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 Bird Conservation. 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 [email protected].

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.