Do you operate in Germany or outside the USA?
Unfortunately, as of now, all of our roles are US-based. We do have select roles that are based in Canada. We hope to expand this in the future. We encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for updates on this.

What opportunities are there for someone who is a professional in geospatial analysis and machine learning?
There are many companies we are partnered with in the Climate space that are either looking to expand their teams using geospatial components or have already implemented usage of these tools, including ML. Across the Climate board, in different sectors, these tools paired together can be a great asset to a Climate startup. I’d encourage anyone interested in deepening their breadth of knowledge within the geospatial and ML realm to submit their resume and to check out our Job Board for opportunities in this space.

Do you do something in Artificial Intelligence(AI) or Machine Learning(ML) for climate-related issues?
There are many climate jobs in both AI and ML! (See question 2!)

Expanding on the “operate in Germany” question: Feels like so many jobs are US-only – do you have a feeling about the evolution of the market? Will it evolve into a more global, remote direction?
There are tons of non-US-based jobs out there. Unfortunately, as of now, most of our roles are US-based. We do have select roles that are based in Canada. We hope to expand this in the future. Check out resources like Climatebase, Conservation Job Board, Terra.do, Brown Girl Green, etc., for a wider variety of climate jobs.

I recently interviewed for a position in sustainability through a network contact, and am switching industries after 12 years of working. Despite the job description being quite literally what I'm doing on a daily basis, word for word, it felt that during the interview I was constantly being pinged for not being in sustainability already nor having sustainability experience. How would you suggest positioning oneself for a career/industry change, if one's options are limited within one's current industry/company?
We would recommend framing your experience and selling what you do have to offer. It’s typical for candidates to dwell on all the things that they don’t bring to the table (i.e. your lack of direct sustainability experience). Rather, you should try to learn as much as you possibly can about the industry and sell that. Highlight that you excel in upskilling, have taken it upon yourself to learn x,y,&z, and are ready to apply your previous skillset to the sustainability arena.

My question is about "sustainability certifications" by professional sustainability organizations. Worth the investment? Necessary? If so, which certification should be pursued?
As Nathan touched on in the webinar when referencing degrees, this is very specific to the person. Do you think it will provide value to your career? If so, then most likely. However, they are not a requirement.

Are there any requirements for joining/using Climate People's service of recruiting as a professional looking for a career change?
Nope! Feel free to submit your resume here. We're a relatively new recruiting agency and only have the capacity to recruit for software/data/PM/UX roles at the moment. We're looking to expand this in the future so we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn for updates on this.

I’m curious how start-ups support their first or second hire in a role e.g their first or second product designer?
The short answer to this is that it’s highly subjective to the company and the role within the company. It’s an expectation that people in these roles will hit the ground running. Generally speaking, you should not need a lot of upskilling within the role. There will be support from the industry/sector but the role itself requires someone with the expertise to come in the door on day 1.

How might a technical writer from another field transition to a climate role? Does one need to be a subject matter expert in the new field?
There is much opportunity to learn in this space! We recommend diving in headfirst and see what you can absorb. As we mentioned in the webinar, people are always open to connecting and sharing knowledge — take advantage of that. Start here.

Looking to combine my clinical nursing knowledge with climate change/environmental justice. Are all climate jobs technical? Can candidates with a clinical background breakthrough?
Unfortunately, this question is a bit out of our expertise and wheelhouse. We recommend looking into Browning The Green Space and the All We Can Save Project — these are some stellar organizations that would be a good resource for investigating EJ.

Any advice for former management consultants? Trying to figure out where my strategic skillset and lack of subject matter expertise can be useful.
Yes. Many management consulting companies are building their ESG practices now. We are working with one of the Big 5 consulting firms and they are looking for consultants interested in learning and building their careers in ESG. At least the one firm we are representing is not looking for prior experience in ESG. We encourage you to submit your resume and to check out our Job Board for opportunities in this space.

What if you’re useless except artistically? There have to be jobs in creative persuasion maybe? Outreach to the public or lawmakers?
There is 100% a place for artists in the climate movement. We recommend checking out Nicole Kelner. She’s a great example of someone who uses her art to make a difference in the climate space.

What books and podcasts can you recommend?
Climate People has laid out all of our favorite books and podcasts here.