POSITION TITLE: RAY Conservation/Clean Energy Fellow / Associate Energy & Environmental Planner DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: Energy & Environmental Program at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission REPORTS TO: Courteny Morehouse, Principal Planner 

STATUS: Regular, Full-Time 

LOCATION: Pittsfield, MA 

ABOUT THE ROGER ARLINER YOUNG FELLOWSHIP 

In an effort to make the conservation and clean energy fields more equitable and accessible, the 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 BERKSHIRE REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION 

Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) is the regional planning agency for Berkshire County which  provides community planning services for the thirty towns and two cities in Berkshire County, western  Massachusetts. As a public agency we are in service to ensuring a high quality of life for County residents  including greater economic growth, sustainable resources management, environmental, social, and economic  equity, and effective governmental and educational services. The Energy and Environmental Program works  with communities to strengthen and protect the natural and built environment as well as promote climate  resiliency. To do this we partner with community groups and conservation organizations on a variety of  project that reduce pollution, enhance clean energy projects and energy efficiency, and build climate  resiliency.  

POSITION SUMMARY 

The RAY Fellow / Associate Planner serves as an entry-level professional staff member supporting regional  and municipal planning projects through research, data collection, administrative support, and project  support. In this role, the Associate Planner will work closely with the Energy and Environmental Team on  projects that address climate resiliency, public health, and environmental justice needs throughout Berkshire  County. Projects include: Community planning to enhance green spaces and community services to mitigate  the impacts of heat, flooding, and warming winters; Enhancing fish and wildlife passage and climate  resiliency of build infrastucture such as road stream crossings and dams and; Supporting community-driven  improvements to the built environment in Environmental Justice communities. This is a fully integrated role  within the staff of BRPC which includes opportunities to work on projects in other planning departments such  as Transportation, Community Planning, and Public Health.  

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Providing technical, organizational, and administrative support to various planning program areas.  • Assisting with the preparation of project materials, including reports, summaries, budgeting support  materials, and progress documentation. 

• Completing assigned project tasks and components that contribute to major project deliverables  while adhering to established project deadlines  

• Perform routine contract administration and project tracking tasks, including invoice preparation  and payment tracking 

• Providing general support to Senior Management, including contributing to the identification of  potential future projects or program opportunities. 

• Participation in agency wide meetings and initiatives.  

• Compile and analyze demographic, environmental, and infrastructure data for public use and internal  planning of climate resilient implementation 

• Support the integration of outreach outcomes in planning documents or project reports

• Work with BRPC staff and Community Partners to coordinate logistics and participation tracking for  virtual and in-person public meetings, workshops, and stakeholder sessions 

• Prepare outreach materials including presentations, flyers, social media content, and web updates • Assist with implementation, collection, and interpretation of of surveys and other public input tools • Support staff and community partners in off-site, field assessment to analyze infrastructure or site  conditions 

• Support program staff in compiling materials for grant applications 

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 leadershipgoals. 

● 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 Bachelor’s degree by the time of employment in planning, public administration, environmental  science or closely related environmental field. Associate’s degree and two years of relevant  experience may be substituted for a Bachelor’s degree. 

▪ An interest in the field of conservation.  

▪ Demonstrated capacity to work well both independently and as part of a team.  ▪ Effective written and verbal communication skills including the ability to communicate effectively  with local officials, agency staff, and a diversity of community members. 

▪ Ability to participate in public meetings in all parts of the region at all times of year ▪ Ability to collect, interpret, and present findings from quantitative and qualitative data from  community me collected through community engagement 

▪ An eagerness to learn. 

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.  At BRPC full-time is 35-hour per week. Core hours are 10 am to 4 pm, Monday through Thursday, though you  may work a flexible schedule as agreed upon with your supervisor. Occasional evening or weekend hours  may be required for public meetings, training, or other events. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

Work is primarily sedentary with regular computer use in a professional office environment. While this is  primarily an on-site position with some off-site (local) travel required for field work, public meetings, and  events which may occur outside standard business hours. Please note that reliable transportation is required  as our county is primarily rural with limited public transportation. Occasional lifting (up to 25 lbs.), bending,  or standing is required for event set up. Field work will require walking on uneven terrain such as roadside  medians, field, and in buildings that are not ADA accessible.  

COMPENSATION 

The Fellowship is compensated and sponsored by BRPC, who offers a competitive benefits package as well as  training and professional development opportunities. Benefits include pension investment, Employee  Assistance Program, Health and Medical, Paid Time Off and Sick Time as well as federal holidays. Please note  full-time employees of BRPC do not pay into Social Security during their time. Salary range for the Associate  Planner Position is $46,300.80 – $58,840.60. 

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:  https://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, one short answer response, and a letter of support.  

Applications must be submitted to the RAY Fellowship Program no later than March 30, 2026. Transcripts  and additional writing samples are not required.  

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

BRPC is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. BRPC’s organizational policies, practices, and  decisions regarding employment, hiring, assignment, promotion, compensation, volunteerism,  internships and other terms and conditions of employment or voluntary service shall not be based on a  person’s race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, ancestry, military  discharge status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, source of income,  parental status, housing status, or other protected status, in accordance with applicable law.  

BRPC is continually seeking to diversify its staff, particularly to broaden opportunities for individuals  from groups that are historically excluded in the sciences and in environmental advocacy.