The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area is a member of the Alliance for Watershed Education, (AWE), a coalition of 23 environmental education centers focused on constituency building and stewardship of the Delaware River Watershed. Centers in the Alliance are connected along Circuit Trails, the regional trail network of multi-use bike/pedestrian trails and waterways (rivers, streams, creeks.) The Alliance, now in its fourth season, is again seeking to hire young people at each center for a 12-week summer fellowship designed to advance their collective impact across the watershed.

The Schuylkill River Greenway Association (SRGA) is a non-profit organization founded in 1974 to focus on the preservation of the riverfront in Berks County. Today, the SRGA manages the Schuylkill River National & State Heritage Area with the mission: To connect residents, visitors and communities to the Schuylkill River and the Schuylkill River Trail by serving as a catalyst for civic engagement and economic development in order to foster stewardship of the watershed and its heritage. In furtherance of this mission, the SRGA also oversees the Schuylkill River Trail in Berks and Schuylkill Counties. www.schuylkillriver.org

Downloadable Job Description: 

AWE 2020 Fellowship Job Posting

Position Summary

The Delaware River Watershed Fellow will serve as an ambassador for Schuylkill River Greenways NHA and the Delaware River watershed by engaging our watershed community, emphasizing the importance of watershed stewardship and helping Schuylkill River Greenways NHA reach and engage new and under-served audiences. By the end of the 12 weeks of service, the Watershed Fellow will have become local watershed experts and ambassadors to their community and will have introduced many new people to their local trail(s) and waterways, as well as the steps they can take to help restore and protect the larger Delaware River Watershed.

Position Location

Our office is located at 140 College Drive Pottstown, PA 19464. Our organization’s work spans the five counties located in the Schuylkill River Heritage Area (Schuylkill, Berks, Montgomery, Chester, and Philadelphia). The Fellow will be required to occasionally travel throughout the watershed but will spend much of their time in and around Pottstown.

Duties

• Engage communities in Schuylkill River Greenways NHA and Delaware River Watershed through stewardship, education, recreation and civic engagement.
• Participate in a 3 day supportive watershed stewardship training at Pocono Environmental Education Center (overnight, June 10-12.)
• Fellows will be expected to participate in weekly webinars and check-ins with Fellows at other AWE centers.
• Fellows will attend two in-person regional meetings.
• With guidance from their supervisor, complete a Capstone Project and present their work at the end of program Summit (August 14). This individual project should align with program goals, deepen the connection and engagement of trail and water users and expand watershed protection and restoration.
• Assist SRG Education Staff with hosting Schuylkill Explorers Environmental Education programs at the center and traveling programs at partner sites, program innovation is encouraged
• Organize two outdoor movie nights in communities along the river (Schuylkill Haven and Phoenixville)
• Create educational messaging to spread awareness of threats to the watershed and behavior changes needed to improve water quality
• Assist with center events to engage community (Pedal and Paddles, Trails on Tap) and other daily office tasks, including but not limited to: Operation Pollination initiative, tree/ native species plantings, trail clean ups, water quality testing, macroinvertebrate sampling
• Assist SRG in other organization programs and events as needed

Qualifications and Experience

• Age 18+ by June 1 start date.
• Must be people oriented, have a team-focused attitude, and the ability to professionally represent Schuylkill River Greenways NHA and the Alliance for Watershed Education to the public.
• Oral and written communication skills; superior interpersonal skills with a demonstrated commitment to cultural diversity also necessary.
• Must be comfortable teaching all age groups
• Must obtain PA State Background Clearance, DHS Child Abuse Clearance, and FBI fingerprint clearance
• Interest in the outdoors/environment, comfortable working outdoors, able to lead walks/hikes through varied terrain, comfortable in a canoe/ kayak and bike
• Ability to be flexible across many different classroom settings and school cultures
• Ability to work in a dynamic fast-paced environment and juggle multiple, changing priorities; strong time and project management skills needed
• Occasional evening and weekend hours required
• Travel occasionally required
• Valid state driver’s license required
• Spanish/English bilingual a plus

Essential dates:

• June 1, 2020: Fellow start date at Schuylkill River Greenways NHA
• June 10-12: Required Watershed Stewardship Training (overnight) at Pocono Environmental Education Center. (Meals, transportation and accommodations provided.)
• July 9, 2020: Region #3 meeting
• August 6,2020: Region #3 meeting
• August 14: Watershed Fellowship Summit (location to be announced).
• August 21: Last day of Fellowship (Fellows may finish their term of service any time after the August 14 Summit through August 25 as needed.)

Compensation

This position pays $12/hr. Fellows will serve 35 hrs/week for 12 weeks June – August.

How to apply

Email a resume and cover letter to
Sarah Crothers
Education Director
scrothers@schuylkillriver.org

Application Deadline

Wednesday, April 15, 2020