All Things Urban

The Waterfront Alliance is an alliance of more than 950 organizations with ties to our regional waterways. Together we are working to transform the waters of the New York and New Jersey harbor and waterfront into clean and accessible places to live, work, and play, with inviting parks, dependable jobs, and reliable, eco-friendly transportation for all. Our mission is to protect, transform, and revitalize our harbor and waterfront.

The Waterfront Alliance is a coalition of more than 1,100 organizations with ties to our regional waterways. Our mission is to inspire and effect resilient, revitalized, and accessible coastlines for all communities. Together we are working to transform the waters of the New York and New Jersey harbor and waterfront into clean and accessible places to live, work, and play, with inviting parks, dependable jobs, and reliable transportation for all. We seek a part-time Fellow to help us conduct stakeholder visioning sessions, interviews, research, and planning to inform a Staten Island waterfront maritime and resilience feasibility study.

The Fellow will support the creation of a Maritime Activation Plan that will include implementable and impactful maritime activation recommendations and coastal resiliency improvements on the Northeast Shore of Staten Island. The goal of this study is to promote the economic development of this mixed-use corridor and to bring attention to coastal resiliency needs (i.e. erosion, infrastructure, ecology) at the water’s edge, as well as to support recreational and programming opportunities that increase equitable waterfront access.

Using past Waterfront Alliance Maritime Activation Plans and our WEDG® (Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines) as tools, the Fellow will conduct background research on both social and physical infrastructure, deliver informed stakeholder outreach and help prepare the feasibility study working with senior staff. In addition to being passionate about resilient, accessible, and sustainable waterfront development, this position is well suited for graduate students with some working experience in maritime, architecture, engineering, urban planning, or sustainability, and are looking to apply and hone their skills. The position reports to Karen Imas, Senior Director of Programs.

• Research current social and physical infrastructure status in the waterfront in the study area, and scan for any current initiatives for change
• Play a key role in conducting stakeholder interviews to understand and articulate the waterfront needs and visions in this geographic stretch of Staten Island.
• Conduct site visits, as well as phone/in-person interviews.
• Organize and manage workshops for groups of 40-50 individuals.
• Provide input on technical aspects of waterfront infrastructure and prepare simple concept designs.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of demographic and economic data in this Staten Island study area.
• Prepare portions of the final written report.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (preferred) in the fields of urban planning, engineering or urban design, or a maritime related background is required.
• Familiarity with issues related to maritime industries, recreational boating and coastal environmental issues, with some knowledge of Staten Island preferred.
• Strong consensus building, organizing, and convening experience.
• Energetic and collaborative spirit, with the ability to work independently and take initiative.
• Advanced/excellent proficiency with design software (e.g. Adobe Create Suite) preferred.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, and ability to think on your feet.
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Programs, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• A high level of organization and attention to detail.

• The fellowship requires an average of 25 hours a week and an eight-month commitment.
• The fellowship pays $15–$20 per hour (the Waterfront Alliance has a set pay scale for fellowships that is based on education level and experience) and comes with a limited set of benefits offered to part-time temporary employees.
• We will work with the candidate to establish a mutually agreeable schedule, with most work taking place during regular office hours from 9:30am–5:30pm. Work will take place at our office in Lower Manhattan and regularly out of the office at site visits and meetings on Staten Island.

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.