Stipend:                $10,000 for Storytelling Fellows and $20,000 for Community Engagement Fellows for about 300 hours over a year

Deadline: Applications close March 31, 2024

Position Summary:

This is a part-time position with American Bird Conservancy (ABC). ABC works for birds, taking on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. We celebrate the diversity of birds and the diversity of all who cherish and conserve birds. We are inspired by our partners and our staff, and we are working more explicitly toward advancing justice within conservation.

American Bird Conservancy is proud to open up our second round of Conservation and Justice Fellowship program. Fellows will help us to expand the intersections between biodiversity conservation and environmental justice. We seek nine individuals with varied perspectives, personal and professional backgrounds, and areas of expertise. Please visit the Conservation & Justice Fellowships page for more details on the overall program.

2024 Projects

Fellows must apply for one of the following projects that fill existing needs identified by ABC staff and partners: 

1. Indigenous Stewardship and Lifeways. Storytelling Fellow. Hosts: Aimee Roberson and Connor Jandreau.
2. Lost Birds and Discovery Narratives. Community Engagement or Storytelling Fellow. Two potential projects. Host: John Mittermeier.
3. International Partnerships for Migratory Birds. Partners in Flight Community Engagement Fellow. Host: Jennifer Davis, Partner: Elva Manquila, Klamath Bird Observatory.
4. Neurodiversity and Birding. Community Engagement or Storytelling Fellow. Two potential projects. Host: Jim Giocomo.
5. Cross-Border Stewardship in the Sonoran Desert. Sonoran Joint Venture Storytelling or Community Engagement Fellow. Host: Aimee Roberson. Partner: Jennie Duberstein.
6. Environmental Education in Coastal Texas. SPLASh Community Engagement Fellow. Host: Elizabeth Virgl. Two potential projects.
7. Seabirds and Stories of Multi-Species Kinship. Storytelling Fellow. Host: Sea McKeon.
8. Environmental Education in the Bahamas. Kirtland’s Warbler Community Engagement Fellow. Host: Steve Roels.
9. Together for Birds Artist Residency. Storytelling Fellow. Hosts: Lynne Mecum and Naamal De Silva.
    

You can apply for up to three projects by ranking them in order of preference.

Primary Duties:

• There are four main components to all fellowships, but the details will vary based on both the type of fellowship (community engagement or storytelling) and on the specific project.
• Reciprocal Learning and Peer Mentoring. Attend bi-monthly cohort meetings on specific topics (conservation justice, ethical storytelling, community engagement), regular discussions with your ABC host, and bi-monthly conversations with the vice president for Together for Birds.
• Research. Learn about a specific birdscape, program, or partnership through a combination of interviews, attending meetings, and research. Ask questions and provide input on how we might better weave together conservation and justice. 
• Community Engagement. Reach out to new partners or work to strengthen existing partnerships relevant to your project. Community engagement fellows will focus primarily on this aspect of the fellowships, and will be responsible for interviews, convening informal gatherings, and responding to the needs of specific partners (details will vary by project).
• Storytelling. Help inspire and motivate others working in these intersections by sharing aspects of your own evolving story and aspirations as well as details of what you learn through the fellowship. As relevant, participate in webinars and workshops, create blog posts or social media posts, or create works of art. Storytelling fellows will have more of a focus on this aspect of the fellowship.

Position Requirements:

• Skills in respectfully and patiently reaching out to people across difference.
• Ability to listen carefully, observe, ask incisive questions, and identify connections.
• Excellent storytelling and communication skills.
• A passion for learning about new topics, geographies, and communities.
• Ability to work independently, collaboratively, and proactively. Ability to manage time and multiple responsibilities, especially if the fellowship is layered on top of another position or coursework.
• Experience in either conservation or social justice, plus a passion for intersectional work. Required experience varies. Early career fellows can include service work, internships, and/or coursework. More experienced fellows should have at least 5 years of experience, with no upper limit.
• Storytelling Fellows must be over 20 years old and possess at least two years of relevant experience, acquired through a combination of service, education, paid work, and storytelling (writing, social media, video production, art). Community Engagement Fellows must be over 25 years old, with at least seven years of relevant experience based on a combination of community organizing, service, education, research, and paid work. 
• Background screening required.

Additional requirements and duties vary based on the project. 

Benefits:

This is a part-time position and unfortunately does not include benefits. 

We are offering $10,000 for Storytelling Fellows and $20,000 for Community Engagement Fellows for about 300 hours over a year. By offering paid, part-time fellowships with a total of about 300 hours of work spread over an entire year, our goal is to provide a stepping stone to the next step in your career. We welcome applications from current students, recent graduates, those who are unemployed, under-employed, or hoping to change fields.

To Apply:

Please apply online at Paylocity.

Please complete the screening questions, upload the most recent version of your resume, and upload a personal statement. 

For the personal statement, please highlight a few key experiences from your life and work that shape how you understand birds, habitat stewardship, social justice, and human wellbeing. Why are you interested in the intersections? Why do you care about this particular project? In writing about a specific project, focus on your first choice. Answer these questions in 1,000 words or less, but feel free to include images or include citations or links to other communications materials that you created and feel are relevant.

We will also send all applicants a link to an anonymous survey - please help us improve and highlight the value of this program by answering those questions!

If you have any difficulties uploading your application materials, then please send them as ONE document to HR@abcbirds.org.

 

At American Bird Conservancy, we believe that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills makes us more effective. We are committed to creating a respectful and inclusive work environment for all of our employees. 

As an equal opportunity employer, ABC is committed to ensuring that employees and applicants for employment have equal opportunities regardless of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or any other factor unrelated to the requirements of the position.