Student Sustainability Internships

Stopwaste.Org is partnering with the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Sustainability to provide four internship positions in the area of Environmental Education, Recycling Hotline and Information, and Market Development. See job descriptions and application information below.

The following internships are currently available:

1) Sustainability Market Development
2) Environmental Education (POSITION FILLED)
3) Recycling Hotline and Information

Sustainability Market Development

Positions Available: 1

Background: StopWaste.Org is seeking an Intern to assist with our Business Outreach efforts. The StopWaste.Org Market Development project supports and funds business retention, expansion and attraction efforts aimed at value-added processors of recycled materials and end-use manufacturers that incorporate recycled content into their products in Alameda County. The program provides consultation on project ideas, business plan review, feedstock sourcing, siting assistance and market research for hard-to-recycle materials. We are looking for a motivated individual with an interest in business sustainability and the recycling industry to help develop a stronger marketing and outreach component to the program. The position receives day-to-day direction from the program manager and is overseen by a senior program manager.

Job Description:

1. Coordinate development of a new marketing brochure for the Agency's Revolving Loan Fund and other business services.
2. Develop brief case studies for website and new brochure, and interview past loan recipients and business clients for case study development.
3. Assist with follow-up letters and phone calls to Alameda County city planners and economic development staff who were included in a Recycling-Based Business study performed in 2005-06.
4. Respond to local business requests for more information on StopWaste.Org's market development program
5. Systematize existing databases of StopWaste's Market Development contacts.
6. Conduct outreach mailings to promote existing market development and other business services

SKILLS: Additional computer skills including word processing, spreadsheets e-mail and Internet research.

EDUCATION /TRAINING: Any combination of experience and education that would demonstrate possession of the required knowledge and abilities for the position.

To Apply: send a letter and resume to Justin Lehrer at justin@stopwaste.org. This position will remain open until filled.

• Assist with confirming field trips including confirming buses, assembling teacher confirmation packets, copying handouts and acquiring brochures, and communication with teachers or schools.
• Assist with field trip set-up and clean-up including preparing Education Center, activity props, safety equipment, and pre- and post-field trip materials for teachers.
• Conduct field trips which includes: using principles and methods of environmental education instruction (provided in training), ensuring that teachers, chaperons and students know and follow safety rules; maintaining appropriate classroom decorum; using age-appropriate examples of reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost with students; assisting with hands-on activities; following a developed curriculum and script.
• Conduct information gathering and field trip curriculum updating as needed to ensure accuracy and quality of program. Assist with development of materials that supplement the field trip program.
• Participate as needed, in debriefing Agency staff regarding Education Center program and administrative functions connected to the Education Center program.
• Assist with teacher in training workshops providing support on set-up, material preparation, and hands on activities.
• Assist with entering ongoing maintenance of on-site worm bins, Biostack compost bin and Bay-Friendly garden as needed.

• Assist with entering evaluation data into database, and other information into appropriate logs or spreadsheets.
• Tracking and documenting work hours.
• Answering telephone as needed and taking messages.
• Assisting with other tasks related to the irecycle@school program as needed.

To Apply: Send a resume and letter of interest via email to Mark Spencer at spencer@stopwaste.org. The position will remain open until filled.

Job Description:

• Assist with answering recycling hotline, rotline and agency email.
• Provide information, referral, and collateral materials as requested.
• Document requests using customer service database.
• Assist with maintaining and updating recycling vendor contact database.
• Assist with updating materials to publish the "Recycling Guide" and "Builders' Guide to Reuse and Recycling."
• Assist with research projects to support StopWaste.org programs.
• Assist with maintaining collateral material inventory and ordering materials for fulfillment.
• Review and request updates to the Recycling Wizard webpage.
• Help develop lists for specialized materials and develops distribution plan for information.
• Staff agency booth at events.
• Assist with compost bin sales including data entry and customer service.
• Conduct research as assigned, preparing spreadsheets or other organized information.
• Participate as needed, in briefing Agency staff regarding updates and changes to the recycling database.
• Assist with developing the training manual for the recycling hotline.
• Track and document work hours.

Desirable Qualifications: Familiarity with communities in Alameda County and a desire to learn more about current waste reduction issues and sustainable practices is a plus.

Payscale: $20/hour. Approximately 12 hours per week for the 30 weeks of the Academic year with the possibility of extending the internship through June, July and August at 20-30 hours per week. May occasionally include Saturday, late afternoon, and evening hours; these would be scheduled in advance. The Recycling Hotline is staffed from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The desired schedule for the intern will be three, four-hour days, two six hour days or a combination of the two.
Start Time: Late October/early November 2007

To Apply: Send a letter of interest, resume and the following completed supplemental questionnaire Mark Spencer at spencer@stopwaste.org.

Recycling_Hotline_and_Information.pdf