Project Analyst, Associate, and/or Scientist

Location:. Remote; California, Oregon, or Washington is required

Reports to: Project Development Manager or Senior Scientist 

Salary:

• Analyst Level: $63,000–$69,000
• Associate Level: $70,000–$78,000

Travel: Travel up to 25%-40% of the time, primarily within Washington, Oregon, and California 

Amount of Hires: 2-3 

About Blue Forest

Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in broader asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments. 

Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies, and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance.

Position Summary

Project Analysts and Associates at Blue Forest focus on the development of conservation finance projects while coordinating and contributing to other aspects of Blue Forest workstreams, including research and science efforts, communications, education and capacity building, and building and maintaining partnerships. This typically includes working on two to three projects simultaneously and, over time, developing a specialization (e.g., geographic, issue area, modeling, communications)  that advances project development across the organization. 

For this posting, we are looking to hire 2-3 Analyst and/or Associate roles:

• One role will be a generalist focused fully on project development
• One to two hires will have a portion of their role that leans into the scientific modeling side of project development, benefit scoping and evaluation, science communication, and research. 

Position responsibilities include supporting execution and day-to-day operations for individual projects, fostering and managing relationships with project partners, facilitating the advancement of working relationships between Blue Forest and beneficiary organizations, and partnering with Managers and Directors to connect day-to-day operations with a long-term strategy.  

The project development aspect of the role involves being detail-oriented during day-to-day operations and execution while supporting Managers and Directors with strategy. Analysts and Associates play a key role in project development by developing written materials, working with Managers and Directors to give presentations, and developing relationships with partners. In addition, Analysts and Associates spend their time supporting or servicing as lead coordinator for special projects within other departments at Blue Forest.

Responsibilities & Duties

Individual FRB Project Development (50-75%)

• Support the development of multiple FRB projects from conception to execution, including bringing structure and processes to innovative and ambiguous projects. Project workstreams will include:
• Partnering with land managers (such as the Forest Service) on implementation strategies for priority restoration projects
• Researching and engaging potential project beneficiaries
• Quantifying and communicating project benefits with internal and external science partners
• Developing proposals and securing funding commitments from beneficiaries
• Engaging community stakeholders, Native nations, and potential project collaborators
• Develop and execute project materials such as presentations, two-pagers, and memorandums to support project development and partner engagement
• Foster relationships with project development partners across a portfolio of project assignments
• Integrate and enhance DEI and tribal engagement throughout the project development process

Developing Expertise (20-40%) 

• Identify one to two areas to develop expertise within the organization. This could include a geographic or ecosystem focus, implementation or permitting, communications, scientific research, facilitation, etc.
• For one to two hires, ecosystem benefit modeling and benefit scoping will likely be 30-45% of the role. This could include modeling fire ecology, forest or watershed restoration, or research on other benefits of restoration activities. 
• Play a key role in supporting initiatives in these areas of expertise, with increasing levels of leadership 

Partnerships, Operations, and Communications (10-15%) 

• Support planning site visits with project partners, executing grant reporting, enhancing internal knowledge sharing, and developing system processes and organization
• Develop communications materials such as 2-pagers, story maps, and memos for projects, initiatives, and research project deliverables
• Contribute to the Blue Forest newsletter and other email and social media campaigns where appropriate and where materials can elevate key partnerships and/or project visibility

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

An ideal candidate will have 1+  years of relevant work or equivalent experience. Blue Forest will prioritize the following qualifications in the hiring process; however, we do not expect candidates to fulfill all criteria and encourage all interested candidates to apply.

• Active Contributor: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision; is detail-oriented, executes and follows through on assigned tasks, manages time effectively, and owns workstreams. Identifies and communicates bottlenecks with Managers and Directors, proactively researching and identifying solutions for the team.
• Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills, including distilling and communicating complex ideas into presentations and written memos for non-scientific audiences, facilitating collaborative discussions, creating effective storytelling products, etc.
• Partnerships & Collaboration: Developing experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders and Native Nations. Strong, active listening skills, inclusive approach, and values engaging diverse perspectives to design effective solutions and projects.
• Conservation Finance, Ecosystem Services, Utilities, or Forestry Expertise: Passionate and some understanding of conservation finance, modeling ecosystem services, water and electric utilities, forestry, or other relevant fields. Experience working with the USDA Forest Service or utilities is a plus but not required. 
• Continuous Learner: Committed to continuous learning, including seeking opportunities to incorporate feedback and learn from others; learning, listening, and engagement that understands the historical place-based context for projects and empowers and supports diverse communities within the conservation and financial communities.
• (For one to two roles focused partially on science modeling) Science Modeling Experience: One to four years of experience or advanced education in ecology, forestry, environmental sciences/engineering, or related fields in research and/or modeling of ecosystem processes. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with a range of modeling approaches, understand their strengths, weaknesses, and sources of uncertainty, and be comfortable thinking holistically about mechanisms driving ecosystem processes. 

BENEFITS

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents
• Access to a 401k retirement plan with a 4% employer match
• Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time
• 3 months of paid family leave
• Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance
• Access to Dependent Care FSA
• Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.)
• Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided
• Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development

COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT

All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided before starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law.