Climate Analytics Fellow

POSITION TITLE: Climate Analytics Fellow

DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Environment Department, City of Boston

REPORTS TO: Katherine Diaz, Director of Climate Action Innovation & Analytics  

STATUS: Regular, Full-Time

LOCATION: Boston, MA (residency required)

 

ABOUT THE DR. ROGER ARLINER YOUNG FELLOWSHIP

In an effort to make the conservation and clean energy fields more equitable and accessible, the Dr. Roger Arliner Young (RAY) Fellowship Program aims to increase and facilitate environmentally-related career pathways for emerging leaders. The RAY Fellowship Program is a paid fellowship designed to equip recent college graduates with the tools, experiences, support, and community they need to become leaders in the conservation and clean energy sectors—one that, in our visions of the future, fully represents, includes, and is led by the diverse communities, perspectives, and experiences of the United States.

 

ABOUT CITY OF BOSTON ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT

Working for the City of Boston means serving the neighborhoods in which we all live, work, and play with these three core values: 

  1. Doing the Big and Small - tackling our biggest challenges by getting the small things right.
  2. Getting City Hall out of City Hall - meeting people where they are and getting into our neighborhoods, block by block, street by street.
  3. Embracing the possibilities of Boston - Boston is constantly changing, and with everyone’s inclusion and participation, we believe, for the better.

The City of Boston Environment Department exemplifies this value by working to ensure that Boston residents can live, work, and thrive in healthy, affordable, low-carbon, and resilient neighborhoods. The Department works to foster sustainability, climate action, and tangible quality of life benefits for residents throughout the City through numerous programs, initiatives, and policies. The Environment Department is implementing strategies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve conservation efforts, as well as supporting efforts led by other departments to prepare for climate change, improve public health, increase waste diversion, and transform our transportation systems.

The Environment Department has six teams: 

  • Carbon Neutrality, leading on decarbonizing Boston’s largest buildings
  • Climate Analytics, research and performance evaluation arm of the Department and the Climate Action Plan
  • Climate Policy, leads high-priority climate and sustainability special projects and engages with state and Federal policymakers and regulators on policies relevant to the City of Boston
  • Community Energy Programs, leading on decarbonizing Boston’s small buildings
  • Environmental Quality, oversees conversation and air quality regulations and policy development
  • Municipal Energy Unit, manages energy-related projects in municipal buildings with a focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy procurement, and decarbonization

 

POSITION SUMMARY

Boston’s 2030 Climate Action Plan (CAP) is the city’s roadmap for reducing emissions, building climate resilience, and ensuring that climate action improves quality of life for all Bostonians. As a commitment to the people of Boston, the CAP provides a framework that guides City government in reducing climate pollution, preparing for climate impacts, and advancing strategies that address social, economic, and racial inequities. The City of Boston’s Environment Department is seeking a Climate Analytics Fellow to support the implementation of this ambitious climate agenda.

As Boston advances high-impact climate initiatives, this role will be essential in driving the operational, analytical, and collaborative work needed across departments and partners. The Fellow will help shape and execute a research agenda to answer emerging questions in climate policy and implementation - enabling Boston to remain a national leader in climate action.

The Fellow will play a key role in supporting Boston’s climate goals by coordinating cross-departmental projects, tracking data and performance, and conducting research on innovative solutions and best practices. These questions include:

  • How should the City consider climate justice in project implementation?
  • How should the City define and track energy burden?
  • What are innovative decarbonizing and electrification policies other cities are championing? 

Reporting to the Director of Climate Action Innovation and Analytics, the Fellow will be an integral member of the Environment Department’s team driving the implementation of the CAP. The Fellow will begin by supporting foundational research and analysis, with the opportunity to develop a portfolio of projects to lead over time.

Hours per week: 35

City of Boston residency required. 

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Data & research (50%): The person in this role will support the development of a climate analytics research agenda. Over the course of the fellowship, the Fellow will support multiple tasks such as creating research work plans, assisting in the collection and analysis of supporting data, community and stakeholder engagement, and progress reports. In addition, the Fellow will have the opportunity to propose their own research and data analytics projects based on their interests.

