Meridian Institute Fellowship — Washington, D.C.

Organization: Meridian Institute

Job Title: Meridian Institute Fellowship

Location: Washington, D.C.

Hours and Compensation: full time, and $30,000 for the first year (possible raise in second year)

Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2013

Position Dates: June/July 2013 – June/July 2014 (possible second year extension)

Posted On: Dec. 10, 2012

Organization Overview

Meridian Institute professionals combine extensive experience in collaborative process design, deep substantive knowledge, and proven mediation skills to help people engaged in society’s toughest issues to solve problems and make informed decisions. At Meridian, we design collaborative approaches that bring together people who understand the issues and have a stake in their resolution. In addition to process design, facilitation, mediation, and strategy assessment and planning, Meridian offers expert administrative and meeting logistics services and the creative and appropriate application of information technology tools, to support our projects. Some of the topics we work on include:

• Agriculture and Food Security
• Climate Change and Energy
• Environment and Natural Resources
• Global Stability and Security
• Health
• Sustainability and Resilience
• Science and Technology

For more information about Meridian Institute and specific projects, please visit www.merid.org.

Description

Meridian Institute is pleased to announce position openings within the Meridian Institute Fellowship Program – an opportunity for recent college graduates to work on varied and highly complex public policy issues, learn about the field of multi-party collaborative problem solving, and engage with leaders from a variety of sectors and interest groups. Meridian Institute has two offices (Washington DC and Dillon, CO). We currently anticipate the 2013 Fellows to be based in the Washington DC office, but will consider applicants for either location.

Fellows will initially be hired for a one year position at Meridian Institute. At the end of one year, Meridian leadership and the Fellow will review the Fellow’s performance and interest, and a second year of employment may be offered. At the end of the second year, Fellows will be encouraged to explore a variety of career choices, including graduate school, employment with other organizations, or, if available, further positions with Meridian Institute.

Responsibilities

Primary Objective of the Position

Meridian Fellows provide research, writing, and other types of support for projects focusing on a wide variety of challenging substantive issue areas. Meridian Fellows may:

• Assist in the preparation of reports, meeting summaries, meeting materials, press releases, and other communications;
• Develop background reports and research participants for new projects;
• Interview or otherwise engage participants in Meridian processes, including leaders of the private, non-profit, and government sectors;
• Help plan, attend, and/or provide logistical support for both domestic and international meetings;
• Actively engage in dynamic teams focused on helping design and facilitate collaborative public policy processes
• Attend policy briefings, hearings, seminars, and similar events as needed to track key topics and activities and provide summaries to various project teams;
• Provide administrative support for Meridian projects and the organization, including but not limited to maintaining websites and list serves, drafting emails, note taking, and participating on internal Meridian teams to assist with internal organizational development; and
• Other duties as assigned.

Personal and Professional Development

The Meridian Fellowship offers significant personal and professional development opportunities. In addition to working in an active, exciting, and dynamic professional environment, Meridian Fellows can expect to:

• Develop the ability to think critically about complex issues and analyze the related interests and issues;
• Identify and respond appropriately to individual concerns in complex and challenging situations;
• Actively manage numerous tasks toward the final completion of a project; and
• Improve writing, research, and communication skills.

To encourage learning in the position, Fellows will be paired with a mentor from Meridian’s staff. Fellows will also have opportunities to interact as a group and are encouraged to share their learning with each other.

Qualifications

Characteristics of Meridian Fellows

Required Characteristics

• Fluency in the English language
• Strong writing and research skills
• Ability to work in the United States
• Bachelor’s Degree

Desired Characteristics

• Knowledge and Experience – Basic understanding of policy, politics, and the relationship between the two; substantive experience in Meridian topic areas; interest or experience in collaborative decision-making, facilitation, or mediation; familiarity with the skills required for Meridian processes, including note-taking, drafting summaries, conducting interviews, and drafting documents; IT skills

• Critical Thinking Skills – Ability to think “on one’s feet”; innovative thinking; ability to view and understand an issue from multiple perspectives

• Effective Communication Skills – Strong reading and writing skills; research experience; ability to share complex ideas with others; foreign language skills

• Professionalism – Ability to shoulder a high degree of responsibility; respectful; courteous; understanding of the “customer service” aspect of the position

• Teamwork and Multi-Tasking – Ability to work on teams; ability to handle multiple tasks at once; ability to manage time effectively; ability to manage multiple Project Directors and receive and balance direction from multiple places

• Passion – Exhibits a passion for the issues and work that Meridian is involved in; ability and willingness to learn; self-motivated

How to Apply

The Fellowship application consists of four parts.

I. Cover Letter – Maximum one-page.

II. Essay – 500 words or less essay on one of the following topics:

a. A situation in which you had to work with a number of different groups or individuals to collaboratively solve a problem;

b. A challenging situation in which you had to develop an innovative way to solve a problem collaboratively;

c. A situation in which you felt uncomfortable or unsure about your abilities to solve a problem but were able to overcome that feeling; or

d. A topic of your choosing.

III. Resume – Two pages or less detailing relevant activities and accomplishments.

IV. References – Three references, including title, affiliation, phone number, and email addresses. References can be professors, current or former employers. They should be individuals who can speak to your specific qualification for this position. Please do not include family or “personal” references.

Completed applications are due by 10 pm EST on Friday, February 15, 2013. Please e-mail completed applications to [email protected]. The fellowship is anticipated to begin between June 1 and July 1, 2013. Please direct questions about the Fellowship to [email protected].