Resilience Design & Communications Specialist - Dewberry

Dewberry is seeking a Resilience Design & Communications Specialist to join our multi-disciplinary and action-oriented team to support our Resilience Solutions Group (multiple office locations, open to remote).

The primary function of this role is to drive compelling communication and storytelling within climate change adaptation, risk mitigation, and emergency management projects. In this role, you will work with a team of technical experts to develop strategies and materials that make complex and scientific concepts accessible and engaging to a variety of audiences, including federal, state, and local government officials and the public. You will be expected to consultatively apply design thinking principles across a diverse portfolio of projects, tailor and deliver messages for diverse audiences through a variety of channels, and support stakeholder engagement efforts. The topics of this work will include natural hazard and climate change risk and vulnerability, hazard mitigation, and community resilience planning and policy.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 50 locations and 2,000 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

• Actively engage in multidisciplinary teams and projects, collaborating with planners, scientists, geospatial analysts, and engineers, and providing a design and communication perspective to all elements of project planning and execution.
• Supports the conceptualization and production of innovative graphics, document layouts, presentations, and user interfaces for both print and digital products.
• Prepare written and visual content to support studies, reports, plans and other technical documents.
• Provide technical editing support on a range of documents and reports.
• Represent Dewberry in meetings with clients to develop communication and outreach strategies and to plan and coordinate work.
• Support public outreach and stakeholder engagement efforts for community resilience projects.
• Assist Project Managers with developing technical and business proposals for new projects.

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s in Environmental/Science/Climate Change Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, Planning, English, Design, Architecture, Environmental Studies, or related field.
• Minimum 1 year of experience or an advanced degree in a related field.
• Ability to translate technical topics into plain language.
• Ability to develop visually compelling communications and storytelling materials including posters, presentations, documents, infographics, fact sheets, and storyboards.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (including Illustrator and InDesign) and Microsoft Office.
• Ability to be self-motivated and function both independently and in a collaborative team environment.
• Well-developed time management skills, especially the ability to complete high-quality, detail-oriented deliverables on tight timelines amid competing deadlines within a diverse work group.
• Ability to perform an expanded array of tasks assigned by senior-level staff, designed to broaden experience and familiarization with methods, practices, and programs applicable to the department.
• Ability to bring attention to detail and an eye for design to all project tasks.
• Ability to exercise initiative, resourcefulness, and tact in obtaining and analyzing information related to resilience.
• Ability to get along with coworkers and superiors.

Optional Skills & Experience (Nice to Have)

• Experience working with planners, engineers, and/or scientists in the fields of climate change, emergency management, sustainability, and/or resilience.
• Ability to conceptualize and conduct creative design sessions and stakeholder engagement workshops with a variety of audiences.
• User interface and experience design (UI/UX) of websites, dashboards, or other digital products.
• Cartographic design and geoprocessing applications, such as ArcGIS.
• Data visualization and analytics tools, such as Power BI and Tableau.
• Ability to provide a portfolio highlighting design experience.

Work Environment

• Responsibilities may occasionally require an adjusted work schedule, overtime, and evening/weekend hours in order to meet deadlines.
• Occasionally, will be required to lift/carry up to 25 lbs.
• Computers, telephones, copiers, and printers are all used to perform tasks.
• Work is typically performed within an office although field/site visits may be occasionally required.Works under direct supervision of higher-level staff. Work is often reviewed for accuracy by senior level staff.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance.

*Must have a valid driver’s license, good driving record and ability to pass a driving record background check.

*At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.

*Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry’s background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.