Summer 2024 Freshwater Ecosystems Intern

Overview

NRDC is a non-profit environmental advocacy organization. We use law, science, and the support of 3.1 million members and online activists to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure the rights of all people to clean air, clean water, and healthy communities. NRDC was founded in 1970 and our people helped write some of America's bedrock environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act and many of the implementing regulations. Today, our team of more than 700 lawyers, scientists, economists, policy advocates, communications experts, and others work across the United States and the globe from our offices in Beijing; Bozeman, Montana; Chicago; New Delhi; New York; San Francisco; Santa Monica; and Washington, D.C.

NRDC is seeking a Summer 2024 Intern intern to work with the Nature team associated with our Bozeman office.

Position Summary

The intern will work with the Bozeman-based Nature staff to research and develop advocacy materials related to NRDC’s freshwater ecosystems protection and restoration campaign. The research will focus on the role nature-based climate solutions play in supporting fish and wildlife as well as helping communities and tribes prepare for and mitigate drought, wildfires, and flooding. The nature-based solutions will include those that contribute to conserving and restoring freshwater habitat in the West such as beaver restoration and low-tech, process-based restoration. In addition to other activities, the intern will research and write case studies of freshwater restoration projects and their benefits. The intern will create an interview protocol, interview restoration partners and agency staff, collect photos and other supporting materials, and write compelling summaries that discuss the projects’ values and benefits. The intern will have the opportunity to engage in other project work being completed by the freshwater protection and restoration staff in Bozeman and other NRDC offices.

Responsibilities

• Literature reviews of relevant ecological research as well as research and analysis of relevant policies and funding programs related to low-tech, process-based restoration.
• Research case studies which will include interviewing the organizations, agencies, and other partners involved in each project; developing an understanding of the landscapes and ecosystems where the work is being done; and reviewing relevant and available documentation of the projects including restoration plans, rationale, and approach.
• Write 2-3 case studies of successful aquatic restoration projects completed on public lands in the West.
• Engage in other freshwater ecosystems protection and restoration policy projects

Qualifications

Required

• Strong written and verbal communications skills.
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Interest in environmental and social justice issues.
• Demonstrated commitment to principles of and competency in equity and inclusion, including contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.
• Commitment to NRDC’s mission and values.
• Enrolled in a graduate program or recent graduate of a graduate program.

Preferred

• Undergraduate or graduate exposure to nature-based climate solutions, ecological restoration principles and approaches, and/or freshwater protection or restoration policies.

NRDC is committed to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion, both in our work and in our workplace. We believe that celebrating and actively welcoming diverse voices and perspectives is essential to solving the planet's most pressing environmental problems, and we encourage applications from candidates whose identities have been historically under-represented in the environmental movement.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.This position is a paid internship with a stipend of $10,000 paid bi-weekly over the course of 10 weeks.The incumbent will not qualify as an employee, fellow, volunteer, or independent contractor of NRDC, nor will the incumbent be guaranteed employment at the end of the internship term. Our offices are open and we are operating in a hybrid model. We offer NRDCers flexibility, and we encourage them to come into the office and spend meaningful time there in collaboration with their colleagues. We call this purposeful presence. As a science-based organization, NRDC aims to do our part to help contain the COVID-19 public health crisis. For the sake of health, safety, and equity, we ask that people be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious accommodation or other exemption in accordance with state and local law. We consider a person to be vaccinated two weeks after receiving one full course of a CDC-approved vaccine. In accordance with state or local law, new hires will be asked to attest to vaccination. Those wishing to do so may request medical or religious accommodations or other exemptions. NRDC treats all vaccination-related data confidentially, in keeping with local, state, and federal laws. To apply, visit www.nrdc.org/careers and upload your résumé and cover letter. Please mention where you saw this posting and upload any additional materials that showcase your abilities. Due to the high volume of applications, we will contact only those candidates we would like to interview. Please no phone calls, emails, or in-person résumé drop-offs. If you experience technical problems while applying or if you are a person with a disability and need assistance applying online, please reach out to iCIMS Customer Care at 1-800-889-4422.

For more about NRDC, visit www.nrdc.org.