Sustainable Housing Specialist - AmeriCorps Member

Position Title: Sustainable Housing Specialist
Dates: March 10 - July 25, 2025 (5 months / 675 hours)
Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00 am - 4:00 pm; 20 weeks
Total Living Allowance: $8,100.00 (pre-tax, paid bi-weekly)
Segal Education Award: $2,817.14 upon successful completion of AmeriCorps service term

Program Overview
The Sustainability Institute (SI)’s Environmental Conservation Corps: Weatherization Crew (ECC) is an AmeriCorps-accredited (through The Corps Network) workforce development and service-learning program based out of North Charleston, SC. This program is intended for individuals interested in or pursuing careers in conservation and sustainability fields. Through this program, participants can expect to gain desirable field skills and training while addressing coastal resilience and energy efficiency needs in the Lowcountry region. Projects include performing residential energy audits, installing weatherization measures, leading community energy conservation workshops, conducting neighborhood surveys, and more!

AmeriCorps Member Position Overview
Members will engage in weatherization activities that take place at residential homes in Charleston, Berkeley, Horry, and Georgetown counties. This includes but is not limited to, activities such as installing energy efficiency upgrades in homes; assisting with energy audit data collection; receiving knowledge on Building Science and energy efficiency construction practices; assisting homeowners on energy conservation practices through workshops; energy audit data entry; and community surveying. Members may also engage in environmental restoration activities taking place in coastal environments with teams of other AmeriCorps members.

Impact to Community Served
AmeriCorps members serve to foster healthier, more resilient, and equitable communities through our weatherization and critical home repair programs. By ensuring safe and energy-efficient homes, we strengthen neighborhoods, support lasting affordability, and build a foundation for a sustainable future. Our goal is to create the next generation of conservation and sustainability leaders in our region.

Impact to Member Who Serves
Members participate in a diverse array of urgently needed and front-line conservation activities in communities and protected places across the Lowcountry region–all while learning new skills, building confidence and leadership, developing life-long relationships, and serving your community.

Through this program, Members gain:

• Training: Build knowledge and skills in a diversity of conservation and sustainability jobs
• Certifications: Receive professional certifications relevant to the field
• Compensation: Earn a living stipend (pre-tax, paid bi-weekly), and an end-of-service Segal Education Award after successful completion of the term
• Connections: Meet and work with a wide variety of governmental agencies and nonprofit organizations
• Teamwork: Experience working in a team of peers and within a nonprofit organization
• Leadership: Help lead critically important conservation projects to combat climate change

Essential Functions
Members will engage in service projects focused primarily on weatherization and community resiliency work, including, but not limited to, conducting residential energy audits, installing weatherization measures, leading community energy conservation workshops, and conducting neighborhood surveys, and more! Members may also engage in habitat restoration activities, including fabricating manufactured wire reefs, installing living shorelines, and planting marsh grass.

Weatherization and Community Resiliency Work (95%):

• Installing Weatherization Measures
  • Entering and maneuvering through attic and crawl spaces of residential homes to install energy-saving upgrades such as insulation, air seal applications, LED lights, weatherstripping and more.
• Energy Audits
  • Assist SI's certified Energy Auditor(s) in performing comprehensive energy audits of residential homes.
  • Assist in evaluating home energy consumption and identifying areas where energy efficiency improvements can be made.
  • Participate in home performance testing activities that include using diagnostic tools such as the Blower Door to measure air infiltration, Infrared Cameras to detect thermal leaks, and Duct blasters to assess the leakiness of central HVAC systems.
  • Participate in the assessment of insulation levels and installation quality, as well as the condition of windows, doors, appliances, and all systems of the house.
  • Assist with the completion of safety checks; conducting essential safety inspections before, during, and after weatherization activities to ensure that all work complies with safety standards and does not compromise the health of the home’s occupants.
• Household Education and Empowerment
  • Assist in conducting energy savings workshops with SI Staff to educate homeowners on energy saving practices and connect them to available resources.
  • Conduct discussions with homeowners to educate them on operating their weatherized home.
• Data Collection and Entry
  • Gather and record data from each energy audit and weatherization project to monitor the effectiveness of the program including documenting pre- and post-audit energy usage, recording specific energy-saving measures implemented, and tracking any changes in the home’s energy performance.
• Community Outreach
  • Participate in outreach efforts such as neighborhood surveying to engage with households in underserved communities, promoting the benefits of the weatherization program.

Environmental Conservation Work (5%):

• Join our ECC restoration crew in habitation conservation projects around the Lowcountry.

General Responsibilities:

• Adhere to rules of conduct and service expectations as detailed in the Member Handbook
• Uphold self-accountability by coming into the office prepared for the day
• Represent self and program well in front of partners, community members, etc.
• Maintain a positive and encouraging work environment for fellow crew Members
• Assist with upkeep of office interior and equipment storage and supply areas
• Maintain the SI vehicles, service trailer, and inventory of project equipment to ensure they remain “work-ready” and in good operation
• Participate in community outreach events
• Participate in all required trainings, days of service, and responsibilities toward projects and functions as directed by SI Staff
• Participation in September 11th Day of Remembrance and/or Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service events may occur on the weekend or during holidays and include activities outside of the scope of typical day-to-day functions.
• AmeriCorps members refrain from prohibited activities as enumerated by the federal AmeriCorps agency.
• AmeriCorps resources must not supplant, duplicate, nor displace.

Federal AmeriCorps Participant Minimum Eligibility Requirements

• Eligibility. An AmeriCorps participant must—
  • Be at least 17 years of age at the commencement of service
  • Have a high school diploma or its equivalent
  • Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States
  • Satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria

Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual Demands
Due to the conditions and scope of work performed by the Environmental Conservation Corps Weatherization team, members must be physically able to perform all program work, fully and equally, as other members. This includes but is not limited to:

• climbing,
• heavy lifting,
• bending,
• working from one’s knees or back,
• working in excessive hot, cold, or rainy conditions,
• accessing tighter spaces such as attic and crawl spaces,
• and/or other work components deemed necessary by SI staff

Evaluation and Reporting
The Sustainability Institute is committed to strong member development and includes in its plan a comprehensive set of resources offered to Members that are designed to ensure member retention, personal growth, and success. These include, but are not limited to, in-depth assessment of skills and interests upon arrival, a strong orientation, financial literacy training, cover letter/resume training, team-building activities, exposure to outside employment opportunities upon completion of service with the Program, and performance evaluations.

Performance evaluations are intended to be a mutual exchange of information that informs the program’s service delivery and helps the member successfully complete the term of service. The program will conduct and keep a record of at least a midterm and an end-of-term written evaluation of the member’s performance. At a minimum, the following factors will be evaluated.
 1. Whether the member has completed the required number of hours;
 2. Whether the member has satisfactorily completed assignments; and;
 3. Whether the member has met other performance criteria clearly articulated by the program at the start of the term; and;
 4. Other factors including but not limited to: professionalism, representation of self and team, punctuality,
 productivity, time management, dependability, accountability, communication, and conflict management.

Reporting Requirements
Each member is responsible for submitting their personalized timesheet to Program Staff at the end of every week. Please note: members cannot spend more than 20% of their time on indirect service activities such as education and/or training.

Nondiscrimination
This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.