Potomac River Research Fellow
Deadline: August 19, 2022
Potomac Conservancy, a regional conservation organization based in Silver Spring, seeks an
individual to assist with research, drafting, and analysis for its 2023 State of the Nation’s River
Report. The goal of this report is to answer the fundamental question: “How is the river doing?”
Using an established baseline and set of benchmarks, the Conservancy measures restoration
progress to date.
Founded in 1993, Potomac Conservancy is a vibrant and growing environmental organization.
We are the region’s leading clean water advocate, advancing an agenda to ensure the Potomac
River boasts clean drinking water, healthy lands, and connected communities. You will be
working with a fun and entrepreneurial team of dedicated staff members who seek to improve
the water quality of the Potomac and its tributaries by motivating and activating an impassioned
base of local river advocates.
The ideal research fellow candidate will possess:
• excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• recognition of the importance of accurate, reliable, and consistent data;
• organizational skills, an attention to detail, and responsiveness;
• a passion for clean water and some experience with environmental issues; and
• experience and knowledge of environmental justice, especially regionally.
The research fellow will:
• identify, gather, understand key data sets from federal, regional, state, local entities, and
other organizations or communities in the Potomac River watershed;
• develop positive research relationships with and seek research guidance from federal,
regional, state, and local agencies;
• perform basic analysis and data manipulation; and
• work with Potomac Conservancy staff to compile the data for use in the 2023 report.
The role is best suited for a self-starter with the drive to pursue excellence, a positive mindset to
overcome obstacles, and the ability to employ creative tactics. This fellow will be expected to
take on a role with significant responsibility quickly, with opportunities to demonstrate
leadership and initiative. This is an eight-week research project beginning in September 2022.
A stipend is available, and its rate will be based on a candidate’s experience and skillset (pre-tax
and other withholdings) but is not to exceed $10,000. Students, 1099 workers, and other
contractors are encouraged to apply. Remote workers are encouraged to apply. The research
fellow’s contribution will be acknowledged in the report.
If interested, please submit your resume and qualifications by August 19 to Katie Blackman at
blackman@potomac.org.
We recognize the environmental movement has not been an inclusive one and has a history of
excluding historically discriminated communities — including Black, Indigenous, and People of
Color (BIPOC), people from working class backgrounds, women, and members of the LGBTQ+
community. We believe that these communities must be centered in the work we do. Because of
this, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of
other communities that have been historically excluded from the environmental movement.
