Principal Associate, Field Operations

The Environment Portfolio at The Pew Charitable Trusts  

For more than 30 years, Pew has been a major force in engaging the public and policy makers about the causes, consequences, and solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. Our environment work spans all seven continents with more than 250 professionals working at the local, national, and international levels to reduce the scope and severity of global environmental problems, such as the erosion of large natural ecosystems that contain a great part of the world’s remaining biodiversity, and the destruction of the marine environment. Pew’s global environmental program focuses on science-based, nonpartisan, and sustainable solutions to help protect the planet and people. We work in partnership with governments, Indigenous rights holders, intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, local stakeholders, scientists, and other researchers to advance public policy so that nature and communities can thrive.  

Since 1990, Pew has worked in North America, South America and Australia to protect large and critically important terrestrial ecosystems, including rivers and other freshwater resources, coastal temperate rainforests, interior mountain ranges, the northern boreal forests, Australia’s Outback, and Chilean Patagonia. We work to ensure these natural systems remain bountiful, functioning, and resilient, providing essential ecological services such as clean air and clean water, sustenance and food security for local communities and more broadly for the welfare of current and future generations. Our work relies on the sciences of conservation, sociology, biology, and economics to advocate for practical and durable solutions to the loss of biodiversity.  

In the sea, reforms to how our oceans are managed are essential to address overfishing, pollution, and loss of habitat. Pew began its oceans program in the United States, focusing on ending overfishing and protecting fragile marine habitat. Starting in 2005, Pew’s ocean conservation program expanded around the world and played a significant role in reforming marine fisheries management in the European Union and on the high seas and creating large scale marine reserves around the world. Our work is grounded in the best available science and pursues domestic and international conservation measures that are long-term and provide permanent, durable protections for marine ecosystems. We also work to address systemic threats to the ocean, including from plastics, over-and-illegal fishing, seabed mining, and climate change.  

Field Operations   

Field Operations (Field) advances public policy solutions for Pew campaigns by engaging government officials, policymakers, local elected officials and other relevant stakeholders in their home states and countries through education, mobilization, coalition building, media coverage and government official outreach and engagement. Field staff and contractors (organizers) develop unique state- and country-specific strategies and then organize and execute grass tops, grassroots, public education, and lobbying activities under the direction of program leadership. In all efforts, Field works in coordination with program, government relations, communications and other Pew staff to tailor state- and country-specific strategies that contribute to national and international project goals.    

• Education: Field uses the best available science and data to educate the public and policymakers about policy issues for Pew’s Environment projects. Organizers advance local understanding of issues and policy goals through fact-based presentations and outreach. DC-based field staff collaborate with program staff and organizers to engage experts, synthesize research, and localize information for educational outreach.   

• Organizing: Field staff recruit and mobilize diverse stakeholders, such as community leaders, businesses, institutions and grassroots supporters, by building coalitions and public support for campaigns’ policy objectives. Organizers involve stakeholders in policy discussions through local activities and educational events, sign-on letters, fly-ins, and videos. DC-based field staff work with program staff and organizers to identify optimal organizing strategies for each effort.   

• Communications: Field staff inform the public and policymakers about