Work in Washington Veterans Jobs

Req #: 239066

Department: WA STATE CLIMATE OFFICE

Appointing Department Web Address: https://climate.washington.edu/

Job Location Detail: Hybrid Eligible (In office and Telework)

Posting Date: 09/18/2024

Closing Info: To ensure consideration, Apply By 10/02/2024

Salary: $4,928 - $6,160 per month

Shift: First Shift

Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701_a11y.pdf)

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Washington State Climate Office (https://climate.washington.edu/) (WASCO) is seeking to hire a full-time Environmental Outreach Specialist to help support core functions of the Office. A key focus of this position is communications, with an emphasis on producing high-quality information about climate, climate impacts, and its relevance to our local, state, and tribal partners. This position will require subject matter expertise, in order to participate in applied research, accurately communicate the science of climate and its impacts, and address the climate information needs of our partners both within and beyond UW. This may include technical presentations, developing and interpreting climate data products, science syntheses, media engagement, contributing to climate trainings/education, and other work to share scientific and technical knowledge about climate and its impacts. We seek candidates who are passionate about our organizational mission and have an interest in facilitating effective and impactful engagement. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in successful communications and engagement, and the technical background needed to engage in applied research, synthesis, and analysis.

This is an entry-level career professional opportunity and successful candidates typically begin at the beginning of the salary range. This position will remain open until filled. Priority screening beginning Wednesday, October 2, 2024.

ABOUT US

Based at the University of Washington, WASCO works to support access to, and understanding of, information about the past, current, and future climate of Washington State. Officially established in 2003, the Office works to build regional capacity to use and apply climate information, advances innovative approaches to communication and engagement on climate science, and pursues impactful applied research topics of interest to our collaborators across the state. WASCO developed a new strategic plan (https://https://cig.uw.edu/2024/01/owsc-releases-new-strategic-plan//) in 2022, and is a small but highly visible office at UW. This new position will help increase the profile of the Office, and by extension the University, through more effective communications and new applied research.

WASCO is housed within the Climate Impacts Group (https://cig.uw.edu) on the UW Seattle campus. CIG supports the development of climate resilience by advancing understanding of climate risks and enabling science-based action to manage those risks. WASCO and CIG are member organizations of EarthLab. , a visionary institute that pushes boundaries to address our most pressing environmental challenges, with a focus on climate and its intersection with social justice. EarthLab does this by connecting faculty, students and researchers at the University of Washington to community collaborators in businesses, non-profits, public agencies, Tribal nations and others to co-produce actionable research that generates solutions and strategies for local and global impact. EarthLab’s vision, an equitable, just and sustainable world where people and the planet thrive, supports one of the University’s biggest goals. As a Carnegie-classified Community Engagement University, the UW aspires to be the #1 university in the world as measured by impact. EarthLab is inspired by and committed to this challenge.

The College of the Environment promotes diversity and inclusivity among our students, faculty, staff, and public. Thus, we are strongly seeking candidates whose experiences have prepared them to fulfill our commitment to inclusion and have given them the confidence to fully engage audiences from a wide spectrum of backgrounds. The University of Washington (UW) is located in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, with a dynamic, multicultural community of 3.7 million people and a range of ecosystems from mountains to ocean. The UW serves a diverse population of 80,000 students, faculty and staff, including 25% first-generation college students, over 25% Pell Grant students, and faculty from over 70 countries. The UW is a recipient of a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award to increase the advancement of women faculty in science, engineering, and math (see: http://advance.washington.edu/).

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

We acknowledge the systemic racism that exists in the environmental sector and within environmentalism. We believe every member on our team enriches our diversity by bringing a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to discover, design and deliver solutions. We are seeking candidates who are committed to creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment where all voices are considered and valued. In addition, part of the OWSC strategic plan identified providing climate services to groups that have been historically excluded from environmental and climate change spaces as a priority.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

This position supports some of the core functions of the Office of the Washington State Climatologist, with a focus on providing reputable climate data and interpretation. Duties and responsibilities for this position fall into three buckets (communications, program management, and research) and applicants should be comfortable shifting between tasks in any given day or week as well as shifting priorities. Responding to climate data requests inherently means that different aspects of the work could arise in any given week, requiring applicants to be flexible and have other tasks with hard deadlines completed with time to be flexible to respond to unplanned changes in priorities. Training in climate science or a related discipline is an important requirement for this position. The position consists of the following duties:

Communications (50%):

• Responsible for developing the WASCO monthly newsletter. Includes gathering past and future climate data and graphics, developing content and preparing newsletter for publication • Develop, or support the development of, monthly “Climate Matters” (a 1-2 page deep dive on climate topics of interest). This includes any analyses, syntheses, and visualizations that are needed. • Develop new syntheses (written and/or graphical) of recent weather events, climate science, or new data/analyses • Assist in preparing and delivering presentations on climate science and climate impacts • Collaborate on, and contribute to the development of, reports and other publications (ranging from newsletters to fact sheets to journal publications) • Manage WASCO social media presence, developing content and identifying opportunities to raise awareness about climate and its impacts • Review past and potential future WASCO audiences, and propose approaches for prioritizing engagement.

Program coordination (25%):

• Respond to requests for climate data or information • Track and synthesize WASCO activities (engagement, projects) to articulate WASCO impacts • Organize, update, and manage slide decks • Develop content and manage updates for the WASCO website • Assist in planning, organizing, and executing workshops and meetings • Coordinate a volunteer citizen science precipitation measuring program across Washington (CoCoRaHS)

Research (25%):

• Analyze data related to regional weather and climate, as directed by supervisors • Review and synthesize weather and climate literature • Provide technical assistance to external partners and collaborators

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

Master's Degree in meteorology, climate science, or a related field with one year of experience.

Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Training in climate science or a related discipline • Evidence of strong oral and written communication skills in engaging with diverse audiences • Experience analyzing and interpreting data • Experience synthesizing scientific research findings • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects with competing deadlines • Demonstrated ability to problem-solve and quickly adapt to new challenges • Attention to detail and insistence on technical accuracy

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Familiar with Washington state's climate and climate-related resources • Experience working in WordPress • Experience with planning and executing scientific or public workshops • Experience managing professional social media accounts • Familiar with co-producing research and tools/products • Self-motivated and able to work independently • Demonstrated effectiveness as a collaborator

Application Process: The application process may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you log into your “My Jobs” page. If you choose to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.