Attorney/Advocate

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 Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. 
 
NRDC is seeking an Attorney/Advocate to work with the Nature team in our Chicago, Washington D.C., New York, San Francisco, or Santa Monica office.

Position Summary

NRDC is seeking an Attorney or Advocate to work with NRDC’s Pollinator Initiative and broader Wildlife Team. In the past two decades, as the biodiversity crisis has worsened, pollinator populations have dramatically declined across the globe, threatening food security and the viability of whole ecosystems. NRDC works to reduce or eliminate the use of pollinator-killing pesticides—a leading cause of pollinator loss. Our Wildlife team also works to tackle the broader biodiversity crisis, including safeguarding endangered species and the laws designed to protect them. 
 
NRDC employs a diversified approach in its work, pursuing federal litigation and legislation to achieve nationwide protections and state campaigns to advance policies that pave the way for other state and national action. The Attorney or Advocate will work as a member of the Pollinator Initiative and Wildlife teams, as well as with other NRDC staff with expertise in scientific research, litigation, communications, and government affairs.

Responsibilities

• Implementing strategies to address biodiversity and wildlife issues—especially reducing the use of pollinator-toxic pesticides—through federal and state legislative and administrative policy and/or litigation.
• Working to establish and maintain relationships with partner organizations, coalitions, and other stakeholders—identifying opportunities for joint advocacy where possible.
• Meeting regularly with policy makers, agency staff, and other decision makers to influence policy outcomes and cultivating policy makers to be champions for pollinator and wildlife protection.
• Speaking in public forums, including testifying at legislative committee hearings, speaking with media outlets, and (if applicable) arguing in court.
• Developing expertise in our issue areas and bringing that to bear in factsheets, reports, petitions, and technical or legal comments.
• Working with NRDC staff to bring underrepresented constituencies to the national policy discussion, as well as local and state voices to the table.

Qualifications

Required

• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values.
• Demonstrated interest in environmental issues and/or social justice issues.
• The desire to be a part of a close-knit team, while independently carrying out core job functions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent inter-personal, organizational, and time management skills.
• Creativity and curiosity; willingness to learn and listen to others’ perspectives.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Comfort with public speaking and representing NRDC and NRDC’s members in front of decision makers and large audiences.
• A law or graduate degree or equivalent experience.

Preferred

• Legal experience (e.g., legal research, case-building, litigation).
• Advocacy or political experience (e.g., lobbying, campaign experience, work experience with a federal, state, or local official).
• Policy or administrative experience (e.g., policy development, work experience with a federal or state agency).
• Experience with partnership building and developing authentic, trust-based relationships with stakeholders.
• Knowledge of or expertise in wildlife issues, pesticide regulation, and/or pollinator issues.

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 we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement. 
 
We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.  
 
We offer competitive salaries, excellent benefits, and a supportive working environment. Salary is based on a nonprofit scale and is commensurate with skills and experience. For this position, the salary is $80,000 to $100,000. Internal equity considerations will be reviewed before making a final offer.  
 
Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, we ask them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence.
 
As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination, those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions via NRDC Employee Relations. NRDC treats all vaccine-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. 
 
To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. 
 
If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.

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