The Taunton River Watershed Alliance and The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
The Taunton River Watershed Alliance (TRWA) was founded in 1988 to bring together citizens who appreciated the Taunton River and its tributary rivers and were concerned about its future. Since its creation, citizens, businesses, and organizations have come together to work as an alliance united to restore and properly manage water and related natural resources within the Taunton River Watershed. Whether it is commenting on planned developments or helping fund small projects, like invasive species removal at Kingman Pond in Mansfield, or larger projects, like the 2009 historic passage of the National Wild & Scenic designation of the Taunton River, the TRWA has worked for over 35 years to be a voice for the river, advocating for environmental protection, sustainable development, and responsible stewardship of our precious water resources.
The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program (NBEP) is one of 28 place-based National Estuary Programs, first established in 1987 by an amendment to the federal Clean Water Act, overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The estuary program uses a voluntary, community-driven approach to enhance water quality, wildlife, and quality of life across our study area, which includes the Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, Coastal Ponds, and their watersheds in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program is hosted by the Community Partnerships Center at Roger Williams University.
TRWA is a member of the NBEP’s Steering Committee, a partnership that works collaboratively to address estuarine and watershed issues on a holistic, cross-jurisdictional scale. This internship continues that partnership by providing key support at a critical time.
Description
Are you a budding social media manager or event planner? Do you want to use these skills to help an organization communicate and plan effectively with its audience and partners?
The Communications Specialist Intern with the Taunton River Watershed Alliance (TRWA) will be responsible for social media, marketing, graphics, and outreach materials. Responsibilities will include creating marketing and outreach materials for events, creating social media content (Facebook and Instagram) coinciding with celebrations related to the Alliance’s mission, and assisting with the planning and coordination of events. The Communications Specialist Intern must be able to attend Alliance events.
Intern should have a knowledge of social media communication and marketing for a broad audience. Additionally, knowledge of Constant Contact and Canva is a plus. The Intern will work closely with Gloria Bancroft, TRWA Coordinator, and other members and volunteers of the Alliance and therefore should work well independently and as part of a team. The Intern will be a contract employee with Roger Williams University (as the host of the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program) but report to Gloria. The intern will be expected to travel throughout the Taunton River Watershed to events. Aside from the in-person events, the position is primarily remote work, with 1-2 virtual meetings per week. If needed, in-person monthly meetings with Gloria and others will be held at our Watershed Center at Sweets Knoll State Park in Dighton.
Goals and Learning Objectives
- Provide real-world work experience in the areas of marketing, communications and outreach for a large watershed community.
- Present an opportunity for a student to experience the workings of an environmental advocacy non-profit organization.
- Develop strategic communication materials that can immediately be used by TRWA.
- Increase outreach to better serve the 43 watershed cities and towns.
Intern Compensation
The Intern is expected to work approximately 10 hours per week through June 2025 (approximately 250 hours). Exact schedule will be determined by the Intern and TRWA. The Intern will be financially compensated at a flat rate of $5,500 (~$22 per hour). The Intern will be a contract employee with the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program. The Intern will be responsible for any transportation costs and paying all taxes on the contract. Internship has a flexible January 2025 start date.
Interns are welcome to earn academic credit for the internship. If selected for the internship, and the student would like credit (in addition to financial compensation), the student is responsible for all paperwork and approvals.
How to Apply
Please apply through Handshake or email all applications to Courtney Schmidt (NBEP) (Courtney.Schmidt@nbep.org) with the subject heading “Taunton River Watershed Alliance Internship.” All applications must include:
- Cover letter stating your interest in working with the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, how this internship will help your overall goals, and what skills you can bring to this project and the Alliance.
- Resume or CV with contact information and references
Please contact Courtney Schmidt if you have any questions regarding the application process. Full Job Description is located on NBEP’s website.