Carbon Management Specialist

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

 

NRDC is seeking a Carbon Management Specialist to work with the Climate & Energy Department’s Industrial & Emerging Technologies team in any of our U.S. offices (Washington, D.C. preferred). This is a limited term 2-year position.

Position SummaryNRDC is seeking a Carbon Management Specialist to help build out NRDC’s portfolio on carbon dioxide removal (CDR). This position will play a key role in the Climate & Energy Department’s Industry Division as it 1) brings NRDC’s multi-dimensional perspective and diverse skillsets into efforts to responsibly scale up CDR, 2) shapes federal- and state-level CDR investments and policies, and 3) designs long-term policies to drive CDR demand at the scale needed to meet our climate goals. The specialist will co-lead NRDC’s CDR strategy and engagement work under the guidance of the Director of Technology and Innovation, Industrial Division and working closely with the Senior Vice President for Climate and Energy.

 

The position you are applying for is part of the bargaining unit represented by The Washington Baltimore News Guild (WBNG / The Newsguild-CWA Local 32035).  

Responsibilities

Responsibilities

• Coordinate across expert teams within NRDC that are exploring various types of CDR, such as direct air capture (DAC), enhanced rock weathering, biological removals, and more.
• Engage with mainstream environmental organizations, environmental justice organizations, and community groups to share perspectives on CDR, understand concerns, identify analysis needs, and discuss principles for environmentally and socially responsible CDR.
• Investigate technical issues of various CDR pathways, such as considering the removal capacity, durability, and scalability to help inform NRDC advocacy objectives.
• Track carbon capture technology advances and identify opportunities and challenges where federal research, development, demonstration, and deployment could be most impactful.
• Develop materials and conduct outreach to policymakers and other relevant stakeholders on the need for large-scale, responsible (i.e., highly net negative, nature-protective, community-safe) CDR.
• Track and, when appropriate, draft comments on current or proposed CDR legislation and/or public and private investments in CDR.
• Support teams working on shaping proposed CDR regulations and policies, such as in California, and represent NRDC as needed.
• Contribute technical expertise to NRDC program lawyers and policy experts on the design of federal framework legislation to require CDR over the long term.

Qualifications

Required expertise and skills

• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values.
• 4-7 years of experience working in energy or climate policy, advocacy, or technology.
• At least 3 years of experience working on carbon management.
• Bachelor’s degree or greater in environmental science and policy, engineering, or science.
• Awareness of, and comfort navigating, a range of complex sensitivities related to carbon management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and work within coalitions, including those that reach beyond the traditional environmental community.
• Persuasive verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal, relationship-building and networking skills.
• Strong analytical skills and comfort with technical details.

Preferred qualifications

• Master’s degree in environmental science and policy, engineering, or science.
• Experience in federal or state government designing and/or implementing carbon management legislation or agency programs.
• Experience working with environmental justice groups or integrating environmental justice concerns into policy priorities.

 

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and