Air Quality Fellow

About CEEJH 

The Center for Engagement, Environmental Justice, and Health (CEEJH, Inc) is a new nonprofit focused on helping communities impacted by environmental, climate, and energy injustice with a focus on the Mid-Atlantic region, the Southeast, and other parts of the United States and beyond.

Position Overview 

An individual dedicated to protecting communities impacted by environmental and climate injustice - including those with air quality problems - and passionate about empowering communities through science, organizing, and advocacy. 

The CEEJH Air Quality Fellowship, developed in partnership with the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has three goals: 

1. Assist with research efforts to understand the impact of goods movement -  including truck traffic - on air quality and health of individuals who live near warehouses, industrial corridors, and major highways and transportation corridors in Washington, DC, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. 
2. Support outreach, engagement, and training efforts in impacted communities in these states including use of low cost sensors for air quality monitoring and mapping environmental and climate injustice. 
3. Support technical assistance, local organizing, policy development, and other efforts to address environmental and climate injustice in the aforementioned states but with a primary focus in the Mid-Atlantic region.

We are searching for a dynamic individual, skilled in research, engagement, and community organizing, as well as tenacious, creative, and strategic, with a passion for working with communities to advance environmental and climate justice, public health, and human rights. In addition, we expect the fellow to assist with program management including planning, implementation, and evaluation. 

We’re open to applicants who have at least a MS degree in environmental sciences, environmental health, public health, atmospheric sciences, or a related field and 3 years of experience in environmental and climate justice work. 

The fellow may have the opportunity to receive additional exposure to science policy via NRDC.  

 Core Responsibilities  

• Engage communities in the Washington, DC region to find out more about their air pollution concerns.

• Develop and host a training on using low cost air quality sensors.
• Use mapping tools to assess environmental injustice and air quality issues at the local level.
• Provide technical assistance to community-based organization efforts to build hyperlocal air quality monitoring networks in communities throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.  Alongside a partner organizer, create a flyer about industrial pollution in Southwest DC. Distribute the flyer door to door and hold conversations with individual residents in advance of an upcoming community meeting.
• Design and deliver training for EJ advocates and community members on how to use GIS tools to map environmental injustice and air quality issues. 
• Organize a meeting with community members in Maryland to obtain information about their environmental justice concerns.  Provide training to residents in Maryland on legal tools to build their capacity to address environmental justice and health issues.
• Develop a region-wide organizing strategy to advance legislation that our coalition has endorsed. 

The Fellow will work closely with the Director, other staff, partners, and communities we serve. Specific responsibilities may be adjusted depending on individual selected candidates’ strengths, level of experience, and complementarity with existing team members. The Fellow will be expected to work in the evenings and on weekends as needed.  

Additional Requests: 

• Provide a cover letter, CV and or resume
• Provide three references  At least one reference must be from a community-based organization that you have worked with on environmental justice or climate justice issues
• Provide three writing samples 

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & EXPERIENCE 

• Public Health Expertise:  You have research and practice experience in public health and/or environmental health.  We are particularly interested in individuals who have performed research on air quality issues including experience in air quality monitoring.
• Grassroots organizing experience: You are a seasoned organizer who has supported communities to take on tough fights, build collective power, and win. 
• Excellent communications skills: You are an outstanding communicator with experience engaging diverse communities in a respectful and sincere manner, including on topics typically seen as complex or inaccessible. You listen deeply, convey ideas clearly, and have the ability to call people to action.  Passion for environmental and climate justice: You have a passion for addressing the human rights, public health, and social justice dimensions of environmental problems particularly climate change. 

• Strong program management: You are great at providing substantive and operational support to all aspects of an ambitious and emerging program. You’re extremely thorough and will follow through on complicated, multi-step processes. You work quickly and efficiently and can produce excellent, on-point work products on deadline, including in short time frames when needed.
• Collaborative and service-oriented: You treat everyone you encounter with a collaborative spirit, kindness, and empathy. You are known as an adaptable team-player who brings an “all hands on deck” mindset to all projects.  You have experience performing science that serves overburdened communities and under-resourced communities.
• Growth-oriented: You’re always seeking to better yourself and your work, and you will push yourself to the peak of performance to help fulfill our mission. You welcome and delight in feedback from supervisors, peers, and others. 
• Ease with technology: You’re comfortable working with technology, and when given the opportunity to work with a new program or application, it is not difficult for you to become fluent. We are looking for individuals with skills in air quality monitoring and have some familiarity with low cost sensors. 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY 

In this role, the fellow may be required to supervise other staff and graduate and undergraduate students.  

EXPECTED HOURS OF WORK 

Standard days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Daily schedule is flexible within the proximity of this time frame, and will be decided in consultation with the supervisor.  The fellow may be required to work evenings and on the weekend.  

TRAVEL 

Significant travel may be required for meetings, trainings, sensor deployments, technical assistance activities, conferences, and symposia.   

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. 

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS 

• 100% FTE, exempt  position. Annual gross pay is $55,000-$70,000 Salary Negotiable 
•  MSC’s Comprehensive Benefits Package

There will be a probationary period of 3 months for new hires. We believe in fostering a collaborative and mutually beneficial work environment. During this period, we encourage open communication, feedback, and support to ensure a smooth transition into the role. 

This role will commence with remote work and may involve occasional in-person team meetings. The potential for more frequent in-person work at our office will be open for discussion between the supervisor and the employee, allowing for flexibility and alignment with individual preferences and team dynamics. 

MSC  is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, disability, gender, nationality, ethnicity, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, sexual orientation or any other status protected by law. People of color and LGBTQ candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. 

Please send all applications in a single pdf and any other correspondence to ceejhinc@gmail.com.