Position Title: MassTimber@MSU Outreach Specialist
Host Site: MassTimber@MSU – Michigan State University
Position Type: Teleservice*
Site Supervisor: Sandra Lupien
Slot Type: Full term (11 months)
Hours: Full-time placement (40 hours/week)
Dates of Service: November 13th, 2024 – October 17th, 2025
Stipend: $35,200
Location: East Lansing, MI
Join the MI Healthy Climate Corps (MHC Corps) and make a lasting impact on Michigan’s carbon-neutral future! The MHC Corps accelerates Michigan’s climate action through capacity building and leadership development. Members serve across the state to advance the MI Healthy Climate Plan’s (MHCP) goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The plan, unveiled by Governor Gretchen Whitmer in April 2022, aims to avert the worst impacts of the climate crisis; create good-paying jobs; position Michigan as a climate action leader; and build a healthier and more prosperous, equitable, and sustainable Michigan for all Michiganders.
MassTimber@MSU leverages research, education, outreach, stakeholder engagement, communications, and policy to advance sustainable mass timber construction and manufacture in Michigan, the Great Lakes Region, and beyond. The program is a collaboration across Michigan State University’s Department of Forestry; School of Planning, Design, and Construction; and MSU Extension – all housed under the umbrella of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
“Mass Timber” is an umbrella term for a variety of large, engineered wood building construction materials that are quickly growing in popularity across the U.S. because they enable us to build big buildings – like apartment complexes, commercial buildings like oces and hotels, schools, and even industrial facilities – more beautifully, more eciently, and more sustainably. This last quality – sustainability – is what’s driving most of the interest in mass timber – and why mass timber is mentioned three times in the MI Healthy Climate Plan as a tool to help achieve net zero carbon by 2050. Part of the reason mass timber is exciting as a climate solution is because it can connect rural forested communities with towns, suburbs, and cities!
The outreach and stakeholder engagement elements of our program have focused on building a Michigan mass timber community of practice comprising real estate developers; building designers, engineers, and erectors; forestry and forest products industry professionals; policymakers; and urban and community planners. As we enter the third year of our program, a key priority for us is to understand whether and how mass timber could support the economic development, health, and well-being goals of under-invested or climate-affected communities in Michigan, including tribal communities, BIPOC communities, and other communities our three-year-old-programs. The MI Healthy Climate Corps member will be instrumental in designing and implementing a strategy to connect with these communities in a curious and respectful way.
MHC Corps Member Role and Responsibilities:
The appropriate candidate will have a strong interest and/or background in some combination of forest, carbon, climate, and sustainable communities issues; coalition building and/or community organizing; and communications. The appropriate candidate must possess strong verbal and written communication skills, excellent attention to detail, the ability to work within a team or as an individual and be familiar with the Microsoft Oce suite and Google Applications. Members are required to work the standard oce hours of their host communities.
No specic background or education is required to join the MHC Corps!
But a minimum of 2 years of experience in these types of situations is essential for success:
Members will receive a living allowance of $35,200 distributed in even increments, bi-weekly. Members will receive student loan forbearance for qualied loans, health care benets, child care assistance upon eligibility, and continual professional development. Upon successful completion of service, an education award in the amount of $7,395 will be issued. Members will serve approximately 40 hours per week (a total of 1,700 hours during the service term).
The MI Healthy Climate Corps Program is an equal opportunity employer. Reasonable accommodations will be made for interviews and service as needed.