Environmental Justice Lab Director

at  New York University

DESCRIPTION

NYU Law’s Center on Race, Inequality & the Law (CRIL) and Guarini Center on Environmental, Energy & Land Use Law (Guarini Center) seek to hire a full-time Director to develop and lead the Environmental Justice Lab (EJL) that they are jointly launching.
The Vision for the EJL

The EJL will play a critical role building a vibrant environmental justice program at NYU Law School and will:

• work with partners, including impacted communities, to address longstanding environmental racism, amplify the voices of disadvantaged communities, and build a just, decarbonized future;
• provide law students with a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge policy advocacy, litigation, and research in the field of environmental justice;
• seek to increase the number of legal practitioners, academics, and clinicians dedicated to addressing environmental problems that disproportionately burden communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, promoting environmental and social change, and advancing racial justice.

The Director’s Main Responsibilities
The Director will establish and lead the EJL, which is a joint initiative of CRIL and the Guarini Center. In doing so, the Director will work with Vincent Southerland, faculty director of CRIL, and Katrina Wyman, faculty director of the Guarini Center, along with the executive directors (Jason Williamson–CRIL and Christine Billy–Guarini Center) and staff of these two centers at NYU Law.

Key responsibilities of the Director will include:

• Developing a proposal for an Environmental Justice Lab class at NYU Law with a seminar and practical/fieldwork components, and teaching the class starting in 2025-2026, provided the necessary approvals are obtained from NYU Law;
• Working with CRIL and the Guarini Center to develop and implement a strategic plan to achieve the vision of the EJL based in part on consultations with people inside and outside of NYU, including environmental justice and other advocates, people with a lived experience of environmental racism, policymakers, academic researchers and others at the local, state, national, and global level;
• Liaising with environmental justice and other advocates, policymakers, students, academic researchers, and others;
• Engaging in, supervising, and/or coordinating litigation, policy advocacy, research, and public education as appropriate to advance environmental justice in keeping with the priorities of the EJL;
• Initiating and implementing a select number of projects each year to advance the work of the EJL;
• Establishing a web and social media presence for the EJL;
• Hiring and supervising law student research assistants and student workers;
• Working with CRIL and the Guarini Center to organize events and administer the work of the EJL; and
• Fundraising in coordination with CRIL and the Guarini Center.

Terms of Employment
In compliance with NYC’s Pay Transparency Act, the annual base salary range for this position is $120,000-$170,000 commensurate with experience. New York University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations when extending an offer.
The standard term for this category of position at NYU Law is one year with an option to renew, but in exceptional circumstances the initial term can be longer, while retaining the option to renew for additional years.
The Director is expected to be in the Center’s offices, located in Greenwich Village, a minimum of four days a week.
This position comes with a competitive salary and a generous array of benefits, which include medical, dental and vision. Further information regarding benefits can be found here: http://www.nyu.edu/employees/benefit/full-time/Professional-Research-Staff-Code-103.html.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A successful candidate will possess:
• A JD and membership in a bar in the United States;
• A strong background and demonstrated experience in racial justice;
• A strong background and demonstrated experience working in the field of environmental justice. The experience can be from anywhere in the United States; experience working in New York City is not necessary. The strategic planning process that the Director will lead will help to determine the geographic focus of the EJL, which will include New York City;
• A strong interest in teaching an Environmental Justice Lab class for law students. Prior teaching experience is welcome but not required. Developing and teaching a new Environmental Justice Lab class will be a key component of the position;
• Excellent research and writing skills;
• Excellent interpersonal and organizational skills;
• An interest in working in a legal academic setting; and
• An entrepreneurial attitude.

The EJL will play a critical role building a vibrant environmental justice program at NYU Law School and will:

• work with partners, including impacted communities, to address longstanding environmental racism, amplify the voices of disadvantaged communities, and build a just, decarbonized future;
• provide law students with a unique opportunity to engage in cutting-edge policy advocacy, litigation, and research in the field of environmental justice;
• seek to increase the number of legal practitioners, academics, and clinicians dedicated to addressing environmental problems that disproportionately burden communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, promoting environmental and social change, and advancing racial justice

Key responsibilities of the Director will include:

• Developing a proposal for an Environmental Justice Lab class at NYU Law with a seminar and practical/fieldwork components, and teaching the class starting in 2025-2026, provided the necessary approvals are obtained from NYU Law;
• Working with CRIL and the Guarini Center to develop and implement a strategic plan to achieve the vision of the EJL based in part on consultations with people inside and outside of NYU, including environmental justice and other advocates, people with a lived experience of environmental racism, policymakers, academic researchers and others at the local, state, national, and global level;
• Liaising with environmental justice and other advocates, policymakers, students, academic researchers, and others;
• Engaging in, supervising, and/or coordinating litigation, policy advocacy, research, and public education as appropriate to advance environmental justice in keeping with the priorities of the EJL;
• Initiating and implementing a select number of projects each year to advance the work of the EJL;
• Establishing a web and social media presence for the EJL;
• Hiring and supervising law student research assistants and student workers;
• Working with CRIL and the Guarini Center to organize events and administer the work of the EJL; and
• Fundraising in coordination with CRIL and the Guarini Center