Climate Resilience Specialist

The Climate Resilience Specialist is a Chicago-area on-call position that will assist with the planning and implementation of climate mitigation and adaptation projects in Cook County, IL and across the country. Projects cover a wide range of topics, such as urban greening and nature-based solutions, environmental planning and policy, resilient water and energy systems, and public open spaces and park systems. The Climate Resilience Specialist will conduct literature review and synthesis, data analysis and visualization, document preparation and file management, community engagement and outreach, writing policy memos and reports, financial modeling and assessment, and interviews with government officials and other partners.

This position reports to the Climate Resilience Project Manager. The position will be on-call, but the candidate can expect about 20-50 hrs./week, and the position will last, at a minimum, three months with the option to extend the position after that period.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support the implementation of projects for Cook County’s Climate Resiliency Planning for Communities Program—a partnership between CIS and Cook County implementing 17 projects to mitigate flooding, heat, and other extreme weather impacts in five communities.
• Assist with planning and policy analysis for client projects and partners, including work with federal and state agencies, local and regional governments, community-based organizations, non-profit organizations and universities, and other groups.
• Facilitate information gathering and synthesis of critical business data, ensure data accuracy integrity, and timeliness.
• Work with supervisor to track and analyze newly published reports, legislation, and other developments.
• Analyze data to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges. Understand metric interdependencies and present actionable recommendations to leaders.
• Support the productivity of the Advisory Services Team through administrative support ensuring team can optimize time to focus on key priorities.
• Responsible for meeting operations including agenda creation, meeting facilitation, minutes, and follow-up tasks.
• Other duties as assigned.

What You Will Need:

• Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Planning, Policy, Community Development, Engineering, or related field.
• Students pursuing an M.S. or a Ph.D. in Environmental Policy or a related field from an accredited institution are welcome to apply but must be available for at least 20 hours/week.
• Work in a hybrid/remote environment, with the ability to connect via phone or video with supervisor as needed.
• Possess a valid driver’s license and be available to support the supervisor in organizing community events, door-to-door canvassing, and meetings with community leaders.
• Demonstrable analytical ability to interpret and analyze data, identify trends, and use data to generate recommendations.
• Ability to present information and provide concise explanations to internal and external audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with supervisor and other CIS staff.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office including Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint is required. Knowledge of programming languages and tools like R, Python, and ArcGIS preferred.
• Experience working on projects in Cook County is preferred.

Position Location Requirements:

CIS’s preference is to hire a candidate based in the greater Chicago, IL region.

Salary:

The hourly pay range for this position is $20-$40, depending on your skills, experience, and job-related knowledge. If you are currently pursuing an education and would like to be considered for an internship, the estimated hourly rate is $18-$21. This is not a full-time role and does not include benefits.

About Corvias Infrastructure Solutions, LLC (CIS) :

CIS is a national leader in the development and implementation of public infrastructure solutions, focusing on improving the environmental, economic, and social condition of the nation’s infrastructure through solutions that drive local economic inclusion and equity, reduction of public risk, and increased community investment and buy-in. CIS also offers related advisory expertise and services on topics including nature-based solutions, climate resilience, disaster prevention, environmental equity/justice, green stormwater infrastructure, environmental finance, water affordability, and public trust. For more information, please visit www.cisolutions.com.

Corvias (the “Company”) does not discriminate in employment or applications for employment based on an applicant’s sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, service in the armed forces of the United States, disability, or any other protected classification as outlined by Federal, State or local laws.

Learn more about Corvias’ External Recruiting Policy.

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