Salary Range: $20.0000 To $23.0000 Hourly

Status: Part-time, hourly, temporary position.

Duration: September 2021 to mid-April 2022.

Hours of work: This position will work 15–20 hours per week between the hours of 8am and 5pm, on at least three different weekdays per week. The specific schedule will be agreed upon between the person in this position and the supervisor. 

Date needed:  September 2, 2021.

Posting expires: Tuesday, June 29, 2021, end of day.

See original job posting at https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=98930ce8-632f-495a-bf7b-12cd372446bd&ccId=19000101_000001&jobId=416139&source=CC2&lang=en_US

Position description: 

The ocean policy program within our Conservation Programs & Partnerships (CPP) department is seeking a part-time, temporary ocean policy assistant to support the Seattle Aquarium’s growing policy work. The position will have the opportunity to work directly on policy and advocacy related to the 2022 Washington state legislative session, which runs from January until April, as well as work on federal policy priorities. The work accomplished during this temporary role will help the Seattle Aquarium realize our vision to emerge as a proactive leader in conservation, both in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

On the federal level, issues of focus are likely to include climate change, environmental justice, wildlife and ecosystem protections, plastic pollution and coral reef restoration, among others. On the state level, issues of focus are likely to include plastic pollution, salmon recovery and orca recovery.

1. Essential functions:

• Research, track, analyze and report on environmental issues and proposed policies at all levels of government, particularly Washington state and federal policies.
• Support multifaceted policy campaigns. Tasks are likely to include writing comment letters, drafting and delivering testimony for legislative or agency hearings, developing public outreach materials, developing blogs and social media messages and writing email action alerts.
• Track evolving legislation as it moves through the Washington state legislature; identify opportunities for action or influence and monitor changes that are proposed through amendments.
• Summarize and report on scientific studies, scientific literature and draft legislation regarding conservation issues related to the Seattle Aquarium’s conservation priorities. Develop talking points and position statements grounded in scientific evidence. Potential issues include marine debris and pollution, salmon recovery, climate change, environmental justice, ocean acidification, coral reef conservation, marine protected areas, aquaculture, offshore renewable energy, orca recovery and water quality.

2. Additional responsibilities:

• Provide support for external presentations and talking points on ocean policy issues and actions.
• Work with the Public Relations and Marketing departments to develop clear, compelling communication materials, including web content, fact sheets and more.
• Participate in meetings and phone calls with our partners in the policy arena.
• Provide policy updates for Seattle Aquarium board, staff and volunteers through presentations, handouts, intranet posts and other documents.
• Depending on availability as well as comfort and safety in light of COVID-19, may have the opportunity to make occasional day trips to Olympia to attend hearings, deliver testimony or participate in meetings and/or Environmental Lobby Day.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

3. Required skills, abilities: 

• Very strong written and oral communications skills, including an ability to effectively tailor information for diverse audiences (e.g., writing letters directed at agencies or legislators about science and policy issues, explaining policy positions and supporting science in brief, digestible formats for public audiences).
• Experience with literature reviews and online research.
• Team player with strong interpersonal and collaboration skills and a service-oriented work ethic.
• Strong organizational skills; an ability to prioritize and consistently meet deadlines; self-directed; a high degree of professionalism; proactive in seeking guidance when needed.
• Skilled at using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and internet browsers, and comfortable using video conferencing tools (e.g., Teams, Zoom).
• Demonstrated ability to be productive in a remote work environment and to advance projects without direct, daily supervision.
• Familiarity with current environmental policy issues in the Salish Sea and beyond, especially orca recovery, environmental justice, plastic pollution and/or climate change.
• Self-motivated with a demonstrated passion for the Aquarium’s mission and values.

4. Experience, education and certifications: 

Required: 

• B.A./B.S. in a relevant field, such as public policy, public administration, environmental studies or natural resource management.
• 1+ years of policy-related professional work experience or at least partway through a relevant graduate degree program.
• We will consider various combinations of relevant experience and education in order to meet minimum requirements.

Preferred: 

• Familiarity with legislative and/or rule-making processes at the state or federal level.
• Professional experience with Washington state legislative processes (e.g., a previous job or internship with an advocacy organization, lobbying firm or legislative office).
• 2+ years of policy-related professional work experience in environmental or marine policy, public policy, law or natural resource management.
• M.A. or M.S. coursework in a relevant field. We can work around class schedules for those who are currently pursuing coursework.

5. Working conditions:

• The person in this position will work 20 hours per week between the hours of 8am and 5pm, on at least three different weekdays per week. The specific schedule will be agreed upon between the person in this position and the supervisor.
• Occasional local travel (less than 5%), as comfort and safety allow in light of COVID-19.
• This work may begin remotely, depending on COVID-19 health and safety precautions and telework policies, but we are looking for someone who lives within a commutable distance of the Seattle Aquarium to allow for in-person meetings when those become possible.
• The person in this position will need to have regular and reliable access to their own computer, phone and internet access for working remotely.

The Seattle Aquarium is a progressive, equal opportunity employer that values a diverse workforce. One of our core values is fostering an inclusive community and we want our staff to reflect our community. To that end, we encourage diverse candidates to apply, including but not limited to Black, Indigenous, and People of Color applicants and members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

To be considered for this position, interested candidates must upload the following three items via our online application:

• A 1- to 2-page cover letter detailing:
  1. Your interest in this specific position.
  2. Relevant experience.
  3. A brief description of how you think about DEIJ (diversity, equity, inclusion and justice) in your work.
  4. Your anticipated availability (i.e., any details you can provide on available days/hours).
  5. Whether you foresee the need to have reliable access to your own computer, phone, internet and suitable workspace (given COVID-19 and the need to work some hours remotely) being a barrier.
• A policy-related writing sample that you sole-authored, preferably a policy memo, blog post, op-ed or policy letter (rather than an academic publication or scientific journal article).
• A résumé.

Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job.

Note: Must pass a background check, upon job offer, to be eligible for this position.

Regarding COVID-19:

Open daily, the Aquarium prioritizes health and safety for our staff and visitors, embracing science to guide our operations. Staff are required to wear face masks while working on-site, maintain physical distance at all times, and check their temperature before starting work each day. In addition, we maintain high standards of cleanliness and all high-touch surfaces (like windows, railings, restrooms and elevators) are continuously cleaned.

Because of the COVID-19 situation, the person in this role can expect to work some hours remotely and may also come to the Aquarium’s office approximately once per week to meet with the supervisor and/or work on-site. Candidates must have the ability to work remotely (e.g., from home), including having regular and reliable access to a computer, phone, internet and suitable workspace.

We anticipate the following recruiting schedule for those candidates who are selected for consideration. The following dates are preliminary and subject to change. We will work with candidates to set interviews that work for all involved.

• Application deadline: June 29.
• Interview, using Zoom: July 1 through July 16.
• Start date: beginning of September.