Zero Waste Fellow

CALIFORNIA CLIMATE ACTION CORPS

Zero Waste Fellow at San Mateo County Community College District

Location: San Mateo, California

Number of Positions Available: 2

Time Commitment: September 21, 2026 - August 13, 2027

This is a full-time, 11-month, 1700-hour program from September 21, 2026 - August 13, 2027. Fellows in this position commit to a 40-hour work week, Monday - Friday, approximately 8AM - 4PM, with occasional evening and weekend commitments based on project needs. 170-340 of these hours are dedicated to professional development. This is a hybrid position, onsite 4 days per week.

**Please note: Due to the full-time commitment of the Fellowship, students enrolled in undergraduate courses between Sep 21, 2026 - Aug 13, 2027 will not be eligible to participate in the California Climate Action Corps Fellowship.

——

About the California Climate Action Corps Fellowship

The California Climate Action Corps has over 400 positions available across California for the 2026-27 CCAC Fellowship. This is a climate-focused, workforce development program for emerging climate and environmental leaders. These are paid, full-time fellowships—similar to internships—with 170-340 dedicated hours for professional development and training, providing hands-on experience in the climate field.

CCAC Fellows are matched with organizations across California to mobilize communities to take direct climate action and lead projects focused on wildfire resiliency, urban greening, and organic waste diversion.

———

Applications are accepted May 1 - July 31, 2026, with priority consideration given to applicants who apply and undergo a CCAC info session before June 19.

———

Program Benefits

Benefits include a highly discounted gym membership, on-site access to a fitness center and the Health Center (TB testing, flu shot, etc.), free professional development workshops, and free New York Times and Wall Street Journal subscriptions through the campus library. Other benefits include:

• Receive a $35,250 stipend (before taxes) distributed evenly over the 11-month service term
• Receive $10,000 in education awards (before taxes and upon completion of 1700 hours)
• Participation in 170-340 hours of training and professional development
• Receive $300 in professional development funds
• Receive food assistance via CalFresh (for those eligible)
• Forbearance on existing qualifying student loans and interest payments accrued during the service term
• Minimum essential healthcare coverage
• Childcare assistance (for those eligible)

Description of Duties

The Zero Waste Fellow plays a key role in engaging students in hands-on sustainability efforts across the San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD). This position focuses on building a visible, student-centered Zero Waste program that empowers the campus community to reduce waste, adopt sustainable practices, and participate in meaningful environmental action. The fellow will help plan and facilitate sustainability workshops—on topics such as composting, native plants, and zero waste—interactive trainings, and campus-wide events—including Earth Day programming—that inspire behavior change and foster environmental stewardship. Collaborating with facilities staff, faculty, and student groups, the role supports outreach campaigns and educational initiatives that make waste reduction accessible and engaging for diverse audiences. This position is ideal for someone passionate about environmental education, peer-to-peer engagement, and event facilitation, and eager to support sustainability efforts that reduce the District’s overall environmental footprint while creating social and educational benefits for the campus community. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Engage students, staff, and faculty in the Zero Waste Program through outreach events, class presentations, waste audits, Earth Fests, and composting and food waste workshops
• Ensure District compliance with SB 1383 by supporting organic waste diversion efforts at food-serving locations.
• Recruit, train, and lead bi-weekly Zero Waste Ambassador shifts to advance peer-to-peer sustainability education and increase organic waste diversion
• Host “Scrape Your Plate” events, where student volunteers measure and track the amount of food waste diverted from landfills to demonstrate tangible climate impact
• Recruit volunteers and lead native plantings at College of San Mateo and Skyline College
• Support waste data reporting, website updates, and social media engagement by creating sustainability reports, data visualizations, and multimedia content
• Track program data and analyze results to quantify climate impact

Minimum Program Eligibility Requirements

• Live in California by August 14, 2026
• Be at least 18 years of age by August 14, 2026
• Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
• Must be a US Citizen, US National, or lawful US resident to participate

Preferred Qualifications/Skills

Experience in community outreach, data/quantitative analysis, environmental education, environmental justice/equity, event coordination & planning, Google suite, graphic design, marketing & social media, Microsoft Office Suite & Teams, multi-stakeholder collaboration, project management, public speaking/facilitation, and volunteer management & engagement. Access to a reliable vehicle and must possess a valid driver's license. Fluency in Spanish is a plus. Other valuable contributions include:

• An interest in climate change mitigation, volunteerism, or public service
• Experience with outreach, education, training, or community behavior change
• Fundamental understanding of climate change science, environmental policies in California, and/or environmental priorities
• Excellent organizational, writing, interpersonal, and speaking skills

About San Mateo County Community College District:

The San Mateo County Community College District is committed to achieving educational equity. The District’s “Students First” Strategic Plan is focused on “Student Success, Equity, and Social Justice.” SMCCCD has an annual enrollment of 31,000 students across 3 campuses (Skyline College, College of San Mateo, and Cañada College). The District provides students with dynamic learning experiences, emphasizes collaboration, and prioritizes engaged learning. Housed in the Facilities Maintenance, Operations and Planning Division, the Sustainability Team is highly collaborative. The team thrives on innovation and creativity. Over the past 9 years, SMCCCD has hosted over 20 fellows. More info: smccd.edu

——

Apply Today!

Applications are accepted May 1 - July 31, 2026, with priority consideration given to applicants who apply and undergo a CCAC info session before June 19. Interviews will take place May-Aug, with all positions filled by September 4, 2026. This is a competitive program, and interviews are not guaranteed. CCAC is an equal opportunity Fellowship with a preference for candidates already living in the communities they will serve. Applicants can select up to 5 preferred positions within the California Climate Action Corps Fellowship application.