Policy Associate, Wildfire

About the Alliance for Wildfire Resilience

The Alliance for Wildfire Resilience (AWR) is working to achieve meaningful and durable policy change to lessen the negative impacts of wildfire both today and tomorrow. AWR works with the broader wildland fire community to advance policy change and foster systemic solutions to the growing wildfire crisis.

AWR is a collaboration of AWR Research and AWR Action. AWR Research, a fiscally sponsored project of the 501(c)(3) Resources Legacy Fund (RLF), provides public education, nonpartisan research, analysis, and public education on America’s worsening wildland fire crisis. AWR Action, a fiscally sponsored project of the 501(c)(4) Fund for a Better Future (FBF), advocates for wildfire policy reforms through coalition building, strategic communications, and engagement with decision-makers.

Resources Legacy Fund (RLF) delivers transformative outcomes for our planet and its people through trusted partnerships and creative campaigns. Rooted in California and expanding across Western North America and beyond, we have a 25-year track record of supporting initiatives at every scale. We host fiscally sponsored projects that reach across the globe, reinforcing the efforts of change makers worldwide. To learn more about Resources Legacy Fund, visit https://resourceslegacyfund.org.

AWR is seeking a curious and rigorous Policy Associate, Wildfire to strengthen the organization’s policy research and analysis capacity. This position focuses on researching wildfire, land management, emergency management, and related policy topics and developing white papers, issue briefs, and other written products that inform AWR’s positions and support the broader wildland fire community. The role also monitors and analyzes federal legislative, administrative, and regulatory developments, translating complex information into clear, useful analysis for AWR’s team and partners.

The Policy Analyst may also periodically represent AWR in meetings with policymakers and coalition partners.

Government relations experience is welcomed but not required for this role. We are looking primarily for strong research, analytical, and writing skills, along with genuine curiosity about wildfire and natural resource policy.

This position will work closely with the Managing Director for Policy and will collaborate regularly with AWR’s policy, government relations, communications, and research staff to ensure written products are accurate, timely, and effective for their intended audiences.

The successful candidate will be adept at navigating work in a growing organization and remote work. This is a full-time, exempt position that reports to the Managing Director or Policy. The position is fully remote within the U.S., with occasional travel for team meetings, conferences, or partner convenings (estimated 4 to 6 trips per year).

Policy Research & Writing (45%)

• Develop and manage the production and distribution of a variety of written products such as reports and issue briefs that influence the policy debate on key wildfire issues.
• Synthesize complex technical, scientific, and programmatic information into clear, accessible, and persuasive written materials.
• Conduct qualitative literature reviews and meta-analyses of existing research.
• In coordination with other AWR staff, assist in the development and assessment of new policy ideas and approaches and, as appropriate, provide requested technical assistance to external stakeholders on those ideas.
• Collaborate with communications staff to rapidly respond to policy developments as needed, including by drafting articles, fact sheets, memos, op-eds, and social media.
• Produce comment letters, testimony, and other written…