Water Program
Overview
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is the nation's most effective environmental action group, combining the power of more than two million members and online activists with the expertise of nearly 500 scientists, lawyers, policy advocates, and other professionals across the globe ensure the rights of all people to the air, the water, and the wild. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our staff helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, and many of the implementing regulations; our water enforcement cases played a major role shaping current water policy throughout the country. Today, our staff – a force for nature - work out of offices in New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Bozeman, Montana and Beijing.
NRDC is seeking a Staff Attorney or Policy Analyst to work with the Water Program in our Santa Monica or San Francisco offices. The successful candidate will be expected to play an important role in formulating and implementing NRDC’s efforts to improve agricultural water use efficiency, protect threatened aquatic wildlife and ecosystems, and advance more sustainable water policies in California and nationwide. The successful candidate will collaborate with a team of attorneys, policy analysts, and other staff engaged on these issues within the Water Program as well as across the organization and with key partners.
Responsibilities
- Reviewing and analyzing current federal, state, and local water policies; and promoting relevant innovations
- Advocating at the state and federal level on California water policy, especially relating to agriculture, fisheries, water quality and water supply
- Building alliances with environmental, environmental justice, and sustainable agriculture-focused groups, and other relevant stakeholders to support sustainable water policies in California and nationwide
- Pursuing and/or supporting litigation in state and federal court, where necessary, to achieve our programmatic objectives
- Supervising the work of contractors and interns
- Travel necessary to implement work plan objectives in national, state, and local areas of focus
Qualifications
- Law degree or advanced degree in public policy, water resources, agriculture, engineering, or a related subject
- Minimum of 1-3 years work experience in a related field
- Knowledge of California water policies, especially as they relate to agriculture, fisheries and the Bay-Delta
- Strong advocacy experience on environmental issues; experience working with underrepresented communities a plus
- Excellent oral and written communication skills; proficiency in Spanish preferred
- Experience in building collaborations with non-traditional allies and in working with local, state, or federal water agencies
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work as a member of a team to build upon strengths of the program
To apply, please visit www.nrdc.org/jobs and upload your resume and cover letter through our online portal. Please no phone calls, emails, faxes or in-person resume drop-offs. Please reference where you saw this posting. NRDC is an Equal Opportunity Employer.