Report writing (50%): The person in this role will prepare presentations, reports, and other materials to communicate progress, findings, and recommendations to City leadership and external partners. These may include:

  • Annual progress updates on the City’s Climate Action Plan
  • Annual greenhouse gas emissions reporting
  • Annual reporting requirements to international organizations, such as CDP and ACEEE

 

ADDITIONAL FELLOWSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES

In addition to the responsibilities at the host institution outlined above, RAY Fellows will spend, on average, 2-4 hours per week (5-10% of work time) on the following:

  • Actively communicating and building community with their RAY Fellow cohort and previous RAY Fellows. 
  • Meeting regularly with mentors both inside and outside the host institution. 
  • Attending monthly professional development webinars, trainings, and other opportunities to build knowledge and skills as scheduled.
  • Developing a Personal Leadership Plan (PLP) in their 2nd year with the support of supervisor(s), mentors, RAY program staff, and their RAY Fellow cohort. The PLP will serve as a tool for self-reflection, planning, and assessing progress towards professional, personal, and leadership goals.
  • Preparing and leading an hour-long end-of-fellowship webinar highlighting their Fellowship experience.

RAY Fellows will also attend:

  • A 3-day Orientation Retreat in late Summer/Fall 2026.
  • A 3-day Mid-Fellowship Leadership Retreat in Fall 2027.

 

APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY

Eligible RAY Fellow applicants will:

  • Come from a background underrepresented in conservation and clean energy and demonstrate a commitment to the shared values of the importance of promoting fairness, acknowledging various perspectives, and fostering a welcoming environment.
  • Be no more than 3 years out of college and have a Bachelor's Degree by July 2026 (we are not considering individuals with graduate degrees at this time).
  • Have not had a full-time job in conservation or clean energy.
  • Have the ability to work in the United States and commit to the entire fellowship.

 

SKILLS / QUALIFICATIONS / EXPERIENCE

  • A college degree by the time of employment, preferably in fields such as Environmental Policy, Law, Planning and Sustainability, Public Administration, Business, Economics, Data Analytics, Information Systems, and Public Health.
  • An interest in the field of clean energy, building decarbonization, transportation access, and/or climate resilience and adaptation.
  • Demonstrated experience conducting self-directed research analysis.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Demonstrated capacity to work well and collaborate with others.
  • Effective written and verbal communication skills.
  • An eagerness to learn.
  • Familiarity with local government and/or Massachusetts state government and policy a plus.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft applications and Google Suite, such as Google Docs and Google Sheets. 
  • Familiarity with data management systems, coding languages such as Python, R, and SQL,  and visualization tools such as PowerBI, a plus.

 

TERM / LENGTH OF ASSIGNMENT

This is a two-year, full-time fellowship (one year with a one year renewal) starting on or after July 15, 2026.

 

COMPENSATION

The Fellowship is compensated and sponsored by the City of Boston, who offers a competitive benefits package as well as training and professional development opportunities.

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union/MO5/Grade 7 ($70,386.25)

Insurance Benefits

  • We offer three non-Medicare health insurance plans for City of Boston employees (excluding seasonal and emergency hires) who consistently work 20+ hours a week.
  • Vision and Dental Health Plans are provided by the Massachusetts Public Employees Fund. The Massachusetts Public Employees Fund provides benefits to eligible public employees. New employees become eligible for benefits on the first day of the month following the completion of six (6) full months of employment. Eligible employees must be regularly scheduled to work at least half-time per week. Eligible City of Boston employees must be regularly scheduled to work twenty or more hours per week.
  • Those who work for the City are more than just employees. We are a community of neighbors serving the neighborhoods in which we all live, work, and play. Visit our culture page to learn more about who we are, what we do, and how we grow at the City of Boston with benefits such as paid time off and holidays, transit benefits, and the Employee Assistance Program.
  • Employees can enroll in savings and investment benefits.

 

HOW TO APPLY/APPLICATION

To apply for the RAY Fellowship Program, applicants must:

  1. Complete the online application survey on the RAY Fellowship Program website: www.rayfellowship.org/apply 
  2. Follow the instructions on the linked application webpage to submit a resume or curriculum vitae, one essay response, one visioning response, and one short answer response. 

Applications must be submitted to the RAY Fellowship Program no later than March 27, 2026. Transcripts and additional writing samples are not required. 

If you have questions, please see our FAQ page, and any further questions about the application process can be submitted to ray@elpnet.org.

 

The City of Boston is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Therefore, qualified applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category.