Employment & Volunteer Opportunities

We are hiring for two full-time staff positions: Director of Development, and the Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship. We are also seeking two volunteer environmental science interns and a variety of other volunteer roles. See details below. Listings will be taken down promptly when filled.

Join the NepRWA team and help make a difference in your community!

Employment Opportunities

Neponset Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship, Full-time

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 for a recent graduate to gain intensive hands-on experience working with a well-respected regional nonprofit.

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 Natural Resource Specialist.

The Fellow’s primary responsibility will include day-to-day supervision of the Association’s volunteer-based water quality monitoring program.  Key elements of this experience include planning and participating in water quality monitoring events, managing the water quality monitoring database, and submission of water quality data to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection for use in Clean Water Act regulation.  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.

Another core responsibility will be a leadership role in organizing spring and fall river-cleanup events. The final core responsibly includes participation in our school education programs.  The Fellow will visit (remotely or in-person depending on COVID-19 status) public schools to teach students about stormwater and/or water conservation in 4th and 5th-grade classes, and possibly middle and high school classes.

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 projects, 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 to June 30). While COVID persists, work will be conducted primarily remotely or appropriately distanced in the field, though we expect more traditional office operations to resume at some point during the Fellowship. 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.

Applicants should have excellent written, telephone, and interpersonal communication skills, and should enjoy working with a diverse collection of volunteer personalities. They must have a demonstrated ability to plan and implement projects in a fast-paced environment, working both independently and as part of a team. Applicants must be comfortable working outdoors, in poor weather, on uneven ground, and in a canoe, and must have their own transportation.  Attention to detail is critical for all data related activities and experience with ArcGIS and data analysis will be helpful.

Applicants should have an interest in youth education and the charismatic persona necessary to engage and motivate young people. Experience teaching or volunteering with grade school students is a plus.

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 mid-March. We hope to make a final hiring decision by early May and to have the new fellow start work in June 2021.

Send applications to Jennifer Rogers, River Restoration Director, at rogers@neponset.org

Director of Development, Full-time Staff Position

The Association seeks an energetic, goal-oriented Director of Development who will be responsible for the design and implementation of the Association’s development strategy. As a key member of a tight-knit team, the Director of Development will lead fundraising initiatives aimed at generating 40% or more of the organization’s $760,000 annual operating budget and growing our reach, with a focus on major donors, memberships, and sponsorships.

The Director will play an integral role engaging board members and staff in fundraising efforts as well as collaborating with the Education and Outreach Director on communications to promote awareness, engagement, and support from donors. This position reports to the Executive Director.

Key Responsibilities

  • Monitor and maintain the Association’s new development plan and coordinate development efforts by the Executive Director, key staff, Board and others.
  • Plan and lead efforts to identify, cultivate and solicit major gifts from new and existing major donors with the Executive Director and key Board Members.
  • Plan, design and execute annual giving and membership appeals using direct mail, email and social media.
  • Cultivate and renew existing corporate membership and special event sponsors, and work with Board and staff to recruit new sources of corporate support.
  • Establish performance measures, monitor progress toward goals, and evaluate the
    effectiveness of the organization’s development program.
  • Supervise the maintenance of donor records by the Office Manager and help plan and evaluate potential migration to a new CRM system.
  • Plan small donor cultivation events throughout the year and leverage existing
    Association community and recreation events to identify new prospects, engage donors, and advance development goals.
  • Manage the Development Committee and help to actively engage them as effective partners in fundraising and member recruitment.
  • Work collaboratively with the Outreach and Education Director on communications
    that will advance development goals.
  • Develop systems/procedures for data management and all fundraising programs (memberships, annual, major and planned giving).
  • On a very limited basis, provide occasional grant writing and events support.

