March 2023–

Fellowship Opportunity

Neponset Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship

The Neponset River Watershed Association is seeking applications for the Neponset Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship. This is a 13-month full-time position that provides the opportunity to gain intensive hands-on experience working with a well-respected regional nonprofit. This opportunity is ideal for a recent college graduate in environmental science, natural resources, or related fields.

The Fellowship is intended to provide broad exposure to the full range of science, education, outreach, and community organizing functions involved in watershed management. The Fellow will work closely with the Association’s River Restoration Director, Executive Director, Outreach Director, and Environmental Scientist.

The Fellow’s primary responsibilities will include day-to-day supervision of the Association’s volunteer-based Community Water Monitoring Network (CWMN) program, organization of the Association’s spring and fall river cleanup events, and participation in our ongoing school education programs.

Key elements of the Fellow’s oversight of the CWMN program include:

Planning and participating in water quality monitoring events.
Managing the water quality monitoring database.
Submitting water quality data to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for use in Clean Water Act regulation activities.

This combination of tasks will provide the Fellow with experiences all the way from collecting and managing raw field data, through data preparation and submission for use in environmental policy.

The Fellow will visit (remotely or in person depending on COVID-19 status) public schools to teach students about stormwater and water conservation in 4th and 5th-grade classes. The Fellow may also participate in educational experiences with middle and high school students as part of other watershed projects.

The Fellow will play a supporting role in other projects including our hotspot monitoring program, bacteria monitoring program, and stream habitat restoration projects. In these tasks, work may include time in the field, in our lab, or time at a computer.

Other skills the Fellow will gain from this experience include public speaking, grant writing, preparing comments on a development or permitting issue, and management of professional social medial accounts.

Schedule and Compensation

This is a full-time position that runs for 13 months (ideally June 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024). As the COVID pandemic persists, work will be conducted in accordance with state and local health recommendations including a hybrid model (in-office and remote work) or appropriately distanced in the field.

Compensation includes a salary of $33,800 per year, health insurance, and paid time-off benefits. The position requires occasional early morning sampling and evening or weekend events.

Qualifications
The Fellowship is open to applicants who have recently received a master’s or bachelor’s degree in watershed management, environmental science, civil/environmental engineering, or a related field, and who are interested in a natural resource protection career.

Required:

Excellent written, telephone, and interpersonal communication skills.
Self-motivation, reliability, the ability to work independently, and the ability to follow
specific sampling and safety protocols.
The ability to engage racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse community
members and volunteers.
Interest in youth education and the charismatic persona necessary to engage and
motivate young people.
Experience in environmental data analysis and explaining scientific results to non-
scientists.
Demonstrated experience in organizing, planning, and implementing projects in a fast-
paced environment, working both independently and as part of a team.
Comfortable working in the field on uneven or muddy terrain and under adverse weather
conditions (rain, cool mornings, hot afternoons, etc.).
A personal vehicle for transportation to and from remote sites and school visits.

Preferred:

Experience with water quality sampling.
Experience with ArcGIS and/or RStudio.
Familiarity with laboratory analysis techniques.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Applications by minority candidates, candidates interested in a career in the nonprofit sector, and residents of the 14 Neponset Watershed communities are particularly encouraged. We are an equal opportunity affirmative action employer.

Application Procedure
Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter via email. In the cover letter, please describe your interest in the position, relevant academic and/or work experience, and how a one-year fellowship would fit into your overall career goals.

We recommend submitting application materials by end of April. We hope to make a final hiring decision by mid-May and to have the new fellow start work in June 2023.

Send applications to Sean McCanty, River Restoration Director, at mccanty@neponset.org

Part-time Summer Water Quality and Ecology Internships (2 positions)

Opportunity Description

The Neponset River Watershed Association is looking for TWO enthusiastic interns, late spring through summer of 2023, with an interest in community engagement, particularly in communities of color, watershed sciences, water quality, and/or freshwater ecology. The interns will work in close collaboration with the Association’s River Restoration Director, Environmental Science Fellow, Executive Director, and community volunteers and will receive hands-on experience with environmental science fieldwork, lab work, and computer analysis.

The interns will help with all aspects of our volunteer water quality monitoring programs and other habitat restoration work in streams or the salt marsh. This work will provide the interns with experience in preparing sampling materials and supplies, fieldwork, data management, laboratory sample analysis, and volunteer/high school student coordination. The interns will also assist with planning and coordination for the 2023 Fall Neponset River Cleanup.

The interns will have an opportunity to work on tasks in digital mapping and statistical analysis (specifically tools like ArcGIS and/or RStudio), depending on interest, to further develop these skills. Finally, the interns may have the opportunity to work in more detail on a project for water quality analysis or climate change outreach depending on interest.

