Environmental Education Intern

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MobilizeGreen is an organization committed to diversity. Women, people of color, indigenous people, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, military veterans, and members of other historically disenfranchised groups are encouraged to apply.

MobilizeGreen is seeking a 40-week Environmental Education Intern to work on the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with the US Fish and Wildlife Service. As the Environmental Education Intern, you will assist the Refuge with many activities that both connect the local community and provide the candidate with prime career experience. Activities include but are not limited to: planning and presenting environmental education programs for a variety of audiences, leading guided walks for public audiences or school groups, using verbal and written communication to engage the local community, developing or revising lesson plans, designing flyers and providing social media content, and assisting in operation of a visitor center. You will gain training & certification to teach youth outdoor skills like fishing, archery, and kayaking. This experiential learning opportunity will be hands-on, engaging, and culturally relevant and will utilize resources in the local community and environment. 

The Environmental Education Intern will learn to develop and present environmental education programs both at our partner schools and in refuge classrooms, focusing attention on nearby nature & wildlife and the connections that exist between people and their environment. The FWS environmental education programs are aligned to state curriculum standards for audiences in Kindergarten through 8th grade. A majority of audiences you will engage with will be 4th grade students. As an Intern, you should expect to work closely with communities that environmental organizations have failed to previously engage and represent. In addition to engaging students from local schools in repeated programming, you should also expect to work within the local Southwest Philadelphia Community to engage and build trust with community members and leaders alike. The Intern will engage directly with audiences of all ages and backgrounds and work alongside a diverse team of staff and dedicated volunteers.

Refuge staff will provide ample training and development opportunities both internally and externally to support the selected candidate. Local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply, though all applications will be considered. Selected applicants should have strong communication skills, work well in a collaborative team setting, and have the ability to accept feedback gracefully and integrate it. This position requires work on occasional evenings and may include a shifted schedule to cover a weekend day.

• Term:  40 weeks, starting ASAP. Full-Time (40 hours per week).
• Duty Station: John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum, Philadelphia, PA
• Benefits:
  • $650 per week living allowance (stipend)
  • $1000 per month housing stipend 
  • Health insurance available
  • Mentorship for career and professional development
  • Hands-on learning and job training experience
  • Relocation stipend 

Duties and Responsibilities:

The duties of this position will support Refuge goals through presenting programs, fostering partnerships, co-teaching and leading:

• Prepare and present on-and off-site environmental education programs for a variety of audiences
• Develop and present interpretive programs like orientations and guided hikes for public audiences or school groups
• Learn to teach youth outdoor skills like fishing, archery, and kayaking
• Use verbal and written communication to engage the local community, develop or revise environmental education and interpretive materials, brochures, web content, exhibits and signs, draft a variety of written materials including news releases, articles, correspondence and event flyers, and assist in operation of a visitor center
• Engage directly with audiences of all ages and backgrounds and work alongside a diverse team of staff and dedicated volunteers.
• Support the implementation of curriculum through presenting programs, fostering partnerships, assisting in the planning of logistics, co-teaching and leading.

Work Environment:

Ability to work in varied outdoor conditions with occasional challenging activity in support of visitor service programming and environmental education. This may include being outdoors on hot or rainy days, leading hikes of ½ mile to 1 ½ mile distance, and lifting, storing, and transporting kayaks and archery equipment. Fieldwork and administrative work in an office required. Driving on and navigating refuge roads and hiking are required. Requires working throughout the day in high temperatures and exposed to the sun.

Experience and Qualifications:

• Interest in communications, education/environmental education, and community engagement
• Personable with strong written and oral communications skills in English
• Ability to work in varied outdoor conditions with occasional challenging activity in support of environmental education.
• Ability to work alone and in a group
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check is required  
• Ability to work on occasional evenings and may include a shifted schedule to cover a weekend day. 
• Must be a team player
• Valid driver’s license required

Competitive selection process, positions filled on a rolling basis.  We encourage you to apply ASAP.

For more information on MobilizeGreen go to: www.mobilizegreen.org