The Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative (RELDI) adds legal firepower to the advocacy strategies employed by renewable energy advocates. RELDI aids individuals, community groups and advocacy organizations looking to fight back against local opposition and other repressive forces by facilitating and supporting advocacy in courtrooms, before state utility commissions, in front of local zoning boards, and in other administrative contexts for the rapid deployment of utility- and community-scale renewable energy generation, transmission, and storage. To maximize its reach and impact and further this work, RELDI will create and convene a legal assistance network, tentatively called "Clean Energy Siting Legal Assistance Partners" or "C-SLAP" to engage legal experts and deploy them to the highest priority geographies. This network will function as a shared resource both for advocates and decision makers and will help to build the capacity of attorneys in the field to provide legal assistance in relation to local clean energy siting and permitting issues.

In pursuit of this objective, the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at the Climate School of Columbia University seeks a Staff Associate II to serve as a Network Manager to build and coordinate the work of the RELDI Legal Assistance Network. The incumbent will work under the supervision of Michael Gerrard, the Andrew Sabin Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Law and Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Climate; and Director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law - and will work closely with Michael Burger, Executive Director and Senior Research Scholar, and Romany Webb, Deputy Director and Research Scholar, as well as other staff, to:

• Conduct outreach to potential C-SLAP partners.
• Deepen connections to the field's broader networks for clean energy advocates and allies, such as the Siting Clean Collaborative and Rural Climate Partnership.
• Deepen connections into networks and resources for decision-makers, such as Conveners Network, NASEO, and others.
• Organize virtual convenings to test and refine the concept for C-SLAP.
• Gather, summarize and explain information and data for various audiences.
• Contribute to research and publish white papers, articles, and other materials on a wide variety of legal issues relating to renewable energy.
• May contribute to publications.
• Identify, track, and engage in relevant regulatory proceedings, including by drafting comment letters and other documents.
• Utilize analytical skills to solve moderately complex problems, analyze and present possible solutions. 
• The position may involve supervision of student casual employees.
• Will receive general supervision and exercise independent judgement within parameters set by the PI.

• Bachelor's degree in Climate, Sustainable Development or closely related field is required. Masters or JD preferred. Minimum of 0-4 years of related experience.  
• Knowledge of and experience in partnerships and stakeholder engagement in climate change, environmental, energy, land use or local law and policy.
• Experience around climate strategy campaigning or legal experience with a US government agency, NGO, law firm, corporation, or law school center preferred.

We accept online applications only. 

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training.  The above hiring range represents the University?s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

About Columbia University

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