This is an unpaid internship, but funding opportunities for working with non-profits may exist for undergraduate students, and the Association is happy to help secure those stipends. Additionally, the Association is able to provide a transportation stipend of $500 for the summer.

Where

Typically, work occurs at the Neponset River Watershed Association office (2173 Washington Street Canton, Massachusetts, 02021) and in the field throughout the watershed. Depending on work tasks, remote days are possible with daily ‘check-in’ Zoom meetings with the supervisor. Field activities and ‘in-office’ tasks will be completed following proper health guidelines.

When

The intern will be responsible for a maximum of 20 hours weekly depending on availability, interest, and other commitments. Help can begin as early as May and last through October and we request a minimum commitment of 10 hours per week for approximately 10 weeks. The hours are flexible and can be determined in advance of each week, though field days will be planned further in advance. Work occurs primarily during normal business hours (8:30 am-5 pm), with occasional early morning or evening activities.

Qualifications:

Required:

Self-motivation, reliability, the ability to work independently, and the ability to follow specific sampling and safety protocols are all critical.
The ability to engage racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse community members.
Interns should enjoy working in the field on uneven or muddy terrain and under adverse weather conditions (rain, cool mornings, hot afternoons, etc.).
Basic computer skills and having your own transportation to the NepRWA office are both required.

Preferred:

Undergraduate or master’s students pursuing degrees in related fields or equivalent educational experience.
Experience with water quality sampling.
Experience with ArcGIS or RStudio.
Familiarity with laboratory analysis techniques.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

To Apply

To apply, please send an email describing why you are interested in the position with a copy of your resume to Sean McCanty, mccanty@neponset.org

We recommend submitting application materials by end of April.

Part-time Summer Greenway and River Access Internship

The Neponset River Watershed Association is looking for an enthusiastic Greenway intern from late spring through the summer of 2023, with an interest in urban planning and community engagement, particularly in communities of color. The intern will work in close collaboration with the Association’s Greenway Coordinator, Executive Director, and community volunteers. This is a paid position.

The intern will help plan and manage programming events along the Greenway Corridor to help improve community relations with the Neponset River and its green spaces. The intern will also assist in park revitalization projects aimed at helping to improve riverfront and parkland access around the Neponset Watershed and help organize volunteer opportunities in these parkland spaces. The intern may use digital mapping (GIS) to look at various extension opportunities for greater trail connectivity to regional trail networks and to assist in leading meetings to collect public input on trail extension options.

Furthermore, the intern will engage with Environmental Justice communities through park improvement projects and event planning. The intern will gain experience with coordinating volunteers and learn about the daily functions of an environmental non-profit.

Finally, this work will provide the intern with experience in community engagement, access improvement initiatives, GIS mapping software, and volunteer coordination.

Where

Typically, work occurs at the Neponset River Watershed Association office (2173 Washington Street Canton, Massachusetts, 02021) and in the field throughout the Lower Neponset River in Dorchester, Quincy, Mattapan, Milton, and Hyde Park. There will be a mix of working remotely with daily ‘check-in’ Zoom meetings, meetings in the field at project sites, and ‘in-office’ meet-ups.

When

The intern will be responsible for a minimum of 16 hours weekly depending on availability, interest, and other commitments. Help can begin as early as May and last through October and we request a minimum commitment of 10 weeks. The hours are flexible and can be determined at the end of each week for the following week, though field days will be planned in advance. Work occurs primarily during normal business hours, with occasional early morning, evening, or weekend activities or meetings.

Qualifications:

Required:

Self-motivation, reliability, and the ability to work independently.
The ability to engage racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse community members.
The intern should enjoy working in the field on uneven or muddy terrain and under adverse weather conditions (rain, cool mornings, hot afternoons, etc.).
Basic computer skills are required.

Preferred:

An undergraduate or master’s student pursuing degrees in geography, environmental policy, public health, urban planning, or related fields.
Experience with managing volunteers.
Experience with mapping software (ARCGIS).
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.

To Apply

To apply, please send an email describing why you are interested in the position with a copy of your resume to Andres Ripley, ripley@neponset.org

We recommend submitting application materials by end of April.

Click here for the latest volunteer positions.

We have many additional volunteer opportunities throughout the year, so be sure to sign up for our emails to stay up to date.

As a volunteer, you might:

sample water at streams around the watershed
work with other volunteers on a river cleanup
staff an event table on behalf of the Watershed Association
take photos of sites around the watershed for use in publications
survey dams and culverts
advocate for watershed protection
assist with office projects

For general questions about volunteering, please email NepRWA Environmental Scientist, Declan Devine, at devine@neponset.org

Corporate Volunteer Program

NepRWA offers rewarding, team-building, and community service opportunities for local businesses or corporations in the Neponset River Watershed. Click here for more information.

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