2025 Arlie Schardt Memorial Fellowship Program-Oceans and Vessels/Petrochemical Fellow

OVERVIEW: 

Friends of the Earth is a hard-hitting, progressive, environmental organization that pulls no punches and speaks sometimes uncomfortable truth to power. It’s an approach that has worked for five decades to produce important victories that help protect our planet and its people. We’re part of Friends of the Earth International, the world’s largest federation of grassroots environmental groups, working in more than 70 countries on today’s most urgent environmental and social issues. 

FOE envisions a world where we live within the ability of the planet to sustain life, and in which all people live with dignity, health and equity. We believe that both environmental crises, as well as widespread social injustice, are intertwined symptoms of flawed ideological, economic and political systems that are violating peoples’ rights, perpetuating oppression, failing to meet the needs of people, and destroying the planet.  

We believe that increasing racial diversity within environmental organizations is critical to the future success of our movement. Our Fellowship program is designed to increase the long-term effectiveness of FOE and the environmental movement by operating an inspiring and fulfilling fellowship program that builds skills and relevant job experience for people of color and members of underrepresented communities. 

Our vision of the Arlie Schardt Memorial (ASM) Fellowship program is to create career experience, pathways, and opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color in underrepresented communities who are interested in environmental advocacy. Arlie W. Schardt was a pioneering voice for the environment and witness to some of the most seminal events in American history as a Time magazine correspondent traveling with Martin Luther King while covering the civil rights movement. Throughout his peripatetic 50-year career, Schardt reported on and acted on behalf of social justice. Al Gore states, “Through his remarkably diverse career, Arlie Schardt lived a life of purpose and impact,” said the former Vice President. “He was a champion for civil rights and an early pioneer of the environmental movement. I valued greatly his commitment to public service and will always be grateful for the invaluable roles he played on my Presidential campaign.” Schardt joined Friends of the Earth (FOE), serving as Chairman of the Board from 2009 until June 2019 when he was named chair emeritus in honor of his service. According to Erich Pica, president of FOE, “Arlie was instrumental in tripling the size of the organization and broadening its mandate to combine his concerns for social and racial justice with environmentalism.” 

For our program, we are prioritizing communities that are underrepresented in the mainstream environmental movement. Women, people of color, and youth are highly encouraged to apply. If you do not identify as part of an underrepresented community, that is not a disqualification, and we encourage you to apply as well. 

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP: 

Each year, we welcome a cohort of five Fellows to work with us full-time for six months. This year the Fellowship program will be a remote position with a potential opportunity for an in-person retreat in DC. Fellows will receive compensation of $25 per hour, along with a $1,000 stipend distributed in two installments throughout the program. The fellowship begins in March 2025 and ends in September 2025. 

Fellows are placed with our Communications, Food & Agriculture, Oceans & Vessels, or Economic Policy teams. In addition to substantive work with the teams, the Fellowship program also includes networking and career development opportunities. 

About our Oceans and Vessels Team and Fellowship Position: 

For the past 20 years, our Oceans & Vessels program has provided strong leadership to protect our oceans, the tens of millions of people who live near them and the marine life from the threats of oil spills, air pollution, sewage releases, plastic pollution, and anthropogenic ocean noise. As vessel traffic increases and shipping trade between Asia and U.S. ports continues to expand, vessels are generating a growing volume of air and water pollution and are causing greater ecosystem harms. Despite dumping massive amounts of pollution into our air and water, the commercial shipping industry has long avoided meaningful pollution controls. In addition, governments are looking to industrialize our oceans by continuing to extract fossil fuels and expand our reliance on fossil fuels by expanding the creation of plastics which harm communities and destroy marine life.   

This position will focus on supporting the petrochemical campaign. The petrochemical industry, including plastics, fertilizers and other products derived from fossil oil and gas, is not only polluting our oceans but also contributing to the climate crisis, threatening global public health, and endangering communities on the frontlines of production. We are working to stop petrochemical pollution at the source by blocking financing for the buildout of new plastics and other petrochem facilities in the United States. We work closely with coalitions, especially grassroots organizations fighting off new builds and expansions in their communities. We produce cutting-edge research and reports to inform our campaigning and engagement and correspond with a broad range of financial institutions, from major banks to pension funds.  

RESPONSIBILITIES: 

Research and Writing:  

• Assist financial institutions in developing policies on the petrochemical sector and collaborate on finance and supply chain research and reports 
• Conduct research around port electrification proposals 
• Conduct research for the cruise ship report card and advocate for stronger cruise ship regulations at the state level

Coordination and Coalition Building:  

• Support frontline site fights and engagement in the global plastics treaty process 

• Help coordinate public pressure campaigns and inside engagement with financial institutions to exclude petrochemical companies and develop policies on the sector 

• Engage with the International Maritime Organization to improve Arctic and ocean regulation and support access for Indigenous peoples 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: 

No specific academic or professional experience is required, but we are looking for people who are passionate about the environment and/or social justice. An environmental background, and previous (volunteer or paid) experience in non-profit organizations, advocacy, political campaigns are pluses. 

Qualified applicants must be: 

• At least 18 years of age 

• Authorized to work in the U.S. without visa sponsorship 

• Committed to environmental and social justice 

• Able to work well in team and independently  

• Motivated, and willing to learn and take initiative 

• Able to use Microsoft Office 365 products such as Excel and Word, and Google applications 

Friends of the Earth is an equal opportunity employer that encourages applications from women, people of color, and other members of underrepresented groups who will contribute to the diversity of its staff.  In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire.