Conservation X Labs (http://www.conservationxlabs.com/) is searching for extraordinarily creative individuals who are interested in transforming conservation.
We have one opportunity for the summer, based in Washington DC, to work with us to harness open innovation, exponential technologies, and entrepreneurship to dramatically improve the efficacy, cost, speed, and scale of conservation efforts to end human induced extinction. Help us create a conservation technology community, manage the first grand challenge for conservation around aquaculture, support new technologies to address wicked conservation problems, and design new incubator/acceleration platforms for conservation innovation & technology.
Compensation:
Paid position, 40 hours per week
Paid position, 40 hours per week
Duties:
Conservation X labs is seeking an open innovation summer fellow with a passion for conservation & development, but also sourcing, developing, and implementing transformational solutions. The fellow will work on a variety of projects that requires expertise in the following:
- Conducting due diligence around new technologies and innovations for conservation, with a particular focus on oceans and food systems, understanding market potential, and assessing market readiness.
- Supporting the Blue Economy Challenge on rethinking solutions for Aquaculture, including organizing peer review panels, reviewing applications, setting up a pitch session, selecting innovations, supporting social media and communications around the award event, and organizing a multilateral prize event.
- Developing a catalogue of new technologies for transforming conservation, including identifying technologies from adjacent spaces that may be applied to conservation such as microbiology, synthetic biology, gene editing, sensors, 3D Printers, nanotechnology, nanosatellites, and drones.
- Contributing to the development of specific technologies through open source approaches, including engaging a diverse community of conservationists, engineers, technologists, marketing and finance experts.
- Organizing university events in partnership with leading environmental schools, and other institutions.
- Writing or editing science-based materials for multiple audiences and media, i.e. peer-reviewed articles, news stories, Linked-in articles, Tweets, and Facebook posts.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelors degree in conservation biology, ecology, physics, biomedical, electrical or chemical engineering, design, business or related fields. OR at least three years of undergraduate education in these fields working towards a B.Sc. at an accredited university.
- Organized and demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects within a fast moving, and highly chaotic environment.
- Self-starter, with an ability to take initiatives and lead them without significant need for supervision and willingness to work in a nontraditional office environment.
- Passion for open innovation, advancing technology, social entrepreneurship, and the courage to take new approaches to really difficult solutions.
- We welcome experience in the following: searching and synthesizing scientific literature; maintaining a website (or the willingness to learn); basic coding and database management, communicating with partners from various backgrounds and disciplines; organizing logistics for local or global events; writing science- based material for multiple audiences and media; editing written documents; and, facilitating discussions via video conference or in-person.
Please send your resume, cover letter, plus the contact information for two references. We would love to see your ideas upfront: Propose an idea for a new technology, prize, or innovation that could transform conservation through an infographic or a paragraph. Email the materials toBarbara@conservationxlabs.org by April 30th. Indicate your ideal start date in May and end date in August. There may be opportunities to extend.