CES Home / Coastal Resilience / CES - Coastal Resilience

Dr. Colin Polsky
cpolsky@fau.edu
3200 College Ave., Building DW 
Davie, FL 33314 
Phone: (954) 236-1334

Careers in Resilience and Sustainability

Want to build a better world? Consider a career in resilience and sustainability! 

WHAT IS RESILIENCE?  Careers in Resilience focus on helping communities recover quickly from difficulties. It is all about preparing for negative events so communities can bounce back to normal quickly.

WHAT IS SUSTAINABILITY? Careers in Sustainability focus on helping communities get all the resources they need to thrive without harming future generations. It is all about being good stewards of resources so the future can be prosperous.

Download our Resilient Careers Brochure .


You might be wondering what types of careers there are that focus on resilience and sustainability. Below is just a sample of a few careers with the education level needed, pay scale, job description and technical skills required:


RESILIENCE CAREERS IN ENGINEERING:

Job Title: Environmental Engineering Intern

Education Level: 2 Years of college coursework in Engineering.

Pay: $20 - $25 per hour

Description: Assist engineering and administrative staff with applying formulas to routine calculations, preparing spreadsheets and graphs for engineers, assisting with site inspections and observations, performing AutoCAD work, and general researching.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • AutoCAD
  • Geographical Information System (GIS)

Job Title: Resilience Coordinator

Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental or Civil Engineering.

Pay: $70,000 – $115,000 annually

Description: Assist with management and planning for climate adaptation and resilience. Provide technical support to identify opportunities to reduce risk and improve resilience and efficiency. Support efforts to conduct research and communicate the latest science, analysis, and policy audiences.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Adobe Suite
  • Geographical Information System (GIS)

RESILIENCE CAREERS IN LAW AND POLICY MAKING

Job Title: Research Fellow

Education Level: Seeking a degree in Public Policy, Env. Science, or related field.

Pay: $20 - $25 per hour

Description: Help to advance sustainability and equity goals in South Florida communities. Assist in the development and delivery of policy planning tools that help to address climate resilience and adaptation. Assist in the development and delivery of public education and engagement programs.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Data Gathering and Analysis

Job Title: Assistant Chief Resilience Officer

Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering, Env. Science, Ecology, Biology, Geology, Hydrology, or Environmental Law.

Pay: $85,000 - $140,000 annually

Description: Plays a lead role in the coordination, monitoring, and reporting on resilience initiatives. Proposes policies, procedures, guidelines and strategies to meet established goals related resilience planning and investment needs. Provides technical expertise to further application of resilience standards and comprehensive planning.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credential

RESILIENCE CAREERS IN EDUCATION

Job Title: Program Coordinator

Education Level: No Degree Required.

Pay: $20 - $25 per hour Description: Develop and deliver educational programs centered on sustainability and resilience. Assist in the planning of educational events. Act as a public liaison to drive action in the community.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Bilingual – Spanish or Creole

Job Title: Program Manager

Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability, Education, or Environmental Science.

Pay: $45,000 – $55,000 annually

Description: Lead the development and oversee the deliver educational programs centered on sustainability and resilience. Lead the planning of educational events. Act as a public liaison and leader to drive action in the community. Assist in grant writing and funding opportunities

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Bilingual – Spanish or Creole

RESILIENCE CAREERS IN NATURAL SCIENCES

Job Title: Natural Resources Specialist

Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry, Biology, or Environmental Science.

Pay: $25 - $40 per hour

Description: Assists in managing and monitoring compliance of state water pollution regulations. Collects samples of water and conducts inspections of facilities to ensure wastewater pollution regulations are being followed. Develops and presents learning opportunities to schools and broader public.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Data Gathering and Analysis

Job Title: Water Supply Plan Manager

Education Level: Master’s Degree in Natural or Physical Sciences.

Pay: $70,000 – $83,000 annually

Description: Responsible for helping to manage water supply plans in the South Florida Water Management District. Provides support for Everglades restoration projects. Gathers, analyzes, and presents data on issues related to climate change, like saltwater intrusion and sea-level rise.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Adobe Suite
  • Geographical Information System (GIS)
  • Data Gathering and Analysis

RESILIENCE CAREERS IN HEALTHCARE

Job Title: Public Health Manager

Education Level: Bachelor’s degree in Public Health or Health Care Administration.

Pay: $35,000 - $45,000 annually

Description: Work collaboratively to support strategies that measurably improve health and wellbeing in underserved communities. Manage, coordinate, and support the development and implementation of strategies that result in best practices, programs and/or initiatives that effectively address needs identified in South Florida communities.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Bilingual – Spanish or Creole

Job Title: Community Health Planner

Education Level: Master’s Degree in Public Health, Public Health Admin, Business Admin., Mental Health Sciences.

Pay: $50,000 - $60,000 annually

Description: Promotes individual and population health by leading community health planning initiatives. Responsibilities include developing and implementing community health assessment and planning cycles in collaboration with, community stakeholders, elected officials, and community partners.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Bilingual – Spanish or Creole
  • Data Gathering and Analysis

RESILIENCE CAREERS IN GOVERNMENT

Job Title: Sustainability Intern

Education Level: 2 Years of college coursework in Public Administration, Urban Planning, Environmental Science or Sustainability.

Pay: $20 - $25 per hour

Description: Assist in the analysis of electricity usage and water consumption. Assist with research related to the development of sustainability or resiliency policies. Help create reports that track greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste metrics.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Interest in Civil Engineering

Job Title: Sustainability Coordinator

Education Level: Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Public Administration, or Urban Planning.

Pay: $70,000 – $105,000 annually

Description: Project lead for development of sustainability and climate resilience related ordinances, plans and policies. Provides educational outreach to internal/external stakeholders on sustainability and resilience programs.

Technical Skills Required:

  • Public Speaking and Writing
  • Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint
  • Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credential


 Last Modified 6/1/23