Community Outreach and Water Quality Intern
Position Description:
We are excited to host a Community Outreach and Water Quality Intern through the Non-Profit Internship Program, funded in part by Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation.This intern will work with both our French Broad Riverkeeper team on water quality projects and also our Community Engagement Manager on outreach, education and advocacy campaign efforts. For the water quality portion of the position, this intern will help facilitate our summer water quality programs, both aimed at tracking sources of bacteria pollution in the river. Our intent with these programs is twofold— 1). to alert the public of high E. coli levels to ensure safe water for safe recreation, and 2) pinpointing sewer/septic leaks and agricultural runoff problems in order to get them fixed. This position will be coordinating water sampling volunteers, taking water samples, performing lab and field work, managing data, conducting research, and distributing and disseminating results to the public.
When not working with our water quality team, this position will support our Community Engagement Manager with outreach events, educational programs and/or advocacy campaigns. This work could include promoting events on social media, helping coordinate volunteer work days, preparing materials for educational displays, managing information in our advocacy database, and other tasks that help us communicate with the public about the environmental threats our region faces and our plans to respond to those threats.
Preferred skills:
- Positive attitude;
- Comfortable with a changing schedule as needed per weather and other factors;
- Attention to detail;
- Eager to learn;
- Skilled in communications;
- Ideally with experience writing press releases or other written pieces for the public to read;
- Ideally some background in water quality monitoring, but not required
Suggested Major or Degree: For the water quality work majors in the sciences such as chemistry or biology would be helpful or environmental science broadly. Though majors in policy, marketing, or communications would be helpful for the community outreach work, so we are flexible.
How to apply: Eligible candidates must be a North Carolina native/resident at a four-year college or university outside of the state, OR a rising sophomore, junior, or senior enrolled full-time in a four-year college or university within North Carolina, AND Pell grant-eligible in the academic year in which they apply for NPIP.
The application is due February 10, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. (noon).
To apply, fill out the application form and include required documents including a copy of your Student Aid Report and your resume. You can access the application form here or visit: https://bit.ly/3aeBdBL
Stipend: $3,200