Conservation Internship-Seattle Audubon

Summer 2010 Conservation Internship

GOALS AND PURPOSE OF PROJECT:
The mission of Seattle Audubon is to cultivate and lead a community that values and protects birds and the natural environment. Our Conservation program focuses on the long-term health of birds, other wildlife, and the habitat to sustain species diversity. Within this context we have several on-going internship projects that will help aspiring professionals learn more about the non-profit world and help us achieve our mission and goals. These internships are highly competitive, and we generally only have the capacity for one intern per quarter. Seattle Audubon Internships are unpaid, but highly flexible in hours and time commitment. We will work with you to make sure you are receiving the skills you need to fulfill your educational and experiential goals. Some work may be done from home, and projects may require field visits.

Seattle Audubon believes strongly in the mutual benefits of the internship process. We take internships very seriously and will work with each student to ensure their goals are met. In addition to each internship project we ask that our interns prepare a brown bag lunch discussion for staff on a topic of their interest. This might be a previous class or a bird trip. We will also provide opportunities for interns to attend meetings and to meet with other staff to gain a broader perspective on the environmental non-profit world.

REPORTS TO: Conservation Director

LOCATION OF WORK:
Seattle Audubon
8050 35th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115

Plus other local area parks and locations as needed for research

INTERN OPPORTUNITIES:
The Conservation program at Seattle Audubon seeks an energetic, self-starting intern for the summer of 2010 for approximately 10 hours a week (start and end date flexible) to work to protect the urban forests of Seattle.

INTERN BENEFITS:
· Learn from and work with professional conservation staff in a dynamic environment
· Gain skills in conservation planning and research
· Support the Seattle Audubon mission
· Expand knowledge of birds and nature

SKILLS ACQUIRED:
· Working knowledge and direct experience with city government
· Working knowledge and direct experience with citizen lead commissions
· Direct involvement with the interaction of politics, policy, science, citizen involvement and other factors to solve complex issues of our urban landscape

INTERN QUALIFICATIONS:
· Commitment of 100 hours per academic quarter depending on university requirements
for course credit, or approximately 10 weeks (flexible)
· Be self-directed, motivated, responsible, respectful and adaptive
· Must have excellent written and oral communication skills
· Graduate student or upper level undergraduate with experience in city government,
understanding of trees and ecosystem services and a strong interest in urban habitat
issues
· Must be able to look at a problem creatively and develop own work plan and research
needs

MAJOR TASKS:
· Work with the Conservation Director to prepare for and attend City of Seattle Urban Forestry Commission meetings
· Work to protect the urban forests of Seattle
· Research and report writing
· Creative thinking
· Meeting attendance
· Complex problem solving

TIME COMMITMENT:
Approximately 10 hours a month will be spent attending the Urban Forestry Commission meetings, which occur on the first two Wednesdays of the month at 3pm. The remaining time will be spent either at the Seattle Audubon office or working remotely to accomplish given tasks.
For questions about this internship, contact Jen Mullen, Volunteer Coordinator, at (206)523.8243 x 12, or jenm@seattleaudubon.org.