Community Engagement Coordinator
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 1st, 2026
Length of Fellowship: 10 months
Location Type: Remote (Within California)
Are you passionate about tackling climate challenges and driving sustainability solutions? As a Community Engagement Coordinator in the Climate Corps Fellowship program, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to impactful sustainability initiatives with the California Community College Chancellor's Office. This is a remote position within California, with the expectation of regular travel to colleges and universities in your geographic region.
In this role, you'll play a critical role in advancing Vision 2030 by supporting the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and partnering with all 116 California community colleges to implement climate action and sustainability initiatives. Working at the intersection of climate resilience, higher education, and institutional transformation, the Fellow will provide technical assistance to colleges completing the AASHE STARS sustainability assessment and reporting framework, helping campuses measure progress and identify opportunities for continuous improvement. The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to one of the nation's largest systems of higher education while gaining hands-on experience in climate planning, sustainability metrics, stakeholder engagement, and statewide program implementation. Fellows will collaborate with college leaders, faculty, staff, and statewide partners to advance equitable, resilient, and sustainable campus practices. Through mentorship, professional development, and exposure to state climate policy and higher education leadership, Fellows will build valuable skills in project management, data analysis, sustainability reporting, and systems-level climate action.
About Our Partner: California Community College Chancellor's Office
California Community College Chancellor's Office is the administrative headquarters for the country's largest higher education system. With 116 colleges and 2.2 million students, the California Community Colleges seek to educate students from all backgrounds and with all educational goals, from transfer to workforce development. Under Vision 2030, the 116 colleges have been asked to lead the way in climate action, including with curriculum integration, workforce development for climate-ready careers, sustainable facilities and operations, and community engagement with climate partners.
What You’ll Do
- Support AASHE STARS Implementation for clusters of 2-3 colleges: Provide technical assistance to California Community Colleges in completing AASHE STARS assessment, including data collection, documentation, reporting, and identification of opportunities for continuous improvement.
- Advance Vision 2030 Climate Initiatives: Assist in implementing statewide climate action priorities that support Vision 2030, with a focus on climate resilience, sustainability, equity, and institutional transformation across the 116 California Community Colleges.
- Provide Campus Engagement and Technical Assistance: Build collaborative relationships with college administrators, faculty, staff, and sustainability leaders to support climate planning, sustainability initiatives, and adoption of best practices.
- Analyze and Communicate Sustainability Data: Collect, organize, analyze, and summarize sustainability metrics and institutional data to track progress toward systemwide climate and sustainability goals and prepare reports, presentations, and resource materials.
- Develop Resources and Deliver Training:** Create guidance documents, templates, toolkits, webinars, and other educational resources that help colleges navigate the STARS reporting process and strengthen campus sustainability efforts.
- Support Statewide Climate Programs and Partnerships: Collaborate with the Chancellor's Office Climate Team and external partners to coordinate meetings, facilitate communities of practice, and advance statewide initiatives related to sustainable facilities, climate resilience, and institutional sustainability.
- Identify and Share Best Practices: Research emerging trends, policies, funding opportunities, and innovative practices in higher education sustainability, and share successful models that can be scaled across California's community colleges.
What We Provide
- A fixed, monthly stipend of $3900.
- $1000 end-of-program financial award.
- Health care coverage with 100% of health care insurance premiums covered by SEI.
- 10 Personal Days (for a standard 10-month Fellowship), in addition to all holidays off that are observed as closure days by the partner placement site.
- 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, including multiple conferences.
- The University of California Climate Stewards Certification equips you to lead community and ecosystem resilience initiatives.
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in environmental science, sustainability, climate policy, engineering, public administration, higher education, or a closely related field (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
- Demonstrated knowledge of climate action, sustainability, greenhouse gas reduction, resilience planning, or environmental programs, preferably in higher education, government, or the public sector.
- Experience collecting, analyzing, and organizing quantitative and qualitative data using spreadsheets or other data management tools to support reporting, research, or program evaluation.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present technical information clearly to a variety of audiences and willingness to contact individuals at institutions.
- Strong project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work independently.
- Collaborative mindset with the ability to build effective working relationships and contribute positively to cross-functional teams and diverse stakeholder groups.
- Access to regular and reliable transportation to travel to colleges and universities in your geographic region.
- 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.
- Must be 18 years or older to apply.
Nice-to-haves
- Interest in communication to the field through presentations or newsletter articles.
- Problem-solving mindset.
- Experience or familiarity with AASHE STARS.
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.
Climate Corps Fellowships are classified under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) as temporary, educational internships that emphasize training and career development, and thus no employment relationship exists, nor is compensation required. However, while not considered traditional employment, Fellows receive a living stipend and professional development support throughout the program.
Recruiting Timeline: Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage early submissions, as we may stop accepting new applications once a sufficient pool of qualified candidates is identified.
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, 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.
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