Local recruitment: Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship Neponset River Watershed Association

Local recruitment: Environmental Science and Engineering Fellowship Neponset River Watershed Association

Canton, MA, USA 🇺🇸

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 Environmental Scientist.

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 responsibility 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). As the COVID pandemic persists, work will be conducted in accordance with state and local health recommendations. This includes a hybrid work model (office and remote work) and appropriately distancing 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.

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.

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 early May. We hope to make a final hiring decision by mid-May and to have the new fellow start work in June 2022.

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

Link to apply: https://www.neponset.org/about/employment/