Climate & Energy Education Fellow

Launch your Sustainability Career with the Climate Corps Fellowship program!

SEI’s Climate Corps Fellowship program offers the chance to lead impactful climate and community resilience projects while gaining paid, hands-on experience. This full-time, bridge-to-career opportunity pairs fellows with host organizations, from local governments to nonprofits and businesses, to drive real-world change.

About the Opportunity 

Start Date: September 2nd, 2025

Length of Fellowship: 12 months

Are you passionate about teaching others, partner outreach, inspiring youth (middle through high school), and helping to advance clean energy initiatives? Then this may be an opportunity for you! As a Climate/Energy Education Fellow, in the Climate Corps Fellowship program, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to impactful climate resiliency & sustainability initiatives with Centralia College.

This is a hybrid position with the expectation of onsite work 4 days per week. This position requires the employee to be physically located within commuting distance of Centralia, WA, at the time of hire. Only candidates currently residing within commuting distance of the onsite location will be considered.

In this role, you’ll be supported through an innovative partnership between Centralia College, Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI), and TransAlta, with funds provided by Centralia Coal Transition Grants. Aimed at addressing Washington state’s myriad of energy and environmental sustainability initiatives, this Fellowship model presents a distinct opportunity to increase clean energy and career knowledge, shape energy efficiencies and sustainability practices. At the core of this program is developing the next generation of thinkers and doers to help address clean energy and sustainability within education. Roles in educational sustainability require a distinct combination of aptitudes, including project management, data analytics, and community development. In addition to the Climate Corps training, this position offers professional development opportunities designed to help provide the range of skills necessary to execute sustainable programs or practices. The candidate will work on pressing climate and sustainability problems and be relied upon to work toward replicable solutions. A customized mix of on-the-job training, field work, and class time will help the Fellow hone marketable skills and draw important professional connections while making a marked difference in the K-12 community. You’ll collaborate with Pacific Northwest Center of Excellence for Clean Energy to inspire youth (middle through high school), and help to advance clean energy initiatives, gaining hands-on experience and making a tangible difference in the sustainability & climate sector.

The Climate/Energy Education Fellow will support PNCECE hosted at Centralia College and collaborate with wide-ranging project partners in Lewis and South Thurston counties to support sustainability workforce development pathways that educate, promote, and facilitate energy career and curriculum awareness in K-12 programs such as career fairs, classroom visits, and other opportunities. The Fellow will be supported by SEI, a regional supervisor, and the director of the Pacific NW Center of Excellence for Clean Energy.

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop your professional skills, grow your network, and contribute to Centralia College’s sustainability goals.

About Our Partner: Centralia College

PNCECE is a statewide and regional resource that represents the interests of the energy industry and labor partners within the Washington State Community and Technical College system. We exist to narrow the gap between employers’ demands for a highly skilled workforce and the colleges’ ability to supply work-ready graduates. We convene industry and labor to help drive workforce development initiatives, and coordinate community college resources after industry and labor set the direction.

Our work focuses on employees within electricity generation, transmission, and distribution, which includes energy efficiency and smart grid; and the emerging technologies that affect the industry, such as battery and bio-technologies, fusion, hydrogen, solar, and wind. Our state’s leadership has set bold initiatives that are driving quick changes in the industry to lower carbon emissions. We connect people to resources and help increase college programs and energy career awareness.

What You’ll Do

• Assist the Center of Excellence and local stakeholders in organizing the Southwest Washington Energy/STEM Summer Academy for high school students, developed by the Foundation for Water and Energy Education (FWEE) in June.
• Promote and provide in-classroom support for training opportunities and resources for high school teachers and recruit participation in the program (Lewis and South Thurston counties).
• Promote the renewable energy career pathways on local high school and middle school campuses.
• Promote careers in energy at outreach events.
• Additional projects assigned through the Center of Excellence for Clean Energy.

What We’re Looking For

• Associate’s degree or higher in an energy-related or education field.
• Strong communications skills (writing, corresponding, speaking) with the ability to communicate with high school and college faculty, staff, and administrators.
• Basic understanding of how public education institutions work.
• Ability to work independently while also excelling in teamwork environments.
• Comfortable with basic functions of Google Office Suite, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Comfortable conducting online meetings, using the technical aspects of Zoom and Teams platforms.
• Be an organized self-starter and demonstrate excellent time management skills. Follow SEI policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Coursework or related experience in environmental fields (e.g., internships, volunteer work) is preferred.
• Commitment to a fair workplace that honors the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals.
• Authorization to work in the United States for the duration of the fellowship (SEI is unable to sponsor visas).
• May require occasional moving about to accomplish tasks, moving from one worksite to another, or adjusting or moving objects under 25-50 pounds in all directions.

We encourage everyone interested in this position to apply, even if you don’t meet every qualification. We value all perspectives and believe that a unique background can bring significant strengths to this role, even if some qualifications are not fully met.

What We Provide and Why This is a Game-Changer for Your Career

• A fixed, monthly stipend of $3150.
• $1000 end-of-program financial award.​
• Health care coverage with 100% of health care insurance premiums covered by the employer.
• Comprehensive career-readiness training, including interview prep, salary negotiation, and resume building.
• Panels, workshops, and networking with climate resilience industry professionals.
• Professional networking and learning opportunities.
• University of California Climate Stewards Certification equips you to lead community and ecosystem resilience initiatives.

Join the Climate Corps Movement

Climate Corps, a program of SEI, is an award-winning fellowship designed to prepare the next generation of leaders in sustainability and climate action. Our fellows work on cutting-edge sustainability and resiliency projects with local governments, nonprofits, and businesses, building essential skills and creating real-world impact. Since 2010, Climate Corps has empowered over 800 Fellows to work with 500+ partners on 1,350 transformative projects. With nearly 99% of Fellows continuing careers in sustainability—many hired by their host organizations—you could be the next environmental leader shaping a better future!

Our Hiring Values

SEI is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer and is committed to uplifting the experiences, voices, viewpoints, and values of all individuals. We believe that a wide array of perspectives contributes to creative climate solutions where all communities can thrive. We strive for a workforce that reflects the communities we partner with and serve, especially those most impacted by climate change and environmental, social, and economic injustice. We welcome candidates who share SEI’s commitment to cultivating a people-centered work environment. Individuals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.