2024-25 Rita Barron Fellowship

The 2024-25 Rita Barron Fellowship at Massachusetts Nonprofit Network offers early career candidates the chance to work on stormwater management and climate resilience projects. The position involves technical tasks like mapping, research, and community engagement under experienced water resources professionals. Candidates should have a relevant Bachelor's degree, proficiency in ArcGIS, and a strong interest in environmental issues. The role is based in Boston, MA.
CRWA protects, restores, and enhances the Charles River and its watershed through science, advocacy, and the law. We develop science-based strategies to increase resilience, protect public health, and promote environmental equity as we confront a changing climate.
Job Description

CRWA’s prestigious Rita Barron Fellowship is named in honor of CRWA’s second Executive Director, who worked for fifteen years as a pioneering leader in river and watershed protection. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for a qualified early career/career change candidate to work in an exciting organization under the direction of some of the country’s leading water resources scientists and advocates. Previous Fellows have transitioned to permanent roles at CRWA or gone on to pursue a range of careers in water resources, including working with the state and federal government, environmental non-profits, consulting, or pursuing further education.

CRWA is committed to training the next generation of environmental leaders. The one-year Fellowship provides an opportunity for an individual starting out in their career to gain significant skills in technical areas such as stormwater management and design, climate resilience planning, and GIS while also gaining experience in environmental advocacy. This position is designed to launch the Fellow into a successful career in environmental restoration, management, and advocacy.

The Fellow will primarily support the Stormwater and Climate Resilience program areas, and report to the Senior Stormwater Program Manager. Projects the Fellow may support include developing subwatershed restoration plans, implementation of large subsurface infiltration projects, developing a community-populated map of flooding impacts in Boston, and drafting conceptual designs for green stormwater infrastructure.

Project tasks will include:
• Producing maps and graphic presentation materials
• Researching, writing, and editing technical reports and grant proposals
• Engaging residents in community-driven design processes and site visits
• Presenting CRWA’s work to various public audiences

Additional administrative and event support responsibilities will also be part of this role.

The successful candidate will:
• Have a Bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas: environmental engineering, water resources, environmental science, landscape architecture, or a related field (Master’s degree is preferred but not required)
• Be comfortable reading technical documents including engineering reports, and stormwater regulations
• Be comfortable working with data and numbers (experience with large datasets, R or Excel preferred)
• Be proficient in ArcGIS
• Have experience or interest in green stormwater infrastructure
• Be self-motivated and demonstrate an ability to acquire new skills, problem solve, and tackle large tasks with minimal supervision
• Have a documented interest in the environment, either professionally or as a volunteer
• Have strong written and verbal communications skills
• Be available to work nights and weekends on a semi-regular basis, particularly during the months of April, May, and June
• Language proficiency in a non-English language commonly spoken across the watershed (Spanish, Haitian Creole, Chinese, Vietnamese, Portuguese and/or Cape Verdean Creole) is a plus

At CRWA, we recognize that excellent candidates may not have every qualification listed but may still be a great fit for the job. If this is you, we encourage you to apply!

Compensation and Benefits
The Fellowship is a full-time (37.5 hours/week), 12-month position based in Boston. CRWA offers a competitive salary and benefits, including generous paid time off, a transit stipend, and employer contributions to health insurance premiums and retirement plan. CRWA’s office operates on a hybrid remote/in-person schedule; fully remote candidates will not be considered. The salary for this position is $55,000 annually. The Fellowship runs from approximately November 2024 to October 2025.
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