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Please submit completed application, cover letter, and resume here, or mail to:

Thea Lopez, Youth Development Coordinator

1400 Delmarva Lane, Wilmington, DE 19801
Wilmington, DE 19801

302-656-1490

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Delaware River Watershed Fellowship – DEEC

Opportunity Type: 12-week, Full-Time (35-40 hrs/wk), Hourly

Location:

Organization Description

Delaware Nature Society’s (DelNature) mission is to connect people with the natural world to improve our environment through education, conservation, and advocacy. We envision a healthy and sustainable environment.  Founded in 1964, DelNature, a state affiliate for the National Wildlife Federation, is renowned for our educational programming, conservation, and advocacy. We provide the tools for communities to take action and promote the health of the environment through land preservation, wildlife protection, and watershed stewardship.

We manage over 2,000 acres of land, including four nature preserves, and operates four educational sites: Ashland Nature Center, Abbott’s Mill Nature Center, DuPont Environmental Education Center, and Coverdale Farm Preserve. Our organizational priorities are comprised of three pillars of engagement focused on:  Working & Natural Lands, Healthy Waters, and Protecting Habitats and Wildlife.

DelNature aspires to be inclusive multicultural organization that celebrates the rich dimensions of diversity and is committed to understanding and addressing where we fall short. Diversity creates an awareness of and acknowledges respect for differences and translates into understanding and valuing of each other’s perspectives. We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage all who are qualified to apply.

Job Description

Delaware Nature Society (DelNature) – DuPont Environmental Education Center (DEEC), a member of the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE), is seeking to hire a Fellow from Wilmington to help connect with local community members around protecting the Delaware River and its waterways.  

The Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 23 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows participate in training sessions to help prepare them for a summer of helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 13 million people living in the region. 

 

Delaware River Watershed Fellowship Background

DelNature’s DuPont Environmental Education Center (DEEC) is a member of the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE), a network of environmental education centers focused on community building and stewardship of the Delaware River Watershed.

Organized in 2016, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River is a regional initiative of 23 partnering environmental education centers, funded and supported by the William Penn Foundation. Each of these centers is located along the Circuit Trail or a major connecting trail, and on waterways throughout the Delaware River Watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

This position is made possible through the support of the William Penn Foundation. 

DuPont Environmental Education Center

DelNature works with Wilmington communities through DuPont Environmental Education Center (DEEC) on the Wilmington riverfront. To deepen our commitment in making nature education more accessible, we operate the RENEW program. RENEW helps connect Wilmington youth to nature education programs and activities that make learning about the environment relevant and fun.

Responsibilities

  • Participate in a 3-day watershed education training, at the Pocono Environmental Education Center 
  • Create and present a Capstone Project with guidance from supervisors and mentors  
  • Assist with programs and activities community members and site visitors  
  • Engage visitors and teach the public about the natural and cultural history of the Christina River Watershed  
  • Interact with the Wilmington community through nature outreach, providing hands-on environmental education activities, talking with trail users about their outdoor experiences, and promoting upcoming DelNature events 
  • Support the Youth Development Coordinator with the Trail Ambassador program  
  • Attend virtual webinars and in-person meetings with Fellows from other AWE Centers 
  • Meet with mentor (AWE Center staff or past Fellowship alumni) twice per month 
  • Complete a short log report every week to document fellowship progress  
  • With guidance from their supervisor and mentors, Fellows will focus their efforts on a specific Capstone Project and present their work at the end-of-program Summit event (August 16). 

 

Minimum Qualifications

  • A background in environmental education is not required. 
  • Interest in the environment and working in the outdoors 
  • Comfortable interacting with the public and ability to professionally represent DelNature and the Alliance for Watershed Education 
  • Have a positive, team-focused attitude, work well with others, and be willing to learn new things 
  • Good oral and written communication skills; experience using social media is a plus 
  • Ability to ride a bicycle along the 2-mile paved Wilmington Riverfront and associated trails 
  • Willingness to learn kayaking and/or canoeing 
  • Ability to get to and from work  
  • Available to work 35-40 hours per week during fellowship period  
  • Age 18 by fellowship start date  

Additional Considerations

  • Delaware Nature Society is dedicated to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC), members of the LGBTQIAS2+ community, and/or other historically marginalized communities.  
  • Preference is given to Wilmington residents or locals of Delaware.  

Work Environment and Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  • The employee frequently is required to sit and reach and must be able to move around the work environment
  • The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and be able to carry, move and setup necessary supplies and equipment
  • Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust
  • The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate
  • Ability to plan, lead, and participate in program activities in a variety of indoor and/or outdoor settings, weather, and terrain

Essential Dates

– June 3, 2024: Fellow start date at DuPont Environmental Education Center (DEEC), (Fellows may arrange with their Supervisor to begin any time within the first week of the program.) 
– June 12-14: Fellowship Orientation (overnight) at Pocono Environmental Education Center. (Meals, transportation and accommodations provided.) 
– August 16: Watershed Fellowship Summit (location to be announced). 
– August 23: Last day of Fellowship (Fellows may finish their term of service any time after the August 16 Summit as needed.) 

Salary and Benefits

This position pays $16.25/hr. Fellows will serve 35-40 hrs per week for 12 weeks.

Applicants Must Submit

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