Climate and Sustainability Associate

Firm Overview

Cascadia Consulting Group is a women-owned, private environmental consulting firm with 29 years of experience developing and implementing innovative solutions to today’s environmental challenges. Cascadia works with public and private sector clients to advance sustainability through recycling and materials management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy efficiency, pollution prevention, transportation demand management, and water and natural resources management.

The Cascadia team brings both established expertise and creative thinking to research and analysis, strategic planning, program design, and implementation, outreach, social marketing and behavior change, and evaluation roles. From our offices in Oakland (CA), Seattle (WA), and Charleston (SC), we serve clients across the country.

At Cascadia, we strive to create an equitable and inclusive environment at all levels of the organization. Having staff and partnerships that reflect the diverse communities we serve empowers us to shape innovative and effective solutions together with those most impacted by social, human, and environmental health challenges.

Position Overview

Cascadia is currently seeking a Climate and Sustainability Associate to support and lead the development and implementation of effective, community-centered strategies, plans, and policies for environmental, organizational, and behavior change. This work will span multiple topic areas, including climate, sustainability, natural resource management, and more.

Specifically, the Associate will:

• Support and lead elements of strategic planning, including collecting and analyzing information; strategic visioning, identifying, evaluating, and prioritizing options; setting goals and targets; implementation planning; and/or reporting/tracking/evaluation
• Perform and support the project and team management duties for climate and sustainability projects, including scoping, budgeting, planning, client communication, directing staff and/or subcontractors, reporting, and
• Communicate effectively with team members and clients prior to, following, and in between (for ongoing projects) meetings, ensuring that project elements are moving forward as
  Effectively write and verbally communicate using a diversity of styles and perspectives including synthesizing and translating complex information into clear, informative, and compelling materials (e.g., summaries, fact sheets, presentations, online dashboards, reports)
• Develop draft content for high-stakes communication (e.g., for large stakeholder groups or high-level decision makers)
• Support inclusive and equitable stakeholder and public engagement, including preparation and facilitation of stakeholder interviews, focus groups, briefings, and online and in-person workshops and public
• Conduct qualitative research on policies, trends, and best practices related to climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy, transportation, materials management, natural resource management, and other sustainability
• Actively reflect and improve upon efforts to incorporate diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts into client work
• Occasionally travel locally or overnight, when permissible, including for public engagement, meetings, or other activities outside standard work hours
• This position description is designed to outline primary duties, qualifications, and job scope, but not limit the incumbent nor the organization to just the work identified or assigned

Required Qualifications

• A bachelor’s, master’s, or other advanced degrees in environmental sciences, environmental management, public policy, or related field and at minimum 2 years of relevant, professional work experience
• Working knowledge of climate science, climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, and ability to quickly learn about climate change
• Familiarity with strategic plans, climate action plans, or other similar environmental or sustainability planning documents and
• Knowledge of federal and state climate policies, including relevant policies in Washington and/or California
• Understanding of, and commitment to, Cascadia’s mission to “inspire and empower communities everywhere to protect and restore our world” in an equitable and inclusive
• A commitment to racial equity and the ability to apply racial equity principles to project work with clients, partners, and colleagues in an innovative and culturally responsible way while exhibiting emotional intelligence (i.e., culturally responsive engagement and facilitation)
• Comfort making presentations and presenting information in a compelling, informative, and persuasive
• Effective written and verbal communication skills in English with the ability to adapt to a diversity of styles and perspectives, and the ability to communicate scientific and technical ideas clearly using simple, commonly accepted
• Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills, exceptional critical thinking
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to handle challenging situations with tact and
• Ability to manage and execute multiple concurrent tasks and deadlines with minimal guidance in a fast-paced environment
• Intermediate to advanced experience with producing deliverables with Microsoft Office 365 programs including Word, Excel, and
• Experience with virtual teleconference/engagement platforms including Zoom 

Compensation and Benefits

This is a full-time, regular position based in Seattle, WA; Oakland, CA; or remote. Compensation is based on experience and competitive with jobs in the environmental sector; depending on experience candidates may be placed in an Associate I, Associate II, or Associate III position compensation range for Associate I – Associate III positions is $61,500 -$87,500/annually. The work may require flexible hours (including hours beyond the standard workday, such as weekends and evenings).

Cascadia offers a flexible workplace with the potential to work from home and the office, a generous benefits package, including health insurance for employees at or above 60% full-time equivalent, 401(k) with an employer match, life insurance, long-term disability insurance, transportation subsidies, flexible spending accounts, generous paid time off (per annum: 3 weeks’ vacation, 10 holidays, 9 sick days pro-rated for FTE equivalency), professional development opportunities, sabbaticals, and paid parental leave.

In accordance with Federal, State, and County regulations, Cascadia employees are required to be vaccinated as a condition of employment and show proof of vaccination, such as their CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card or the vaccination record maintained by their health care provider unless requests for medical or religious accommodation are submitted and approved.

How to Apply

• Please click "Apply" below to email a compelling cover letter outlining your passion for, and fit with, the position, and please also provide a complete chronological resume.
• Your cover letter should address your ability to meet the criteria in the Required Qualifications section and highlight relevant experience, education, and why you are interested in this position. Please state where you learned about the position. The first review of applications will begin Thursday, October 6, 2022, the position may close any time after the first review date.

Cascadia Consulting Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diverse perspectives and life experiences. We do not discriminate on the basis of race (inclusive of traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles), color, creed, ancestry, height, weight (including obesity), national origin, religious beliefs and practices including the wearing of religious clothing, jewelry or artifacts, and hair styles or body hair which are part of an individuals’ observance of their religious beliefs, gender identity (transgender status), sex, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, domestic partner status, political ideology, age, disability (sensory, mental, or physical – including the use of a trained dog guide or service animal), veteran or military status, medical condition (e.g., pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or other related medical conditions; cancer, cancer related illness, or record or history of cancer; HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis C status; gender dysphoria), genetic characteristics (e.g., non-symptomatic carriers of inheritable diseases), retaliation for filing a whistleblower complaint, retaliation for opposing an unfair practice, or other basis protected by law.