Waterfront Ambassador

Who We Are:

Founded in 1891 by a group of visionary volunteers, The Trustees of Reservations (The Trustees) is the Massachusetts' premier conservation and preservation organization. The Trustees’ preserves, for public use and enjoyment, properties of exceptional scenic, historic, and ecological value in Massachusetts. Our properties are open to all, and we thrive by involving as many people as possible in all that we do. We aim to protect special places for future generations to enjoy in perpetuity, and have helped protect more than 50,000 acres, including 27,000 acres on more than 120 reservations that are open to the public. As a non-profit conservation organization, we are funded and supported entirely by our visitors, supporters, volunteers, and our 100,000 Member households. We encourage you to learn more about The Trustees on our website, www.thetrustees.org.

Posting Information:

Salary/Hourly Rate: $16.00 - $18.00

Hours per week: 25

Job Classification: Nonexempt, Part-Time, Seasonal

Job Type: Onsite

Schedule: Program hours are roughly 9am-2:30pm Tuesday-Saturday, with some Wednesday evening work

Duration: July 1 - August 17

Location: Boston, MA

What You’ll Do:

Your Impact:

As a Seasonal Waterfront Ambassador, you will join a motivated team of twelve youth for a seven-week paid program taking place on Boston’s waterfront, with opportunities for kayaking, visiting the Boston Harbor Islands, helping to facilitate waterfront festivals and programs, and conducting community outreach about the Trustees Piers Park III project in East Boston. 

The Role:

The Trustees Waterfront Ambassadors program is a work/learn opportunity for young people aged 15 to 18 years old. As a Waterfront Ambassador, you will learn about the mission of The Trustees and the Boston Waterfront Initiative, with a focus on how these efforts relate to environmental justice and community resilience. You will explore the work being done in East Boston and across the city on waterfront issues such as climate resilience, green infrastructure, and ensuring equitable public access to the waterfront for all communities.

The program incorporates an environmental justice curriculum and partnerships with grassroots and nonprofit organizations advocating for climate action, waterfront equity, and environmental justice. Each summer, Ambassadors collaborate with these and other harbor-focused organizations across Greater Boston, with a focus on East Boston, gaining exposure to various career paths in environmental advocacy, climate resilience, and public service while also participating in job-readiness and enrichment sessions. Through this work, youth will develop critical job skills such as teamwork, leadership, community outreach, and the ability to communicate local climate change impacts within their communities. 

Specifically, you’ll:

• Participate in group discussions, teambuilding, job readiness trainings, and leadership development activities.
• Learn about the work being done in East Boston and across the city on waterfront issues such as climate resilience, green infrastructure, and public access.  
• Learn about the Trustees Boston Waterfront Initiative. 
• Engage with the East Boston community through outreach events and stewardship projects such as marsh restoration, native planting, and trash cleanups.
• Participate in field trips such as kayaking and visiting the Boston Harbor Islands.
• Collaborate with and learn from grassroots and nonprofit organizations working on climate resilience, environmental justice, and waterfront access in East Boston and across the city.
• Develop essential job skills, including leadership, civic engagement, and environmental advocacy.

Work environment:

• The Waterfront Ambassadors program is an in-person program that takes place primarily outdoors, with some indoor work.

Physical demands:

• Outside work may involve moving over rocks or soil, transporting up.

This is a seasonal, nonexempt position working 25 hours per week from July 1 - August 17 for youth ages 15-18 and will report directly to the Waterfront Ambassadors Program Manager.

What You’ll Need:

Skills and Experience:

• Age 15-18  
• Interest in working in the East Boston neighborhood and learning about how climate change, open space, and Boston Harbor affect the community 
• Interest in working primarily outdoors, with some indoor work involved 
• Positive attitude, team-player 
• Desire to make a difference in your community  
• Comfortable working outside for 4-5 hours at a time, including gardening, trash clean up, etc. 
• Due to the nature of this program impacting Boston communities and communities surrounding East Boston, City of Boston, Chelsea, and Revere residents are highly preferred 

Eligibility Criteria:

• Current authorization to work in the United States – a candidate must have such authorization by the first day of employment.
• A satisfactory criminal background (CORI) check.

Don’t quite have all the skills and experience listed above? We still want to hear from you! Research shows that historically marginalized groups are less likely to apply if they do not meet every single requirement. We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage you to apply even if you are missing some of the skills and experience above.

Questions? Contact our People team at people@thetrustees.org

Your Benefits:

• Sick time: MA Sick Time 

• Reciprocity: Employees have access to free and discounted admission and membership to more than 50 nearby museums and cultural institutions.  

• Discounts: Enjoy free entry to all Trustees properties, discount event tickets, and discounted merchandise at our stores and on stays at our inns.  

Equal Opportunity and Diversity:

The Trustees is a proud equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any protected status including, but not limited to, age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual preferences, nation of origin, religion, or disability status and strongly encourages applications from people of color, persons with varying abilities, women, and LGBTQ applicants. We aspire to reflect and effectively serve the residents and communities of Massachusetts, who are at the core of our mission.

The Trustees’ commitment to advancing the organization’s vision for this work may be found here: Diversity, Belonging, Inclusion and Equity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible work environment. To request reasonable accommodations during the application or interview process, please contact us at people@thetrustees.org.

Salary : $16 - $18