Hours, Schedule, and Compensation

This is a full-time position with a competitive salary commensurate with experience. Benefits include paid vacation, holidays, sick time and health insurance. Schedule is flexible but requires some evening and occasional weekend work. Staff are working remotely during COVID, but we anticipate that the office will resume more normal operations later this year, at which point we will reassess our work from home policy. We anticipate there will be an opportunity to work from home on a part-time basis.

Required Skills and Experience

  • As the only development professional working in a small shop, the successful applicant will be a development generalist with a strong foundation of experience in major donor cultivation and solicitation and annual appeal management. Specific skills needed for success include:
  • Seven to ten years of experience demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility across a variety of development disciplines with emphasis on major donors and annual appeal.
  • Very strong writing skills and the ability to help the Association tailor its written communications (print, web and social) for maximum impact.
  • Very strong interpersonal communication skills including the ability to effectively represent the Association’s value in conversation with donors and the general public, and a comfort level with face-to-face solicitation individually and as a part of a team.
  • Ability to serve as a trusted strategist and translate strategies into actionable workplans that prioritize limited resources and orchestrate the roles of multiple staff and volunteers.
  • Strong project management skills including ability to monitor progress against a workplan and manage and motivate multiple project participants.
  • Strong computer and technology skills including the ability to determine the best approaches to analyze and segment giving data, and leverage that data through creation of segmented mail, email and social media campaigns.
    A personal passion for conservation work is a must.
  • EEO/AA employer. Applications from people of diverse backgrounds are encouraged.

Application Procedure
To apply, send a resume, along with a cover letter explaining how the position would complement your career goals and how your talents and experience would help advance the Association’s efforts.
Resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. The most recent posting will be maintained at www.neponset.org/about/employment and will be removed promptly once the position is filled. Direct responses to our search firm c/o Laura Ewing-Mahoney, Sage Advancement Group, via email to: info@sageadvancement.com. No phone calls please.

Volunteer Internship Opportunities

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

The Neponset River Watershed Association is looking for two enthusiastic volunteer interns, late spring through summer of 2021, with an interest in 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 field work, lab work, and project management.

The interns will help with all aspects of our volunteer water quality monitoring programs  and our brook trout habitat suitability project. This work will provide the interns experience with preparing sampling materials and supplies, field work, data management, laboratory sample analysis, and volunteer coordination. The interns will also assist with planning and coordination for the 2021 Fall Neponset River Cleanup.

The interns will have an opportunity to conduct research to produce a report detailing the ecology of riparian habitats in the Neponset River Watershed and the history of stream alteration and pollution, which will be used in prioritizing future restoration projects.

Finally, the interns will gain valuable experience in helping to design a field sampling protocol for a bioassessment program in the watershed.

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 the status of COVID-19, all research related activities will likely be completed remotely with daily ‘check-in’ Zoom meetings with the supervisor.  Field activities and ‘in office’ tasks will be completed with proper social distance guidelines.

When
The interns will each be responsible for a minimum 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 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.

Skills and Special Requirements

  • The interns should be undergraduate or master’s students pursuing degrees in related fields.
  • Experience with water quality sampling is desired.
  • Familiarity with laboratory analysis techniques is desirable but not required.
  • Self-motivation, reliability, the ability to work independently, and the ability to follow specific sampling and safety protocols are all critical.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential and the ability to engage racially, ethnically and socioeconomically diverse community members is a plus.
  • 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 are both required.

To Apply
To apply, please send an email describing why you are interested in the position with a copy of your resume to Jennifer Rogers, River Restoration Director, at rogers@neponset.org

Part-time Summer Greenway and River Access Internship

The Neponset River Watershed Association is looking for an enthusiastic intern from late spring through summer of 2021, with an interest in urban river revitalization and community engagement. The intern will work in close collaboration with the Association’s Greenway and Natural Resource Specialist, Executive Director, and community volunteers.

