Climate Solutions Associate

Austin Community College; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 38,250 - 39,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision insurance

401(k) plan with employer match

Parental leave

Long-term disability insurance

Training and advancement opportunities

Job summary

A nonprofit organization is hiring a Climate Solutions Associate in Chicago, IL to drive campaigns that reduce climate emissions in various sectors. The Associate will work with coalitions, organize public support, lobby officials, and manage grassroots efforts effectively. Ideal candidates should have strong leadership skills and a passion for environmental advocacy. The position offers an annual compensation between $38,250 - $39,500 and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Entry-level position with a strong desire to learn and lead.
• Experience in organizing groups is highly valued.
• Ability to oversee significant projects and work independently.

Responsibilities

• Work with coalitions to demonstrate support for campaign goals.
• Build public support through events and outreach.
• Lobby elected officials and coordinate strategies.
• Recruit volunteers, interns, and manage campaigns.

Skills

Campaign management

Public speaking

Organizing experience

Writing skills

Leadership

Job description

You are viewing a preview of this job. Log in or register to view more details about this job.

PIRG is hiring a Climate Solutions Associate to help drive our campaigns to reduce climate emissions in the energy, transportation, and buildings sectors. The Associate will work with our national program team, local organizers and other key allies across the country to build momentum, expand support and win policies to accelerate the transition off of fossil fuels and promote climate solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to demonstrate support for our campaign goals.
• Organize support, hold events, and work with volunteers: Build broad public support for your campaign and recruit organizations and members of the public to be involved. Organize webinars, community events and public meetings to educate, persuade, and motivate.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize media events and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaign.
• Lobby elected officials: Coordinate strategy with champions in Congress or in State Houses. Make a convincing case to legislators who are undecided on a particular vote. When a critical vote is happening on your campaign, work to demonstrate the support you’ve been building on the ground to help line up the votes needed to win.
• Recruit new people to your team: Help build your team by recruiting volunteers, interns and full-time staff.
• Run a grassroots campaign office each summer: Run a campaign office for the summer, knocking on doors to raise money to support our campaigns, build our organization and membership, and help build critical and timely grassroots support to win key campaigns. Your responsibilities will include meeting your own fundraising goals and managing a team of paid staff. You may be assigned to a different office location for the summer and should be flexible to move.

This position requires exercising discretion, independent judgment and ability to oversee significant projects.

Qualifications

We are seeking a Campaign Associate who will spearhead this campaign and work with our experienced team of advocates, researchers, and digital and communications experts. Entry-level candidates are encouraged to apply. Though we expect you to take your campaign and run with it, we provide training on advocacy and organizing skills, as well as oversight by an experienced advocate. Ideal candidates will have leadership experience, top‑note writing and public speaking skills, an eagerness to learn, and be ready for a challenge. We value organizing experience, including building campus or community groups.

Compensation and Benefits

The target annual compensation for this position is $38,250 - $39,500. PIRG offers an excellent benefits package. Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, time off, a commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long term disability insurance, and may include needs‑based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

Location: Chicago, IL

We are accepting applications on a rolling basis for a summer 2026 start timeline.

PIRG is an advocate for consumers, advancing solutions to problems that affect our health, our safety and our well‑being.

Being a consumer advocate means being a champion for a marketplace that is not only honest and transparent, but also wastes less because it reduces, reuses and recycles more; prevents toxic threats to our health and safety; and considers the impact of new products and technologies on the next generation, not just the next quarterly earnings report.

The true North Star of a successful marketplace should not be the quantity of “stuff” we consume. It should be the quality of our lives.

Our Mission and Values

PIRG is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change. Visit https://pirg.org/core-values/ for things you should know about our network when you apply.

Please do not use AI to help draft your cover letter or responses to our application questions. We want to know how you think and write.