Outreach and Communications Associate

Program Overview: River Science is the lead organization for River Corps and is a 501c(3) nonprofit located in Canon City, CO. The River Corps program places AmeriCorps Members at organizations and agencies throughout Colorado to focus on helping the efficiency, efficacy, and scale or healthy rivers and watersheds. To thrive in these technical positions, Members will receive comprehensive training and ongoing support in low-tech process-based river restoration (LTPBR), water quality sampling, in-stream flow (ISF), on-the-ground project monitoring, and essential watershed coordination techniques to ensure they are adding valuable capacity to watershed actions and initiatives across Colorado.

Service Site Overview: This is a shared position between River Watch of Colorado and River Network. The position will be based at the River Watch offices in Denver, Colorado.

River Watch of Colorado is a statewide volunteer water quality-monitoring program operated in partnership between River Science and Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW). Our mission is to work with voluntary stewards to monitor water quality and other indicators of watershed health and utilize this high-quality data to educate communities and inform decision-makers about the condition of Colorado’s waters. This program is unique in its statewide focus and frequency of data collection.

River Network is a national, nonprofit organization that envisions a future of clean and ample water for people and nature, where local caretakers are well-equipped, effective and courageous champions for our rivers. River Network’s mission is to empower and unite people and communities to protect and restore rivers and other waters that sustain all life. Visit www.rivernetwork.org to learn more about our current priorities. We are a fully remote organization, headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with staff located in communities across the U.S.

Service Position Summary:

River Watch ( ~35% of the time): River Watch seeks a highly motivated individual to help improve their education and outreach. This individual will initiate, manage, and assist in a statewide effort to enhance our volunteers’ local community support and engagement to result in greater awareness, support, and stewardship. This effort will be a mix of office work, marketing, and in-person communication and collaboration.

River Network ( ~65% of the time): River Network seeks an early career professional with an interest in communications and social media to support River Network’s overall communications. This position will serve as project lead and coordinator for River Network’s two, monthly e-newsletters (i.e., River Voice and Connect & Learn); will create social media content to promote above newsletters and their content, River Rally (i.e., River Network’s annual conference) proposal solicitations and registration, and other River Network content; and will provide storytelling support to River Network staff in conjunction with staff site visits to River Network Rooting Resilience grantees.

This position will have the opportunity to interface with all River Network staff and River Network members. The ideal candidate has an interest in and aptitude for communications and social media, the ability to generate fresh ideas and novel solutions, a desire to support and frequently interact with River Network members and followers, and an open and collaborative mindset that allows for thoughtful storytelling.

Essential Functions (Primary Responsibilities):

Collaboration & Communication

• Position will initiate, manage, and assist in supporting our River Watch volunteers
• Collaborate with volunteer groups and assist in making local community connections

Newsletter Content Development & Publication

• Position will lead content development, storytelling and publication of monthly issues of River Network’s River Voices e-newsletter, including integration with website, email marketing platform, and social media.
• Position will lead creation and publication of monthly issues of River Network’s member newsletter Connect & Learn
• Provide drafts of newsletters to River Network point of contact for review, feedback, and edits, and incorporate feedback into final products.

Urban Forestry Storytelling

• Position will provide storytelling support to River Network staff and Urban Forestry grantees, pre- and post- staff site visits to urban forestry project locations
• Position will collaborate with staff to create social media templates, perform light video and photo editing of staff-gathered visual content, create and publish social media posts, and perform other storytelling activities to share the stories collected at these site visits with River Network’s audiences.
• Provide drafts to River Network point of contact for review, feedback, and edits, and incorporate feedback into final products.

Social Media

• Position will create at least 5 social posts per month to promote above newsletters and their content, River Rally registrations and other River Network content.
• Provide drafts to River Network point of contact for review, feedback, and edits, and incorporate feedback into final products

Website support

• Manage ongoing website updates and maintenance tasks, including updating content and troubleshooting minor technical issues.

Marginal Functions (Secondary Responsibilities):

• Update and maintain maps of River Network member and cohorts (e.g. Rooting Resilience grantees, Urban Waters Learning Network members) using ArcGIS, as able to.
• Provide support for River Watch data collection

Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual Demands:

• Must be willing to work as part of a remote team and be collaborative, flexible, and able to take initiative in accomplishing tasks and seek support from other River Network staff.
• Commitment to River Network’s vision and mission, and to our core values of strength, mutual respect, integrity, balance, growth and inclusion.

Qualifications:

• One or more years’ communications experience, including hands-on volunteer positions or internships with experience developing and implementing successful communications strategies and campaigns.
• Strong written communication skills, experience translating complex and technical concepts into compelling and clear messages for specific audiences.
• Detail-oriented, with experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, delivering assignments within stringent deadlines, and effective communication around shifting needs and/or priorities.
• Technologically savvy, with basic knowledge and willingness to deepen experience with communications tools (including most of the following: Instagram, LinkedIn, Hootsuite, Mailchimp, Canva), and MS Office programs (Word, Outlook, etc.).
• Experience with or willingness to learn WordPress is great to have, but is not required.

AmeriCorps Required Qualifications:

• Must have a valid driver’s license, personal vehicle that is reliable, and auto insurance.
• At least 17 years old at start of service [may adjust to 18 years old per program design]
• Must be a high school graduate, GED recipient, or working toward attaining a high school diploma or GED during the term of service. Members must obtain either a diploma or GED before using an education award.
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident of the United States
• Able to pass a National Service Criminal History Check (state, FBI, and National Sex Offender Public Website checks) per 45 CFR 2540.202

Term of Service / Time Commitment: This is a Three Quarter Time (TQT) national and community service position requiring, at a minimum, a total of 1200 hours during the year (approximately 37-40 hours per week). The position begins February 16, 2026 and ends September 30, 2026. While the position service will occur mostly between Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, flexible hours may be required including occasional evening and weekend commitments. Within these hours, there will be sufficient opportunity to fulfill the full term of 1200 hours, including holidays, time off, and missed hours to makeup.

Training and Support Provided: River Corps members receive significant training and experience in technical skillsets (e.g. water quality data collection, assessment with GIS) and community engagement (e.g. watershed coordination, stakeholder communication). Up to 20% of total hours served may be spent in applicable approved trainings. Members will be supervised and supported by Michaela Taylor (River Watch Program Director michaela@coloradowatershed.org) and Diana Toledo (River Network’s Programs Senior Director dtoledo@rivernetwork.org) as well as by Allison Palmasano, River Corps Program Director, allison@river.science / 719.429.3707.

Location and Service Conditions: This position is based at the River Watch office at 6060 Broadway, Denver Colorado.

Benefits:

• A living allowance of $17,500 will be made every other week (on Fridays) payments of $1060.61. Taxes are deducted and the living allowance is distributed by direct deposit to the member.
• An education award of $5,176.50 upon successful completion of term of service
• Training certificates in Water Quality & Ecology, and Hydrology Technician 1
• It is possible to temporarily postpone repayment of qualified student loans through forbearance while serving as an AmeriCorps member
• Mileage reimbursement for travel to required trainings and days of service
• Non-tangible benefits including valuable hands-on experiences, networking, opportunity to help river and watershed health in a local community.
• Alumni benefits include priority hiring with organizations that are part of Employers of National Service and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to eliminate educational debt.

Equal Opportunity Statement:

River Conservation Corps(RCC) recognizes the value of diversity and inclusiveness to advance environmental education. RCC defines diversity in its broadest sense and welcomes everyone including but not limited to people of all races, ethnicities, genders, gender expressions, sexual orientations, abilities, ages, national origins, socioeconomic status, religious affiliations, languages, and heritages.