Position Description

The NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office (NCBO) and Chesapeake Research Consortium (CRC) seek a summer intern for late May through mid-August 2019 (approximately 12 weeks) to assist our Environmental Literacy and Partnerships branch, which encourages and supports efforts in K-12 education to develop and implement comprehensive environmental literacy programs. NCBO supports environmental literacy programming in the Chesapeake by supporting regional environmental literacy policy initiatives, education resource development, grantmaking and professional learning programming. Two key initiatives supporting this work are the Bay Backpack and the Environmental Science Training Center (ESTC). Bay Backpack is an online resource that supports hands-on environmental learning by providing educators with information about funding opportunities, field studies, curriculum guides and lesson plans related to the Chesapeake Bay. The ESTC offers in-person trainings and online learning to help educators build the knowledge and skill to deliver up-to-date science information to the next generation of Bay stewards. 

The intern will be supporting these two initiatives by helping with revisions and updates to the Bay Backpack website and assisting with ESTC programming, including educator professional development workshops, the Mid-Atlantic Climate Change Education Conference, and working with Chesapeake Bay Program Office partners to support the planning and implementation of the 2021 Bay Program Youth Summit.

Opportunities

In this position, the intern will work side-by-side with professionals at the forefront of environmental literacy policy and program development. The intern will develop and hone research, data analysis and database skills and experience with content management systems while supporting revisions and updates to the Bay Backpack website. While supporting ESTC programming the intern will develop skills useful in communicating, learning and working with large and diverse audiences. They will have the opportunity to strengthen planning and public speaking/presentation skills throughout the summer workshops. The intern will work both independently and as part of a team to create practical tools and engaging programming in support of regional environmental literacy efforts. The internship also provides the opportunity to fine-tune skills for data organization, analysis, synthesis, and interpretation. 

Deliverables

• Update and revise the Bay Backpack website including completing updates to the provider map, the development of a resource that identifies schools systems implementing systemic Meaningful Watershed Education Experiences and the development of an organizational approach to cataloging watershed state-based content.
• Serve as an active team member supporting the planning and implementation of summer teacher professional development workshops, the Bay Program Youth Summit, and the Mid Atlantic Climate Change Education Conference.
• Presentation to NCBO staff at the conclusion of the internship summarizing work conducted.

Requirements

• Strong writing and communications skills
• Experience developing and working with databases
• Familiarity with data management and Excel spreadsheets
• Experience (work or study) in environmental science or education
• Motivated self-starter with ability to work and reason independently
• Must be a college-level student entering sophomore, junior, or senior year of undergraduate study
• Must be a U.S. Citizen and willing to undergo a security background check