Water & Agriculture Sustainability Fellow

Do you love working outdoors? Are you interested in supporting local farmers, helping them save money and increase their water efficiency? Are you interested in learning about irrigation?

About TEAM RCD

The Temecula Elsinore Anza Murrieta Resource Conservation District (TEAMRCD) is a small California Special District situated in Southwest Riverside County, spanning 789 square miles of territory. Our mission is to protect, conserve and preserve natural resources, and our constituents have broad and varied needs around these issues. Our district is diverse, containing several cities with populations in excess of 100,000, as well as much smaller rural districts, a thriving wine country, and hundreds of small farmers. High quality habitat is also found within our district, with land preserves managed by non-profits and the County’s Resource Conservation Authority.

Position Overview & Description

TEAM RCD is establishing a grant-funded Climate Smart Water Efficiency and Technical Assistance (WETA) Program to provide irrigation efficiency evaluations to farmers in beautiful southwest Riverside and North San Diego County, and connect them with technical and financial resources to help them reduce their water and energy use. The Fellow would work alongside Mission Resource Conservation District staff (based in Fallbrook), and their initial primary responsibilities would be to 1) learn irrigation efficiency analysis skills on actual farm sites, and to generate reports containing that information, and 2) to promote the WETA program. Outreach would entail the distribution of promotional materials directly to producers, tabling at events where farmers are found, such as Farm Bureau and Winegrowers’ gatherings, and community gatherings. This would require some out of hours and weekend work.

We envision that this position will evolve as the program becomes known and established, which will allow the Fellow to build on personal aptitudes that complement the WETA program and the larger TEAMRCD mission. These could include grant writing, program management, project tracking, and/or arranging educational events. Alternatively, the Fellow could pursue a more technical path, deepening their knowledge about farming best management practices, irrigation system design, or soil and water quality testing. These are all skillsets that our District wishes to develop and utilize. Ultimately, it is hoped that our Fellow will grow into their role and serve as the District’s eyes and ears on the front line of local agriculture and help us identify areas where we could build future programs to serve existing and emerging needs.

TEAM is looking for a motivated, energetic person who is comfortable being in new spaces and meeting new people, who loves to work outdoors, and is committed to supporting local agriculture, as well as the clean water, air, healthy soils, habitat and wildlife essential to food production. There is much scope to innovate new projects, build partnerships with local communities, cities, agencies, and tribes, and to help shape the future of our small District’s role in the region. This position will provide opportunities to develop experience for individuals interested in pursuing a career within Resource Conservation Districts and/or other related conservation and natural resource-focused entities. We are keen to tease out and facilitate your interests and strengths to support our mutual interest in your professional growth and our District’s capacity to deliver needed services.

Minimum Responsibilities:

• Ride-along with Mobile Irrigation Lab tech to initially assist and then learn how to conduct evaluations (24 minimum).
• Promote the program through farming events and independent outreach.
• Compile a list of farmers using well water and pumps for irrigation and promote the pump efficiency program directly to them.
• Attend TEAMRCD board meetings and report on status of WETA program.

Desired outcomes:

• Write irrigation efficiency reports and review results with producers.
• Learn aspects of WETA grant management and assist with filing quarterly reimbursement requests and required program reports.
• Identify areas of need in the communities where TEAM could potentially offer support, and align those needs with available grants and programs.
• Assist with compiling the District’s resource inventory and developing strategic planning.

Desired Qualifications:

• A BS or BA in a science-related degree, public policy or communications, with a demonstrated interest in the environment or agriculture.
• A self-starter, who finds creative ways to reach and communicate with the farming community.
• A technical inclination and desire to learn field irrigation skills.
• Bi-lingual an advantage.
• Must own vehicle and have valid drivers license.
• Not essential but added-value qualifications:
• An understanding of or desire to learn about the complex and inter-related relationship between soil, water, crop integrated pest management, and best management practices for sustainable farming.
• A big-picture thinker who will identify community needs and help the District develop more programs.
• An interest in learning about and working on grants, which could consist of identifying appropriate funding sources, participating in the application process, as well as developing project implementation strategies.
• Strong writing skills.

We encourage anyone who is interested in this position and who meets some of the qualifications to apply, even if they do not meet all of them. We recognize that a unique perspective and background can enhance a role when many, if not all, of the listed qualifications are met.

**If you would need to relocate for this position, please note that you need to be in the state you are relocating to no less than 10 business days before the start of the fellowship.**

Benefits

• End-of-program financial award.
• Healthcare coverage with 100% of healthcare insurance premiums covered by the employer.
• Access to a national Member Assistance Program, which includes financial and legal assistance, medical advocacy, and counseling services.
• Professional and Personal Development Training
• Career-readiness training in interview preparation, salary negotiation, and developing a professional resume and cover letter.
• Attending panels, workshops, and presentations by climate resilience industry professionals.
• Professional networking opportunities.
• University of California Climate Stewards Certification- Prestigious certification through the University of California School of Agriculture and Natural Resources. This acclaimed UC California Naturalist Program prepares UC Climate Stewards to engage in and lead local solutions to advance community and ecosystem resilience.

About Us

Climate Corps, a program of SEI, is an award-winning fellowship program that provides professional development opportunities for emerging leaders through implementation of sustainability and resiliency projects with local governments, nonprofits, and for-profit businesses. To see a full list of climate, energy, and sustainability positions posted by Climate Corps, please visit here: https://jobs.climatecorps.org/listings. We are constantly adding positions, so make sure to frequently check this site to see if there are new opportunities available.

SEI is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and equity. We believe that a wide array of perspectives contributes to creative climate solutions where all communities thrive. We strive to reflect diverse communities, especially those most impacted by climate change and other kinds of environmental, social, and economic injustices. Persons of color, persons with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are strongly encouraged to apply. A commitment to work and learn within an anti-oppression framework is required. https://www.seiinc.org/dei.html