The intern will help map out possible routes to extend the Neponset River Greenway Trail to connect with regional trail networks. The intern will also assist in the organization of volunteer events and public programming aimed at helping to improve riverfront and parkland access around the Neponset Watershed and Neponset Greenway. Depending on the intern’s skills and interests, they may also work to develop a crowd-sourced interactive map of maintenance needs along the Neponset Greenway Trail.

This work will provide the intern experience with GIS mapping software, access improvement initiatives, 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 watershed. Depending on the status of COVID-19, all research related activities will likely be completed remotely with daily ‘check-in’ Zoom meetings with the supervisor.  Field activities and ‘in office’ tasks will be completed with proper social distance guidelines.

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.

Skills and Special Requirements

  • The intern should be an undergraduate or master’s student pursuing degrees in geography, environmental policy, public health, urban planning, or related fields.
  • Experience with mapping software (ARCGIS) is desired.
  • Experience with managing volunteers.
  • Self-motivation, reliability, the ability to work independently, and the ability to communicate effectively over email.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential and 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 and having periodic access to your own transportation are both required.

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

Volunteer Positions

Water Samplers Needed, May – Oct 2021

Join the Citizen Water Monitoring Network (CWMN) Team! Volunteers are needed annually to collect water quality samples at various sites throughout the watershed, as part of the CWMN program. Sampling occurs once a month, on the second Thursday, from May through Oct. Training is provided.

We always need backup or fill-in volunteers to sample on days when our regular volunteers aren’t able to.

If you or anyone you know might be interested in helping us out, please email Declan Devine at devine@neponset.org.

Learn more about the CWMN Program.

 

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 photo’s of sites around the watershed for use in publications
  • survey dams and culverts
  • assist with office projects

Click here to register as a volunteer or email our Volunteer Coordinator, Andres Ripley, at ripley@neponset.org

volunteer-group-photo-for-web

Descriptions of Volunteer Opportunities

Citizen Water Monitoring Network

The Citizen Water Monitoring Network (“CWMN” – pronounced “swimmin”) is a volunteer-based monitoring program that assesses water quality in Neponset waterways. Each year, roughly 50 volunteers take water samples, monitor dissolved oxygen levels, and transport samples from 41 locations around the watershed, six times throughout the spring, summer and fall.

For the monitoring season, we seek volunteers to fill the following CWMN positions:

  • water samplers
  • dissolved oxygen samplers
  • sample coordinators
  • sample transporters

Each position plays a vital role in helping the Watershed Association to monitor water quality throughout the watershed. In addition to filling those positions, we also seek “Fill-In Samplers” whose duty it is to help cover sampling locations when a station’s regular volunteer is unable to sample. We provide training and equipment, and you provide a few hours of your time. The result is a comprehensive look at water quality around the Neponset River Watershed, which helps the Watershed Association to monitor the river and prioritize clean-up and restoration efforts

Photographers

We are looking for folks who like to take photos! We could use pictures of beautiful landscapes, wildlife, watershed association events, and even pollution, flooding, and drought. Most of all we need pictures of people (and faces) who are out enjoying or working on the watershed.

Please keep photographs focused on the geographic area of the watershed, which includes Canton, Dedham, Dorchester, Dover, Foxborough, Hyde Park, Mattapan, Medfield, Milton, Norwood, Randolph, Quincy, Sharon, Stoughton, Walpole, and Westwood.

To email photos:

Share photos via social media @neprwa:

Advocate for Watershed Protection

Advocate for watershed protection! Join the watershed association’s e-mail list to receive advocacy updates, and then act according to your own schedule.

“On-Call” Helpers

These volunteers have their names added to the “on-call” volunteer email list and agree to “help when they can” with short-term group efforts to prepare mailings, provide an extra set of hands on the day of a special event, or assist with other miscellaneous tasks as they come up.

The location varies depending on the need – e.g., sometimes at the office and sometimes at a special event location. Time and schedule also depend on need. Generally, short-term projects are 1 to 2 hours in duration. Commitment is determined by the volunteer.

Volunteer today!