As part of King County's commitment to regional partnership on climate action, the County serves as organizational host and co-chair of the Puget Sound Climate Preparedness Collaborative (the Collaborative), a network of more than 30 local and county governments, Tribes, regional agencies, and other organizations working to build community, economic, and environmental resilience to climate change.   

The Tribal Partnerships Fellow will support the development and implementation of a new Tribal Partnership Learning Series (TPLS) hosted by the Collaborative. The TPLS is a Puget Sound-focused effort to strengthen understanding and collaboration between local and regional partners and Coast Salish Tribes in advancing climate action. Rooted in place and partnership, the series seeks to build shared understanding of history, responsibility, and opportunities for co-created solutions. The TPLS, developed and hosted across approximately 12 months, will provide education on the legal and historical foundations of Tribal sovereignty and treaty rights; the impacts of climate change on Tribes, treaty-reserved resources, and traditional ways of life; and best practices for building respectful, enduring partnerships. The TPLS will include a multi-part webinar series, one or more story maps, and other products to be determined as part of series development

Beyond leading the TPLS, this internship will also provide the opportunity to assist and advise on Tribal engagement and inclusion across other Collaborative programming, including regional alignment workshops and convenings focused on climate resilience topics. Working closely with Collaborative staff, the TPLS Advisory Group, and Tribal partners, the Fellow will help elevate Tribal priorities and perspectives throughout all aspects of the project.

The Tribal Partnerships Fellow will work with a TPLS Advisory Group and Collaborative staff to develop the content, format, and schedule for the TPLS. The Fellow will coordinate with speakers and partners, manage logistics for learning sessions, and support grant reporting related to the series. Developing the TPLS will also include developing a companion resource library, which the Fellow will help curate by compiling existing (or where needed developing new) guidance, training materials, and case studies. This internship is part of a broader effort to build regional climate resilience in the Puget Sound Basin that is grounded in equity, partnership, and Indigenous leadership. The Fellow's work will support enduring change by strengthening relationships, deepening understanding, and expanding regional capacity to center Tribal priorities in climate preparedness efforts.

This internship seeks to be full-time during summer months and part-time during school months with flexibility for the Fellow's academic schedule. The position is currently funded through December 2027 and will report to Collaborative staff within the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Director's Office.

The Collaborative is a network of local and county governments, Tribes, and organizations in the Puget Sound basin working together to advance climate preparedness. In 2024, the Collaborative was awarded a NOAA Climate Resilience Regional Challenge (CRRC) grant to expand climate adaptation learning, collaboration, and technical support opportunities for Puget Sound jurisdictions and Tribes.

The TPLS Fellow position is based in the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Director's Office and is a member of the County's Climate Preparedness Team. The Climate Preparedness Team works across agency, jurisdictional, and subject matter boundaries to reduce climate impacts and increase community and organizational resilience. In addition to running the Collaborative, the team is actively working on issues related sea level rise, wildfire risk reduction, extreme heat mitigation, flooding, and integrating climate change into county policies and practices.

King County, named after Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., is a diverse and vibrant community that represents cultures from around the world. Our True North is to create a welcoming community where everyone can thrive.  We prioritize equity, racial and social justice, making it a foundational and daily expectation for all employees. As a Tribal Partnership Intern, you will actively apply these principles in all aspects of your work. Learn more about our commitment at http://www.kingcounty.gov/equity.

What You Will Be Doing: 

