[Hiring] Water Quality Public Education, Outreach, and Involvement Internship @City of Raleigh North Carolina

Role Description

The Water Quality Section of Raleigh Stormwater is seeking qualified internship candidates interested in water quality, stormwater management, environmental education, and community outreach. This position will work alongside Water Quality section staff and will support efforts both in the office and in the field related to stormwater pollution prevention, watershed restoration, and water quality research. This is a time limited part-time job opportunity that is term limited to 16 weeks and not to exceed 250 hours. This position will report to Stormwater’s Community Engagement Analyst and will support a variety of public programming opportunities. Events and outreach may require occasional evening and weekend work.

Raleigh Stormwater’s Water Quality Section leads initiatives to help prevent stormwater pollution through public education and outreach, as well as initiatives that involve the public in the development and implementation of water quality protection and improvement programs. These public involvement and education and outreach programs are required for regulatory compliance and are part of Raleigh’s Stormwater Management Plan. Activities included in these programs include:

• Educating the public through presentations and school visits
• Writing and designing informational materials based on target pollutants, sources, and audiences
• Coordinating volunteer events such as stream clean-ups and storm drain markings
• Tracking, assessing, and reporting on these program activities

In addition to leading regulatory compliance programs, the Section also helps to implement City strategic initiatives related to Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI). GSI refers to a natural or nature-based system that helps to manage and clean stormwater runoff through temporary storage and infiltration into the ground. GSI Initiatives include:

• Raleigh Rainwater Rewards program
• Growing More than Rain Gardens Apprenticeship program
• GSI Visual Monitoring program
• Various capital improvement projects led by the Section

Activities included in these programs may include:

• Presenting at Rain Garden and Rain Barrel workshops
• Drafting and testing lesson plans that introduce K-12 students to GSI
• Collaborating with City departments and community partners to enhance GSI awareness and visibility
• Training students and teachers on GSI benefits and best practices

Hours will be flexible, with weekend and evening availability required, and 16 hours worked per week.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or G.E.D. equivalency; no previous experience required

Requirements

• Knowledge of water quality monitoring techniques and practices (preferred)
• Knowledge of Green Stormwater Infrastructure devices (preferred)
• Knowledge of environmental education guiding principles (preferred)
• Knowledge of North Carolina’s State Education Science Standards (preferred)
• Basic organizational and record-keeping principles
• Customer service principles
• Utilizing modern technology and relevant software

Benefits

• Public communication, including writing, public speaking, and some graphic design (preferred)
• Engaging audiences via written narratives and storytelling (preferred)
• Writing and communicating to diverse audiences
• Following directions and meeting standards
• Providing attention to detail in assignments
• Proofreading and error correction
• Maintaining and updating data and documentation
• Reading reference manuals and following standard operating procedures
• Utilizing a computer and relevant software applications
• Providing customer service
• Utilizing communication and interpersonal skills as applied to interaction with coworkers, supervisors, the public, and others

Company Description

City of Raleigh is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Accommodations for individuals with disabilities are provided upon request.