Eastern Long Island Chapter Summer 2024 Internship

ABOUT US:

The Surfrider Foundation is the world’s largest grassroots coastal conservation organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves, and beaches for all people through a powerful activist network. We have achieved many important victories by persuading state, federal, and local decision makers to protect vital coastal and ocean resources. These accomplishments demonstrate the important role of recreational users in advancing coastal and ocean stewardship. Since 1984, Surfrider’s appeal is not only our strong reputation and track record of success, but also the lifestyle and values we embody. 

By joining the Surfrider Foundation, you will be welcomed into an open and inclusive network of incredibly supportive and collaborative people who work hard and play hard. You will have the opportunity to work with dedicated people who are also passionate coastal users with their feet in the sand and toes in the water. You help bring together diverse voices and perspectives to provide our community with the leadership and tools necessary to make a difference at their beach and in coastal communities across the United States. At Surfrider, we build leaders and we are problem solvers; our culture sets us apart and influences everything we do. Coastal recreation is fun and working at Surfrider is too.

OPPORTUNITY:

The Eastern Long Island Chapter is seeking two summer intern candidates to assist the chapter on its clean water and plastic pollution initiatives. 

Position Responsibilities: 

• Participate in weekly water sampling events for the Eastern Long Island Chapter’s Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) program, collecting water samples from ocean and bay beaches and adjacent coastal ponds in East Hampton, NY.  They will receive training and eventually conduct all aspects of the chapter’s water testing program independently, including collecting samples, meeting with volunteers to transfer their samples, transporting them to the lab, processing them, reading the results or coordinating with other lab volunteers to read the results, and complete data entry.  The summer intern will also help share awareness for the program through public outreach.
• Participate in and help the Chapter Coordinator lead community workshops about water quality and Ocean Friendly Gardening (OFG). This will engage members in local water quality issues and cover ways everyone can help keep our beaches and water clean whether at home, work, or at the beach.
• Assist the Chapter Coordinator, Volunteer Coordinator and other chapter volunteers with outreach and membership activities at beach cleanups and tabling events throughout the summer.
• Assist with promotion of our Ocean Friendly Restaurants (OFR) program.  This will include recruiting new businesses to join the program, checking for restaurant compliance, and creating promotional content for our blog, social media, and the OFR national newsletter.
• Assist with annual chapter fundraisers. Responsibilities could include acquiring auction items, helping with promotion, flyer distribution, and assisting on the day of the event if available.
• Attend chapter meetings as well as meetings hosted by partner organizations, taking notes where necessary.

Position Requirements: 

• Candidate must be a current college student, recent college graduate and/or have experience in marine conservation, environmental education, sustainability studies or similar fields.
• Candidate must have their own vehicle and a working computer or laptop.
• Candidate must carry a current driver’s license and maintain a clean driving record.
• Candidate must be comfortable driving in the busy summer traffic on the East End.
• The ideal candidate would preferably be located on the East End for close proximity to chapter events and water sampling sites.
• Candidates applying for this position to complete an internship program/receive academic credit from their college institution may be asked to provide qualifying internship program documentation from their school for review.  Their college institution must also allow for completion of a paid internship program.

LOCATION: This is a temporary summer position based in Eastern Long Island. Candidate will work remotely from home and throughout the area Eastern Long Island area, mostly on the East End

DURATION: 12 weeks; May 29, 2024 – August 21, 2024 (can be adjusted slightly to meet candidate’s availability); 15-20 hours/week 

REPORTS TO: Eastern Long Island Chapter Manager