Description

Are you passionate about preserving our parks, trails, and streams? Do you want to educate the public about the importance of our natural resources? If so, apply for our Watershed Cleanups Volunteer Internship Program this summer with Montgomery Parks!

The Montgomery County Department of Parks seeks a graduate or undergraduate level Inclusive Volunteer Programs Intern in the Volunteer Services Office (VSO) of the Public Affairs & Community Partnerships Division (PACP) to help support the stewardship of 424 parks and 490 miles of streams through volunteer administration, program coordination, public outreach, and watershed education.

The Intern:

• Will support the Montgomery Parks Watershed Cleanups Volunteer Program by leading service projects and assisting with administration, correspondence, and inclusive engagement.
• Will play a central role in strengthening the Stream Striders Watershed Leadership Program by supporting strategic planning, volunteer engagement, and creating enticing environmental education materials.
• Will help identify and evaluate priority sites for volunteer park cleanups through research, GIS analysis, and field assessments. The intern will utilize support from VSO staff and a high school summer intern from Liberty's Promise, a non-profit organization that serves immigrant youth. An ideal candidate has experience leading outdoor service projects, has knowledge of environmental stewardship, and can work with volunteers from diverse backgrounds and abilities.
• Additional duties include supply distribution, office administration, providing excellent customer service to volunteers, supporting additional park programs, and other duties as assigned. A successful candidate works well independently and as part of a team, is organized, and has interest and knowledge in one or more of the following fields:
  • Volunteer service
  • Diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Parks & recreation
  • Program administration
  • Environmental education & awareness
  • Community partnerships
  • Public outreach
  • Stormwater pollution prevention

COMPENSATION

Position will be filled at either the undergraduate (Intern I, pay rate $16.50-19.00/hour) or graduate (Intern II, pay rate $18.00-21.00/hour) level, dependent upon education and experience. The position is also open to candidates who are within 6 months of graduation.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered, please complete application with supplemental questions included and upload cover letter as part of the submission. Unofficial transcripts preferred but not required.

For more information, please visit our program’s websites at:

• https://montgomeryparks.org/support/volunteer/stream-park-cleanups/
• https://montgomeryparks.org/support/volunteer/

THE VOLUNTEER SERVICES OFFICE:

The Volunteer Services Office (VSO) provides central coordination and management of volunteer service programs and opportunities across Montgomery Parks. The VSO supports staff in: planning volunteer events; recruiting, screening, and training volunteers; hosting volunteer appreciation events; managing and analyzing volunteer data; and ensuring compliance with policies and procedures. Volunteer participants include students, corporate partners, and community members. The Volunteer Services Office is a key liaison between Montgomery Parks staff and various volunteer and community-based groups countrywide. Additionally, the VSO plays a key role in meeting the public involvement and participation requirements of the Department’s stormwater permit.

Examples of Important Duties

The successful candidate will support the Volunteer Services Office and its Watershed Cleanups Volunteer Program as described in the above Job Description and is expected to:

1. Support the Watershed Cleanups Volunteer Program through field surveys, community engagement, and volunteer program management.
2. Conduct site visits to gather data observations and identify new areas for volunteer park cleanups. Take data gathered from the field and incorporate it into our internal GIS database.
3. Plan and lead a series of public cleanup projects centered on stewardship and community service learning.
4. Plan and facilitate summer internship projects and growth opportunities for one high school student from Liberty's Promise, a non-profit organization that serves immigrant youth.
5. Responsible for logging and keeping track of program data.
6. Develop educational materials that will be used to engage and convey the importance of our natural resources to volunteers.
7. Help improve the Stream Striders Watershed Leadership Program, a volunteer leadership program, through outreach, recruitment, and training of new Stream Striders.
8. Assist with planning a volunteer appreciation event at the H20 Summit.
9. Work with volunteers from all backgrounds and abilities.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Background and interest in community service, parks and recreation, environmental education, diversity, equity and inclusion, community engagement, public outreach, and/or data management/reporting.
2. Ability to complete tasks both independently under minimal supervision and as part of a team while following directions, paying attention to details, and working within deadlines.
3. Previous experience participating or leading outdoor volunteer projects.
4. General computer skills and proficiency using Microsoft Office, particularly Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word. Ability to learn GIS and/or Power BI is preferred.
5. Ability to learn and present information.
6. Ability to engage with Montgomery County’s diverse population of volunteers, park visitors and program participants; competency in Spanish or a second language is highly preferred.
7. Valid driver’s license preferred.

REQUIREMENTS:

1. Must be enrolled in an undergraduate program or be within 6 months of graduation.
2. Must be willing to undergo and successfully pass a background screening
3. Available for 10-20 hours/week from April to August with both weekday and weekend shifts.
4. Capacity to complete fieldwork as well as telework when requested. Equipment and instruction for teleworking will be provided.
5. Ability to work outdoors, under somewhat arduous field conditions, for up to 3 hours and walk 1-2 miles depending on the site. This includes working in streams with slippery and/or unstable substrate.
6. Must be able to carry items ranging from 5-30 pounds (2-14 kg); must be able to use plant cutting tools.
7. Minimum age: 18 years old.