Fellow

Overview

Island Institute seeks qualified candidates for an Island Institute Fellowship, a two-year placement in one of Maine’s coastal or year-round island communities.

Island Institute Fellows Program places college graduates (associates or higher) and master’s degree graduates in Maine’s coastal and year-round island areas to live and work for two years. Fellows positions provide a unique opportunity for recent graduates to apply their skills and gain real-life, place-based community development experience in the fields of climate resilience, the marine economy, and/or affordable housing. Fellows work directly with a host community or organization on a priority project identified by the host.

Fellows are encouraged to contribute their own interests and passions to the host community. The fellowship experience is designed to support the development of essential career skills. The cohort of fellows takes part in a variety of professional experiences designed to build communication, project management, facilitation, and leadership skills.

Provides support for Maine’s coastal and island communities by:

• Strengthening capacity for local planning and management in the areas of climate, marine economy, and/or affordable housing.
• Providing technical assistance in implementing local research, planning, education, and communication projects.

• Work within a community, municipal, or educational organization for 24 months.
• Connect and integrate into a community and apply this understanding to an identified project.
• Apply project management skills to move projects forward in a way that promotes community engagement and creates sustainability at the end of the fellowship.

• An associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree within the last five years.
• The ability and willingness to travel to off-site locations, including by boat.
• Eligibility to work in the USA.
• Ability to reside full-time in the community where the fellowship is located.

• Demonstrated interests or abilities in community development, community-based work, or related fields in the areas of climate, marine economy, and/or affordable housing.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills; able to speak about the work in an articulate and compelling manner (one-on-one and with groups).
• The ability to understand rural communities and how change happens locally.
• The interest in and ability to listen to communities and partners to inform, develop, and implement responsive programming.
• Interest in shaping experiences for community members that inspire them to act and solve problems.
• Comfort with technology, including Office 365 applications.
• Ability to manage time and work with minimal direct supervision and collaborate in multi-generational settings.
• Enthusiasm for living and working in small, rural areas.

• Housing, utilities, and internet provided and paid for by Island Institute.
• $15.10/hour wage; 35-hour work week.
• Two paid holidays and two paid floating holidays.
• Four weeks of paid time off (vacation, sick, and personal time off).
• Professional development through retreats and workshops; professional development stipend.
• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance.
• Networking with other professionals and organizations.
• Island Institute membership.

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Specifics will be provided as part of site placement. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Physical demands: sit, enter data using computer keyboard and mouse, stand, walk, bend over occasionally, and move about the office space as well as between building floors. Travel by boat and ferry to various island and remote coastal locations. There may be times when working long hours, evenings, and weekends are required.
• Travel:
  Must be comfortable traveling for extended periods of time by any mode of transportation in cross-cultural contexts.
• Work environment:
  The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.

Information sessions on Zoom:
Learn more about the Island Institute Fellow position and the application process during our Zoom information sessions. Dates and times will be announced by Island Institute.