• Create and manage a TPLS Advisory Group (15%): Support the creation of a TPLS Advisory Group, to consist of five to eight Tribal government staff and/or Tribal members. Support with organizing and conducted Advisory Group meetings, including meeting logistics, agenda development, and facilitation. 
• Design and deliver the TPLS (65%): Collaborate with Coast Salish Tribes, Tribal organizations, and the TPLS Advisory Group to co-develop the content, format, and schedule of the TPLS. Anticipated content includes information on treaty rights, Tribal sovereignty, climate impacts on Tribal communities, Tribal-led adaptation, and other relevant topics.  Secure participation from Tribal leaders, presenters, and subject matter experts. Facilitate TPLS webinars and meetings, in collaboration with other partners. Ensure TPLS webinars are accessible and add value for participants through supporting materials. Compile, and when necessary create, guidance documents, training materials, and resources related to the TPLS for inclusion in the Tribal Partnership Resource Library on the Collaborative website. Summarize notes and key messages from TPLS sessions to share post-meeting. Elicit feedback from presenters and participants during and after TPLS sessions and summarize findings to support evaluation and improvement of the series. 
• Support integration of Tribal priorities across grant activities (10%): Support Tribal engagement and inclusion in the Small Communities Cohort Program. Support facilitation and Tribal representation in Collaborative webinars, regional convenings, and workshops. Help identify opportunities to highlight Tribal perspectives in webinars, technical guidance, and case studies. 
• Support grant reporting and communications (10%): Track activities, participation metrics, and outcomes of the TPLS.Contribute to reports and presentations on program progress. Collaborate with Collaborative staff to share updates and support continued program development. Participate in Collaborative grant staff team meetings, convenings, and other activities (mix of virtual or in-person).  

Qualifications You Bring: 

• Currently enrolled student in environmental studies, Indigenous studies, public policy, or a related field. 
• Background knowledge and/or lived experience related to Tribal communities, Indigenous climate leadership, regional climate impacts, and/or frontline community impacts of climate change.
• Strong relationship-building skills with an ability to work across cultural and organizational contexts.
• Ability to communicate verbally and in written mediums within teams and partners from various backgrounds.
• Experience with organizing and supporting discussions in virtual meetings and other collaborative mediums. Includes proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. 
• Demonstrated success managing multiple deadlines and working collaboratively within a team.

• Customer Focus: Building strong customer relationships and delivering customer-centric solutions.

• Balances Stakeholders: Anticipating and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders.

• Action Oriented: Taking on new opportunities and tough challenges with a sense of urgency, high energy, and enthusiasm.

• Ensures Accountability: Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

• Collaborates: Building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives.

• Communicates Effectively: Developing and delivering multi-mode communications that convey a clear understanding of the unique needs of different audiences.

• Racially Just: Identify and replace racists systems and structures with anti-racists and pro-equity approaches.

• Nimble Learning: Actively learning through experimentation when tackling new problems, using both successes and failures as learning fodder.

It Would Be Great if You Also Bring:

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• Experience with facilitating workshops, trainings, or public presentations.
• Familiarity with climate adaptation, resilience planning, or intergovernmental collaboration.

• Experience with conducting community engagement or drafting public-facing educational materials in multiple mediums (such as newsletters, flyers, and social media).

Working Conditions:

• Work Location: The Tribal Partnership team works in a hybrid model, with days in the office as well as telecommuting. The ratio of remote to onsite work will be dependent on business needs and is subject to change. The primary onsite location is King Street Center, 201 S. Jackson, Seattle, Washington 98104.  Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will join an innovative and progressive team that is redefining how we work as we transition to the department's hybrid environment. Employees will be provided with a County-issued laptop and must maintain a home workspace with an internet connection where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours.
• Work Schedule: This full-time position works a 40-hour work week. This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible.
• Union Representation: This position is not represented by a union.
• Duration: This recruitment aims to fill an Internship position with an anticipated end date in December 2027.

Application and Selection Process:

We welcome applications from all qualified applicants.  We value diversity, diverse perspectives and life experience and encourage people of all background to apply.

Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness and alignment with the experience, qualifications, knowledge, and skills essential for this role to determine which candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews.  

To apply, submit a:

• Complete Application
• Resume
• Cover Letter

Note:  Additional documents won't be considered during minimum qualification screening.

Who to Contact: For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact Mark Workinger at [email protected]

Discover More About DNRP: Visit our website, explore aninteractive mapof our recent accomplishments and check us out atFacebook, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, TikTok, Instagram, YouTubeand Keeping King County Green News.

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Guided by our "True North", we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles - we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

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No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply

If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact the recruiter listed on this job announcement.