Civic Science Fellowship; Parnes Lab

** Please note this is a limited-term position with an estimated term of 18 months. This position is part of a larger program with the Rita Allen Foundation Civic Science Fellowship, with weekly cohort meetings starting the second week of September. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with the first review of applications occurring on September 14, 2026. Ideally, the Fellow can start with the full cohort as early as possible.**

Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) and Public Health – Seattle & King County (PHSKC) invite applications for the 2026-28 Rita Allen Civic Science Fellowship to help build a new model for translating climate and health research into equitable and actionable public health programs and policies. The Fellow will help foster research-practice-community partnership that can generate actionable knowledge in King County while offering lessons for public health systems, academic institutions, and communities nationally.

Climate change is increasingly shaping health and well-being in King County, yet there remains a gap between the research generated by academic institutions and the programs, policies, and services that communities experience on the ground. Working with co-mentors Dr. McKenna Parnes at SCRI and Dr. Bradley Kramer at PHSKC, the Fellow will help develop and test approaches for making climate and health science accessible and responsive to the needs of youth and communities most affected by climate-related health risks.

Projects will be designed collaboratively and may evolve in response to community priorities and emerging opportunities. The Fellow will also participate in the national Civic Science Fellows cohort, contributing to and learning from an interdisciplinary community of Fellows and partners working to develop new ways of connecting science and society.

The Civic Science Fellows program is building a network of leaders committed to ensuring that all people shape and benefit from science, technology, and innovation. Fellows and host organizations work together to develop new approaches that connect science, communities, and public decision‑making while contributing to a growing national community of learning and practice.

Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI) is internationally recognized for its work in respiratory research, cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention, and bioethics. It is among the top five pediatric medical research centers in terms of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding with over $130 million dollars in annual awarded extramural funding. SCRI provides a rich, vibrant, collaborative, and well‑funded research environment with world‑class facilities that facilitate close collaborative relationships between clinical, translational, and basic science researchers with weekly research conferences.

SCRI provides training opportunities for University of Washington (UW) undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a very successful summer pre‑ and post‑baccalaureate training program for students from the U.S. and Pacific Rim countries.

The fellow would join the PHSKC Climate & Health Equity Initiative core team of climate‑dedicated staff with core work streams focused on improving data, communications, and adaptation programming. The Climate & Health Equity Initiative (CHEI) helps King County agencies and its communities prepare for, mitigate and respond to the health impacts caused by climate change. We prioritize working with frontline communities – historically marginalized groups that are…