Apply for Two Year Carbon Offsets Fellowship

The Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) is seeking a full-time fellow to assist with project management and provide analytical and administrative support to the DCOI.  The DCOI works to develop and obtain high-integrity locally-derived carbon offsets to meet the University's climate neutrality goals and internal carbon offset demands and is part of the University's Sustainable Duke program.  The fellow will assist in the investigation, development, management, monitoring and evaluation of carbon offset projects and the provision of offsets to the internal Duke community.  The fellow will be responsible for closely tracking, coordinating and managing DCOI projects, particularly in support of the University's first full-scale swine waste-to-energy carbon offsets project. The fellow will work directly with the Offsets Initiative director. Excellent writing, organizational and communication skills required.Work Duties

• Provide day-to-day project management and administrative support for the Initiative.
• Investigate, analyze, develop and implement Initiative protocols, procedures, and operating policies, especially as related to standards and verification for carbon offset projects under development or consideration.
• Analyze and evaluate potential projects and project categories (including, but not limited to, greenhouse gas emission reduction projects from NC swine operations, organic waste digestion and composting, community and small business energy efficiency and renewable energy, and forestry and conservation-related projects) on the basis of their potential to generate carbon offsets and renewable energy (where applicable), cost, and environmental, societal, health, and economic benefits.
• Employ existing emission and economic models and develop new modeling and analytical techniques to evaluate projects and project categories to assist in developing a long-term offset investment and development plan and short-term strategy for project development.
• Evaluate and interpret collected data and prepare oral presentations and/or written reports and analyses setting forth progress, adverse trends and appropriate recommendations or conclusions.
• Coordinate outreach efforts with faculty members, University staff, and students as well as potential collaborators, such as farmers, community, non-profit and local governmental organizations, and other academic institutions.
• Coordinate special programs and projects to bring together potential internal and external collaborators and partners, including, but not limited to, recruiting participants, developing agendas, arranging schedules, facilities, and publicity as appropriate and overseeing necessary financial arrangements.
• Develop and manage short term projects to meet immediate internal demand to offset activities and facilitate purchase of offsets by members of the internal Duke community.
• Independently coordinate and manage new offset projects, from initial investigation through implementation.
• Publicize the availability of offsets and automate purchasing by the internal Duke community; develop tools for calculating and tracking emissions and emission reductions.  
• Present project-related outcomes to and correspond with interested students and other universities to provide information concerning activities, policies and procedures of the Initiative, particularly with respect to collaborative projects with organizations such as The Duke Endowment (TDE) and TDE institutions (including Duke, Johnson C. Smith University, Furman University and Davidson College).
• Supervise and direct the work of student assistants, interns, and consultants engaged in the collection and tabulation of data
• Coordinate with Masters Project students conducting carbon offset-related projects.
• Coordinate the compilation of and prepare operational and financial reports and analyses as necessary to assist the director with administration of the DCOI, including to document progress and adverse trends to aid in the development of recommendations for the management of the Initiative; develop financial plans and propose financing options for the development of project areas and the offsets portfolio.
• Identify outside funding opportunities and develop grant proposals to leverage university funding of offset projects.
• Develop publications for reporting and public relations purposes, including bulletins, web page content and other publications, to describe and promote the Initiative’s goals and projects; publish, develop and implement other communication vehicles such as newsletters and mailings to include compiling news and educational articles of local interest; write and edit text and coordinate printing and mailing or distribution. 

Skills/Experience

• Excellent writing skills (which should indicate strong critical thinking skills)
• Excellent communication and persuasive speaking skills
• Knowledge of carbon market and ecosystem services concepts
• Excellent analytical and economic evaluation skills with ability to communicate technical analyses to internal and external audiences
• Ability to manage projects with minimal oversight
• Substantive background in agriculture and/or energy issues a plus
• Excellent organizational and planning skills

Salary/Term

• Salary based on experience and training
• Position is full-time and benefits-eligible
• Position is limited to 2 years, starting spring 2013

EducationPosition open to Masters and undergraduate degree recipients.  Applicants with a Masters in Environmental Management degree, B.A. or B.S. degree related to environmental science and management or engineering preferred.To ApplyInterested candidates should submit a resume and a letter describing their interest in the position to:

Tatjana VujicDirector, Duke Carbon Offsets InitiativeOffice of the Executive Vice PresidentBox 90027Durham, NC 27708919-660-1411Tatjana.Vujic@duke.edu Learn more about the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative.