Climate and Social Resilience Associate

Roger Arliner Young Fellowship; Arlington, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance (80% premium coverage

Paid time off: 15 days (year 1)

Paid time off: 20 days (year 2)

12 paid holidays

12 sick days per year

401k with 4% match

Family and medical leave

Job summary

Mystic River Watershed Association invites applications for the Climate and Social Resilience Associate, a two-year full-time fellowship based in Arlington, MA. The role blends community outreach, climate resilience work, and collaborative projects at the intersection of health and environment.

You will engage with residents, plan events, and support the Resilient Mystic Collaborative, gaining hands-on experience while advancing equitable climate solutions in the Mystic River Watershed.

Qualifications

• Be no more than 3 years out of college and have a Bachelor’s Degree by July 2026.
• U.S. work authorization.
• Willingness to participate in a 2-year full-time fellowship.
• Strong communication and collaboration abilities.

Responsibilities

• Support general community outreach activities focused on environmental stewardship and climate resilience.
• Assist with planning and implementing on-the-ground outreach events.
• Practice listening to, communicating with, and documenting community input.
• Contribute to cross-sector resilience initiatives and public engagement.
• Engage volunteers and partners and develop relationships within Mystic River Watershed communities.

Skills

Community outreach

Event planning

Interpersonal skills

Listening and empathy

Documentation

Attention to detail

MS Office

Google Workspace

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

POSITION TITLE: Climate and Social Resilience Associate

DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Climate Resilience

STATUS: Regular, Full-Time

LOCATION: Mystic River Watershed Association

ABOUT THE DR. ROGER ARLINER YOUNG FELLOWSHIP

In an effort to make the conservation and clean energy fields more equitable and accessible, the Dr. Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Fellowship Program aims to increase and facilitate environmentally-related career pathways for emerging leaders. The RAY Fellowship Program is a paid fellowship designed to equip recent college graduates with the tools, experiences, support, and community they need to become leaders in the conservation and clean energy sectors—one that, in our visions of the future, fully represents, includes, and is led by the diverse communities, perspectives, and experiences of the United States.

ABOUT MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION

Founded in 1972, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) is a nationally recognized environmental nonprofit organization located in Arlington, Massachusetts, with a mission to achieve a healthy, resilient watershed. Supported by hundreds of volunteers and built on robust partnerships, we protect water quality, restore habitats, build climate resilience, transform public spaces, and inspire local youth. MyRWA’s programs include the Mystic Greenways, which creates and connects 25 miles of parks and paths along the Mystic River and its tributaries. Our education program engages over 1,000 youth and families in STEAM education focused on nature close to home. Hundreds of volunteers help us document and improve water quality, river herring, and urban heat islands, as well as help reduce trash and remove invasive weeds.

Our Climate Resilience Program focuses on working to protect our people and places from climate-intensified risks through the Resilient Mystic Collaborative (RMC). The RMC is a nationally recognized coalition of 20 municipalities and multiple non-governmental partners focused on managing flooding and extreme heat on a regional scale that closes gaps in climate resilience and engages residents in finding solutions. Since its founding in 2018 by the Mystic River Watershed Association, the RMC has been a leader in the climate resiliency practice, serving as a model for regional collaboration, with the understanding that climate impacts don’t respect municipal boundaries. Its success can be measured in the impressive amount of funding brought to the watershed for on the ground climate resiliency projects– more than $110 million and counting. We are committed to leading on equitable solutions to future climate hazards and building on the social resilience within our communities.

Join a highly collaborative and dedicated staff! MyRWA has an annual budget exceeding $6 million, 20 staff and 2,000 volunteers, and a deep commitment to equity and justice. We foster a culture that normalizes discussions around wellness through the inclusion of mindfulness and creative exercises at staff meetings and retreats, a non-work related internal communications channel to share personal news, fun events, reading recommendations, etc., and the encouragement to take sick time for mental health when needed.

POSITION SUMMARY ANDPRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Climate and Social Resilience Associate will build technical, project management, and communication skills while learning about different roles and focus areas in the field of climate resilience.

In your first six months, you will support general community outreach activities focused on environmental stewardship and climate resilience. During this immersive period, you will learn about how climate change impacts our watershed communities differently and the initiatives we are working on to build resilience. You will support MyRWA staff and our partners with planning and implementing on-the-ground outreach activities and events, and practice listening to, communicating with, and documenting what you hear from community members and partners about these and other topics. The flexible structure of the first six months is designed to help you build foundational skills, knowledge, and community connections that will inform more project-specific work during the fellowship.

For the remaining 18 months, you will support project-specific activities, working in the intersection of climate resilience and community wellbeing. The core program areas you are most likely to be a part of are:

• Communications for Climate Resilience. A 2019 vulnerability assessment conducted by the Resilient Mystic Collaborative (RMC) showed a severe gap between the needs of residents when emergencies occur and what resources and response municipalities are able to provide. MyRWA staff are helping communities identify heat communications strategies that are effective, language accessible, culturally relevant, and fun.
• Resilient Community Centers. Cooling centers' efforts in our region have largely been unsuccessful. Community members often don’t know they exist and aren’t able to access them, or find little to do once they get there. As an alternative, we are developing a network of year-round, safe, indoor resilient community centers with educational, recreational, and social programming, and weather emergency services relevant to priority populations in the Mystic River Watershed.
• Cross-Sector Social Resilience Preparedness. Resilient Mystic Collaborative members expressed a need for collaboration between health and human services, sustainability, planning, and emergency management staff to improve the well-being of our communities. In 2026, we are facilitating this collaboration through working groups, discussion-based exercises, webinars, and site visits.

