Postbaccalaureate Fellows in Climate Change & Environmental Justice Pool, University of California, Irvine
Salary: 49,000 - 52,000
The University of California, Irvine is seeking applicants for six postbaccalaureate (postbac) fellowships in climate change, environmental justice, and community engaged research. Fellows will join a new UCI initiative, which seeks to develop a Cultural, Learning, and Institutional Model to Accelerate Transformations for Environmental Justice (CLIMATE Justice). Fellows will be hired as full-time Junior Specialists for a one-year appointment that includes generous benefits, see salary scale here . The desired start date is September 1, 2023.
CLIMATE Justice Postbac Fellows will:
- Learn new technical skills and gain hands-on research experience with UCI faculty who are working on cutting-edge climate research.
- Work with community partners on co-designed projects that address environmental justice issues.
- Attend workshops and classes on environmental justice and community-engaged research methods.
- Be guided by a diverse network of mentors.
- Participate in professional development activities designed to help you achieve your career goals, whether that be entering the job market or pursuing graduate studies.
- Be part of a diverse and multi-disciplinary community of students, researchers, faculty, and staff dedicated to centering social and environmental justice in climate change research.
- Receive a Certificate in Climate Change and Environmental justice upon completion of the one-year program.
The CLIMATE Justice initiative strives to foster an inclusive and collaborative working environment that welcomes diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and life experiences. We strongly encourage applications from members of historically marginalized communities, and graduates from Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs). We also encourage applications from those who have had limited opportunities to participate in research or professional development activities during their undergraduate studies.
UCI’s CLIMATE Justice Initiative aims to culturally transform the geosciences through multidirectional programming that brings on-the ground challenges of environmental justice and sustainability into the heart of geoscience research and education. The specific project objectives are to: 1) Train and empower postbaccalaureate and PhD students from historically marginalized communities to pursue graduate education and careers related to climate change, 2) Increase participation of scientists from traditional STEM disciplines in environmental justice and community-engaged research, 3) Build strong cross-disciplinary collaborations between geoscientists and experts from other fields, such as social science, 4) Develop equitable partnerships with community-based organizations, and 5) Transform the culture of geoscience by building a learning ecosystem that spans traditional institutional, disciplinary, and hierarchical boundaries. The project is funded through the US National Science Foundation’s Cultural Transformations in the Geoscience Community program.
Qualifications:
- Completed a B.S. or B.A. degree within the past 2 years (2022- 2023) in a relevant field (e.g. geoscience, earth system science, climate science, environmental science & policy, civil and environmental engineering, hydrology, ecology, atmospheric chemistry, urban planning, public health, anthropology, etc.)
- Interest in pursuing a career and/or graduate studies related to climate science and policy, environmental justice, geoscience, and/or climate change adaptation & mitigation
- Interest in collaborating with Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC)-led and BIPOC-serving community-based organizations on community-based research projects.
Apply here: https://recruit.ap.uci.edu/JPF08177
Please submit the following:
- Curriculum Vitae - Should include the following sections: Personal information (name, email, phone, address, etc.); Education information (year of degree, college name, major); Research experience in previous courses or jobs (if applicable); Skills background (computer, lab, field, language, or other skills); Honors or scholarships; Previous work experience; Service, education, or volunteer work (e.g. tutoring, teaching, outreach, etc.)
- Cover Letter - (one page) explaining your relevant background, your interest in this opportunity, and your immediate and long-term career goals.
- Unofficial transcripts - from any undergraduate institutions attended.
- Essay Questions - Please respond to the following prompts and submit as a single document (recommended length: 100-200 words each).
- Describe the areas of research that interest you most, your personal goals for the internship, and indicate your preference for working in office, lab, or field settings.
- Write about what your career goals are and how participating in this postbac program will help you meet these goals.
- Please describe what social and environmental justice mean to you. Use a specific example, if possible.
- What perspective, skills or abilities would you bring to the CLIMATE Justice initiative? This could be related to your experience in school, your past work or volunteer experiences, or your lived experience.
- The CLIMATE Justice initiative is dedicated to enhancing the diversity of future scientific communities and sharing our science with a broader audience. Please describe how you, based on your personal background and life experiences (including social, cultural, familial, educational, or other opportunities or challenges) will contribute to this mission during and after participation in the program.
Reference requirements:
- 2-3 required (contact information only)
- Two letters of recommendation from those who can speak to your academic background, research potential, and overall suitability for the program.