Megafire Action California Policy Advisor Remote · Full time Company website

Apply for California Policy Advisor

We are a startup nonprofit organization dedicated solely to developing and securing policy solutions to the megafire crisis. The scale and intensity of modern wildfires, especially megafires, demand an urgent and coordinated policy response. To meet this challenge, we advocate for reform at the national and state level, with a special focus on landscape management, community resilience and better use of innovative technology solutions.

Role Overview

Megafire Action is seeking a California Policy Advisor to help shape and execute a long-term policy strategy for wildfire innovation and resilience in California.

An individual who is creative, thinks in systems, understands, and is motivated by outcomes will thrive in this role. The ideal candidate is analytically rigorous, an excellent writer, politically aware, and comfortable operating at the intersection of technology, finance, science, and government.

Why This Role Matters

California will determine whether wildfire policy evolves to meet the scale of the crisis. This role is about building the policy capacity and architecture that allows innovation, capital, and implementation to align over time—not just in the next legislative session, but over the next decade.

Core Policy Focus Areas

The California Policy Advisor, Wildfire Innovation & Resilience, will contribute to wildfire innovation and deployment and may contribute to other areas, including:

• Wildfire Innovation & Deployment Policy
  • Policies that enable testing, adoption, and scaling of wildfire mitigation and response solutions, monitoring the California and Federal landscape
  • Removing structural and regulatory barriers that slow innovation
  • Aligning incentives across state agencies, local governments, and private actors
• Making the case for robust funding
• Built Environment & Community Resilience
  • Strategies to improve the “customer journey” of home hardening
    • Education and marketing
    • Incentives
    • Ease of purchase, financial affordability
    • Network effects to harden millions of homes and communities
• Technical standards, codes, and implementation pathways
• Insurance, Risk, and Capital
  • The interaction between wildfire risk, insurance markets, and public finance
  • Policy approaches that address mis-priced risk and systemic exposure
• Opportunities to unlock public and private capital for resilience investments
• Infrastructure & Utility Resilience
  • Policies that reduce ignition risk and improve system reliability
• Governance and accountability structures that support long-term risk reduction
• Cross-Sector Coordination
  • Bridging state policy with federal programs, research institutions, and private sector efforts; particularly non-traditional partners.

Primary Responsibilities

Policy Design & Analysis

• Work with wildfire innovators and technologists on passing and implementing the Fire Innovation Unit
• Research and analyze California wildfire policy, legislation, and regulatory frameworks
• Develop policy proposals, white papers, memos, and briefings in line with Megafire Action’s theory of change
• Identify high-leverage policy mechanisms that deliver durable outcomes over time
• Track legislative and executive developments and assess political feasibility

Advocacy & Government Engagement

• Represent Megafire Action in Sacramento with legislators, staff, agencies, and stakeholders
• Support lobbying strategy and execution
• Prepare hearing materials, testimony support, and legislative briefings
• Build trust-based relationships across the policy ecosystem, particularly the tech and private sectors

Systems & Strategy Development

• Contribute to long-term policy roadmaps for wildfire resilience and innovation
• Evaluate how policies interact across housing, insurance, infrastructure, and finance
• Help leadership prioritize where to focus limited political and organizational capacity

Coalitions & Partnerships

• Coordinate with advocacy partners, technical experts, researchers, and practitioners
• Support coalition-building around shared policy goals
• Translate complex technical and financial concepts into policy-relevant language

Internal Execution

• Take ownership of defined workstreams and deliver clear outputs
• Provide concise updates, recommendations, and analysis to leadership
• Represent Megafire Action effectively and independently in external forums

What We’re Looking For

Core Qualifications

• Experience in policy, legislative affairs, advocacy, or government; 2+ years of experience in a policy-building or wildfire technology role
• Strong political judgment and “antenna” for what matters in practice
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience crafting persuasive campaigns
• Proven ability to secure media coverage and manage press relationships
• Familiarity with public policy, advocacy, and legislative processes.
• Ability to simplify complex policy issues into compelling, accessible narratives

Preferred / Bonus Experience

• Exposure to wildfire, climate risk, emergency management, or resilience policy
• Experience working with legislatures, executive agencies, or regulatory bodies
• Familiarity with technical, scientific, legal, financial, or infrastructure-related policy areas
• Working on wildfire/wildfire risk for a utility or insurer
• Comfort engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, from scientists to institutional investors

Details:

• Hours: This position is a full-time, remote, salaried position
• Location: Remote/Telecommute in/near Sacramento, CA
• Reports to: California Director
• Paid leave: Flexible PTO
• Healthcare and lifestyle stipends
• Retirement benefits
• Modest discretionary budget to support research, travel, and stakeholder engagement
• The California Advisor position is funded for two years

What makes candidates stand out:

• Strong interest in public policy, and legislative advocacy
• Demonstrated ability to engage in systems thinking t the intersection of technology, finance, science, and government
• An outcomes-driven approach
• Excellent synthesis and communication skills (writing and verbal)
• Familiarity with legislative processes, policymaking and politics.
• Ability to be a self-starter and work independently to manage multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment
• A healthy skepticism of the status quo and a drive to make a public case for systemic change
• Knowing when to ask for help – A willingness to learn and adapt to changing organizational needs and opportunities

Megafire Action is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

At Megafire Action, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team. We believe that individuals from all backgrounds, especially those from communities disproportionately affected by wildfires and environmental challenges, bring unique perspectives and experiences that are invaluable to our mission. We strongly encourage you to apply and be a part of our inclusive community.