This fellowship offers great opportunities for professional and personal growth. You will work directly with seasoned staff and colleagues from other organizations to advance climate resilience and improve people’s wellbeing, making a real difference. You will get to engage in team and independent work in the office (with hybrid flexibility); meetings, stewardship days, and community events out in the Mystic communities; and external workshops and learning events in greater Boston. You will have the chance to work with volunteers, conduct social resilience research, help us develop new projects, and otherwise bring new ideas and solutions into the organization. If you are considering a career in climate resilience, this is a wonderful fellowship for you!

Some of the skills and experiences you can gain during your time at MyRWA include:

• Experience in community outreach, tabling, or public-facing work
• Learning how to do event setup, support, and follow-up
• Develop strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to engage diverse community members
• Gain ability to build trust and maintain positive relationships with diverse groups of people
• Learn basic data collection, reporting, and documentation skills
• Develop active listening and empathy
• Engage in attention to detail and follow-through
• Familiarize yourself with the facilitation of small group discussions
• Learn about the role of climate science data on municipal programs and policy decisions
• Gain understanding of the relationship between climate change, health, and the wellbeing of our communities

We seek motivated candidates who value collaboration within our organization and are energized by finding new and meaningful ways to apply their education and experiences to supporting communities and natural habitats in the Mystic Watershed. We know that you are early in your career. We’re looking for people who are excited to learn; you don’t need to know how to do all this already!

ADDITIONAL FELLOWSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to the responsibilities at the host institution outlined above, RAY Fellows will spend, on average, 2-4 hours per week (5-10% of work time) on the following:

• Actively communicating and building community with their RAY Fellow cohort and previous RAY Fellows.
• Meeting regularly with mentors both inside and outside the host institution.
• Attending monthly professional development webinars, trainings, and other opportunities to build knowledge and skills as scheduled.
• Developing a Personal Leadership Plan (PLP) in their 2nd year with the support of supervisor(s), mentors, RAY program staff, and their RAY Fellow cohort. The PLP will serve as a tool for self-reflection, planning, and assessing progress towards professional, personal, and leadership goals.
• Preparing and leading an hour-long end-of-fellowship webinar highlighting their Fellowship experience.

RAY Fellows will also attend:

• A 3-day Orientation Retreat in late Summer/Fall 2026.
• A 3-day Mid-Fellowship Leadership Retreat in Fall 2027.

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Eligible RAY Fellow applicants will:

• Come from a background underrepresented in conservation and clean energy and demonstrate a commitment to the shared values of the importance of promoting fairness, acknowledging various perspectives, and fostering a welcoming environment.
• Be no more than 3 years out of college and have a Bachelor's Degree by July 2026 (we are not considering individuals with graduate degrees at this time).
• Have not had a full-time job in conservation or clean energy.
• Have the ability to work in the United States and commit to the entire fellowship.

SKILLS / QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We know people gain skills through a variety of professional, personal, educational, and volunteer experiences. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below.

The ideal person for this position:

• Is committed to the health and wellness of low-income communities of color and has a strong desire to work with residents, organizations, and businesses in these communities.
• Has strong interpersonal skills and likes people.
• Is interested in climate resilience. We provide training in this area.
• Has an ability to establish trusting relationships with people from a wide range of cultural and economic backgrounds.
• Works well both independently and as part of a team. This position is collaborative and entrepreneurial.
• Has excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills, especially attention to detail.
• Can manage multiple tasks/projects and prioritize among competing opportunities.
• Is proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Suite.

The following skills and experiences are preferred but not required:

• A college degree by the time of employment (E.g., Public Health, Environmental Sciences, Environmental Studies, Sustainability, Climate Change, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, Social Work, Social Service, Behavioral Sciences)
• An interest in the field of conservation/clean energy [Climate Resilience].
• Demonstrated capacity to work well and collaborate with others.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• An eagerness to learn.
• Is fluent in a second language relevant to our watershed (E.g., Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Cantonese, Vietnamese)
• Passion for climate justice and relevant issues.
• Basic graphic design skills are a plus (e.g., Canva)

TERM / LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT

This is a two-year, full-time fellowship (one year with a one year renewal) starting on or after July 15, 2026.

COMPENSATION

The Fellowship is compensated and sponsored by Mystic River Watershed Association, who offers a competitive benefits package as well as training and professional development opportunities.

This is a two-year, full-time fellowship (one year with a one year renewal) with the Mystic River Watershed Association with a salary of $65,000 in year 1 and cost of living adjustment (COLA) in year 2. Our competitive benefits include the following:

• 80% coverage of health insurance premiums
• Paid time off policy (15 days in your first year, 20 days in your second year)
• 12 paid holidays and 12 sick paid days per year
• Immediate eligibility for participation in a 401k retirement plan (with 4% match)
• Additional paid family and medical leave to supplement the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave

MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION, INC. is an Equal Opportunity Employer that does not discriminate on the basis of actual or perceived race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, age, sex or gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions, and lactation), gender identity or expression (including transgender status), sexual orientation, marital status, military service and veteran status, physical or mental disability, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws and ordinances. MYSTIC RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION, INC.'s management team is dedicated to this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, employee activities, access to facilities and programs, and general treatment during employment.