Alliance for Watershed Education Fellow

Position Summary

This position is located at the Discovery Center - 3401 Reservoir Drive, Philadelphia PA 19121. Fellow will spend most of their time onsite, with a chance of the Strawberry Mansion neighborhood and North Philadelphia. 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 15 million people living in the region.

More about Discovery Center:
The Discovery Center provides a public space for neighbors, Philadelphia Outward Bound School, and Audubon Mid-Atlantic to come together and co-create opportunities for Philadelphians to discover themselves in nature, practice leadership, and work toward a greener city for birds and people. The National Audubon Society and the Philadelphia Outward Bound School joined forces to save and sustain a vital part of our natural heritage in a unique partnership. Their missions converge in the East Park section of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park - just blocks from the neighborhood of Strawberry Mansion - where a century-old abandoned reservoir has become a unique wildlife sanctuary and an important stopover location for birds migrating along the Atlantic Flyway. Audubon Mid-Atlantic uses The Discovery Center as a facility for research and science-based conservation projects and educational programs throughout the Philadelphia region. Audubon engages individuals and communities by offering the resources and tools necessary to analyze, preserve and restore our natural environment. Their education programs challenge both young people and adults through hands-on exploration of the natural world in their own backyards and neighborhoods. The Discovery Center also allows visitors to connect to Audubon's national and international conservation initiatives, serving as a major migratory stopover on the Atlantic Flyway for over 100 species of birds and as a premier destination for bird watching throughout the region.

More about the Alliance for Watershed Education:
Organized in 2016, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River is a regional initiative of twenty-three partnering environmental education centers. 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.

Compensation:

$16.50 / hour

Essential Functions

• Fellows will participate in a 3-day watershed education training, at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (overnight, June 11-13.) http://www.peec.org/

• Fellows will help their host Center lead programs and activities, whether in-person or virtually, for community members and visitors to their site.

• Fellows will attend in-person meetings with Fellows from other AWE Centers.

• 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 15). Creating a self-sustaining capstone project that focuses on community engagement around watershed education, trail use and/or waterways. A project that practices inclusive watershed education that reflects community priorities, increasing and enhancing constituent attitudes (e.g., self-efficacy, pride, and appreciation), knowledge, and the intention to ensure a healthy Delaware River watershed.

• Fellows will participate in 2 one-on-one calls with the Fellowship Manager.

• Digital versions of capstone materials will be submitted to the Fellowship Manager (via Basecamp), as well as submitting a final grant report at the close of the Fellowship program.

• Fellows will document their progress by completing a short log report bi-weekly.

• The Discovery Center Fellow will specifically:

  • Engage target communities (Strawberry Mansion) in Philadelphia through stewardship, education, recreation, and civic engagement. Explore ways to engage new and diverse communities, including underrepresented audiences in the city. Research participation within adjacent green spaces in East Fairmount park, brainstorming ways of cross-collaboration.

  • Represent Audubon Mid Atlantic at resource fairs and/or festivals around Philadelphia.

  • Assist with leading environmental programming at Discovery Center or within the neighborhood. Have the freedom to create your own public program at the center.

  • Assist with maintaining educational resources within the center like the resource library, community science materials, signage creation, organizing scientific results, etc.

  • Attend one or two Discovery Center’s Community Engagement Council meetings, or a neighborhood meeting, to join conversations within Strawberry Mansion.

  • Assist with coordinating and participating in volunteer events that include:

    • Plant removal or planting at the center and/or within the neighborhood.

    • Measuring water quality around the reservoir, creating a system for volunteers and the staff.

  • Complete other tasks as assigned.

Essential dates:

• June 2, 2025: Fellow start date at Discovery Center (Fellows may arrange with their Supervisor to begin any time within the first week of the program.).

• June 11-13: Fellowship Orientation (overnight) at Pocono Environmental Education Center. (Meals, transportation and accommodations provided.).

• July 7-9: Regional Meetings – 3 in-person activity days (locations to be announced).

• July 30: All region meeting at Berk’s Nature Center.

• August 15: Watershed Fellowship Summit (location to be announced).

• August 22: Last day of Fellowship (Fellows may finish their term of service any time after the August 15 Summit as needed.)

Qualifications and Experience

• Age 18+ by June 2, 2025, start date.

• A background in environmental education is not required.

• Must be people oriented, have a team-focused attitude, and the ability to professionally represent Audubon Mid Atlantic and the network to the public.

• Ability to work outdoors in the summer to maintain gardens. Willingness to get your hands in soil and reservoir water.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills with a demonstrated commitment to cultural diversity also necessary.

• Ability to work in a dynamic fast-paced environment and juggle multiple, changing priorities. Strong time and project management skills needed.

• Must be self-motivated and willing to work in a flexible, non-structured environment.

• Occasional evening and weekend hours required.

• Must provide your own housing since AWE and Audubon Mid-Atlantic do not provide housing.

• Must have access to reliable vehicle OR proficient with public transportation.

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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