BEAM Circular is unlocking the power of communities to transform waste into opportunity by building a vibrant regional ecosystem for the circular bioeconomy in California's agricultural heartland. The Economic Development Fellow plays a key role in advancing the North San Joaquin Valley's position as a competitive hub for bio-manufacturing and circular bioeconomy investment, supporting efforts to identify, assess, and advance regional development opportunities.
Responsibilities
- Site Identification & Evaluation
- Zoning Deep Dive: Conduct a comprehensive regional "deep dive" into existing zoning designations across the NSJV to identify where bio-industrial uses are currently permitted vs. where amendments are needed
- Inventory Management: Develop and maintain a comprehensive regional inventory of industrial and manufacturing sites aligned with bio-manufacturing requirements
- Readiness Assessments: Conduct site readiness assessments including zoning, land-use constraints, environmental review status, ownership, and entitlement pathways
- Infrastructure Assessments: Assess infrastructure capacity—including power, water, wastewater, natural gas, broadband, road networks, and rail access—to identify priority investment areas
- Regional Readiness & Project Advancement
- Barrier Mitigation: Recommend strategies to address barriers to industrial development, including entitlement delays and infrastructure constraints
- Funding Identification: Track and identify suitable state and federal funding opportunities (EDA, DOE, USDA, GO-Biz, etc.) to support site-readiness
- Technical Coordination: Coordinate feasibility studies and technical evaluations to strengthen the marketability of priority sites
- Market Intelligence & Strategy
- Company Profiling: Profile bio-economy companies by type and activities (e.g., fermentation, feedstock processing) to define their specific zoning and utility needs
- Competitive Benchmarking: Track industry trends and investment flows to identify how the NSJV compares to peer regions
- Briefing & Advocacy: Prepare briefing materials and pitch decks for investors, developers, and government partners
- Stakeholder Engagement & Convening
- Task Force Facilitation: Support the VP of Business & Economic Development in facilitating a regional bio-manufacturing task force uniting cities, counties, and utilities
Skills
- Strong analytical skills and comfort navigating land use, zoning, infrastructure, and site selection processes
- Excellent facilitation, communication, and relationship-management abilities
- Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable insights
- Strong writing and presentation skills with the ability to engage diverse audiences
- Entrepreneurial, solutions-oriented, and capable of operating in dynamic environments
- Deep commitment to inclusive economic growth and community engagement
Company Overview
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