Save the Sound leads environmental action in your region. We protect the Sound, restore its rivers, fight climate change while building resilient communities, and save endangered lands. We do this in many ways, from legislative advocacy and legal action to engineering, environmental monitoring, and hands-on volunteer efforts.
For more than 40 years we’ve been ensuring people can enjoy the healthy, clean, and thriving environment they deserve today and for generations to come. Our organizational leadership and staff are working to deepen Save the Sound’s diversity, equity, and inclusion. We seek to attract a more diverse applicant pool. We seek to add and retain more outstanding people of color to all levels of our team. We work in diverse communities and landscapes, and are actively working to increase our focus on driving environmental justice action for equitable outcomes within diverse communities through our work.
Internship Description
This is a seasonal educational internship - June 1, 2022 through August 31, 2022 with some flexibility around the intern’s current schedule - reporting to the Water Quality Director and Environmental Analyst II. Office work will be in the Larchmont, NY office in Westchester. Field work will take place in western Long Island Sound.
Be a part of our dynamic seasonal water quality sampling program working with citizen science volunteers from Long Island Sound shoreline communities. You will learn about and coordinate the collection and participate in the processing of water quality samples, working under the supervision of Save the Sound’s Director of Water Quality and Environmental Analyst II in our lab located in Larchmont, NY. Sampling will focus on water quality parameters including pathogen indicator bacteria, dissolved oxygen, chl-a, nutrients, turbidity, and others as necessary. The position will assist in data analysis and the development of figures, maps, and tables for reports. The Water Quality Intern will work with a core group of approximately 20-30 volunteers who will be trained in water quality collection protocol from shoreline/riverbank locations. The Intern will also work closely with monitoring groups participating in the Unified Water Study.
In addition to scheduling and supporting the weekly sampling runs of volunteers and Unified Water Study groups, the Intern will also conduct monitoring from Save the Sound’s water quality vessel with supervision from the Save the Sound staff. This position will involve time in the field, in the lab, and in the office. Field time will include water sampling, boat outings, stream walks, and a significant amount of driving to and from sampling locations. Lab work will include calibration of water quality instruments and bacteria measurements using IDEXX methods. In the office there will be research work associated with the water quality monitoring work. The schedule includes very early morning sampling runs once a week throughout the season.
Program Background
Bacterial pollution leading to beach closures is a critically important issue. In 2013, Save the Sound initiated a seasonal citizen-based water quality monitoring program in Westchester that measures bacteria levels and shares the findings with the public. This program has identified and led to the elimination of several pollution sources. Save the Sound also coordinates and participates in a Sound-wide study, the Unified Water Study, to measure eutrophic conditions in embayments of Long Island Sound. This program is designed to support further nitrogen pollution reductions for Long Island Sound working in collaboration with state and federal environmental agencies and local communities.
Desired Qualifications
We are looking for a highly motivated individual with:
- Excellent organizational skills, experience working with data, and strong familiarity with Microsoft Excel
- Ability to work independently and prioritize daily tasks to meet program goals
- Strong communications skills
- Ability to work with and coordinate all types of people mixed together in a group setting
- Science education and a passion for protecting and restoring water quality
- Access to a car and a clean driving record
- Desired experience: water quality monitoring, environmental education and/or operating a motor boat in the Sound are all a plus
Common Organizational Responsibilities
- Main positive and productive working relationships with all Save the Sound staff members. This includes providing and receiving constructive feedback
- Participate in building productive relationships with Save the Sound’s supporters, external partners, policy makers, and the general public
- Participate in organizational meetings and activities as requested, such as monthly staff meetings, trainings, and ad hoc committees
- Complete all administrative work on time, such as time sheets, purchase orders, project reports, and planning documents
Terms and Compensation
This is a full time seasonal internship that provides a stipend of $4,000 for an average work week of 40 hours/week. The position begins June 1, 2022 and runs through August 31, 2022 with some flexibility around the intern’s current schedule. It is not an employee position and does not include benefits. Reimbursement for work-related travel is provided. Some evening and weekend hours may be required on an as needed basis.
