Volunteer role
Sustainable Technology Researcher, Building and Materials
Research and prototype low-impact building methods so Netism's gathering spaces can be built durably, affordably, and by ordinary hands.
The places where a community gathers shape the life that happens inside them. Netism’s spaces call for sustainable building that stays low in impact, holds up over decades, remains affordable, and can be replicated by people with basic hands-on skills. This role carries that work. Your study covers the materials and methods that make such building possible, and you translate what you find into designs and guidance that land and off-grid teams can actually use.
What you would do
- Research emerging sustainable building materials and methods.
- Evaluate structural integrity, cost, climate suitability, and ease of construction.
- Design prototypes for community-scale housing.
- Write technical reports and educational articles.
- Create YouTube videos on sustainable building.
- Collaborate with the off-grid and land teams.
What you bring
You bring a working knowledge of building science, materials, or sustainable design, along with the patience to test ideas against real constraints of cost, climate, and structural safety. You write and explain clearly, because much of this role turns findings into reports, articles, and videos that non-experts can follow. Working well alongside other stewards matters too, so that sharing what you learn with the land and off-grid teams turns the research into something built. A steady, ongoing commitment matters here, since sustainable building is studied and refined over time.
How to express interest
This is volunteer stewardship of the tradition. Netism is a nonprofit spiritual organization, no one here draws a salary, and all role-related expenses are covered. Your time creates real change in real lives, in the work of shifting how humanity relates to itself, to the earth, and to the sacred.
If this calls to you, tell us through the collaborator application.