Policy Analyst

About the role

The Policy Analyst will support the development and advancement of land and water policies that strengthen water policy, agricultural systems, and improve the stewardship of public lands. This role focuses on how policy, data, and management practices intersect to drive more sustainable, productive, and equitable outcomes across working lands and publicly managed landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Research policies affecting agricultural water and land use, water management, and the stewardship of public lands.
• Analyze intersections between land policy, agricultural production, water allocation, conservation programs, and land use planning.
• Assess how data (e.g., water use, soil health, crop systems) can inform better policy and land management outcomes.
• Contribute to projects that link agricultural water use with broader land and water policy outcomes.
• Assist in designing pilot programs that integrate data-driven approaches into land and water policies, agricultural policy, and public lands policy.
• Engage with farmers, ranchers, public land managers, policymakers, water agencies, and other researchers.
• Support convenings, workshops, and collaborative efforts across agriculture and public lands communities.
• Help build partnerships that align agricultural productivity with conservation and public land stewardship goals.
• Contribute to thought leadership on agriculture, public lands, and land and water policy innovation.
• Translate technical and policy concepts into clear, accessible insights for decision makers.
• Perform other ad hoc tasks as requested.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience working on land or water policy and management or related fields.
• Undergraduate degree in public policy, environmental science, natural resources, urban planning, or a related field; or equivalent experience.
• Demonstrated ability to contribute to advancing water policy and land use integration.
• Demonstrated outstanding writing, research, and presentation skills.
• Highly organized with strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Sensitivity to the needs of practitioners, researchers, government agencies, public and elected officials, nongovernmental organizations, and private sector interests.
• Ability to discern and communicate important knowledge in useful formats.
• Self-starter who can work independently and still coordinate with multiple teams.
• To prioritize, multi-task, and focus on delivering results.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in basic office software (e.g., Office, SharePoint, Asana, etc.).