Land Repurposing Intern

Overview

Put your passion and skills to work for the planet. Climate change is the most urgent issue of our time, and we need people like you to help us build a vital Earth — for everyone.

We’re Environmental Defense Fund, a fast-paced nonprofit with a growing staff of more than 850 people in nearly 30 countries. We deliver game-changing solutions that cut climate pollution and strengthen people’s ability to thrive despite the effects climate change is already having. We work wherever we can have the most impact, from local communities to top companies to governments worldwide, and even in space.

Our culture, values and commitment to diversity make EDF an exciting and meaningful place to work. Every job here makes a difference. Won’t you join us?

Responsibilities

Program/Department Overview

Increased water scarcity, compounded by the impacts of a changing climate and a growing population, has made sustainable water management one of the most challenging issues of our time. Adequate freshwater supplies are critical for the health of communities and wildlife, and nothing is more important to agriculture’s ability to grow food. But in arid regions such as the western U.S., freshwater resources are dwindling. Effective water management is critical to sustainably meeting the needs of people, industry, agriculture, and the environment. The overarching objective of the Climate Resilient Water Systems workstream is to rebalance water systems in the West and beyond to make them more resilient by focusing our work on three areas: 1) modernizing groundwater management, 2) improving and expanding healthy water trading programs, and 3) incentivizing the sustainable use of agricultural water. In these areas, we collaborate with farmers, water managers, community members, and other nonprofits to better incorporate the needs of all water users.

Overall Function

The intern will develop a set of case studies, or land repurposing stories, to highlight examples of successful land repurposing projects across California's Central Valley. The intern will interview key project proponents and develop project narratives to describe how the project came to be, important considerations, and project benefits. This effort will contribute to the production of an informational video, or other storytelling device, to showcase opportunities for water resilient land uses in California's agricultural regions.

Key Responsibilities

Tasks will include but are not limited to:

• Research relevant legislation, funding programs, and regulations that influence landowner decision-making, including the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program, and Endangered Species Act.
• Interview non-profit groups, agricultural landowners, and funding agency staff that have been involved in successful restoration projects and programs.
• Document 5 – 10 case studies of land repurposing projects that have provided environmental and/or community benefits while reducing irrigation demand in agricultural regions.
• Build the research foundation for an in-depth storytelling campaign that will highlight successful restoration and conservation projects in California’s Central Valley
• Attend relevant external stakeholder meetings and workshops.
• Support EDF’s California Water team on related projects as interested and where needed.
• Participate in advancing EDF Diversity Equity and Inclusion goals in which people from all backgrounds and experiences feel connected, included, and empowered to address the environmental and organizational challenges in alignment with EDF values.

Qualifications

• Familiarity with California water policy, conservation principles, and agricultural systems.
• Experience with self-directed research projects and project management.
• Strong written communication skills.
• Comfort navigating public databases and synthesizing distributed information.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Must be well-organized, motivated, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrate initiative and problem-solving skills.
• Naturally curious and empathetic.
• Demonstrates self-awareness, cultural competency and inclusivity, and ability to work with colleagues and stakeholders across diverse cultures and backgrounds.Experience working with agricultural and rural community stakeholders highly desirable.
• Experience with ArcGIS StoryMaps a plus.
• Master’s degree or pursuing advanced degree.

Location

Hybrid out of San Francisco, CA office or U.S. Remote

Term

15 weeks (starting in September 2022)

Hours

Part time (15 hours per week)

Compensation

This internship would involve either academic credit or compensation for work paid at a rate competitive with leading non-profits at $17-20/hr based on academic experience level. Students are encouraged to seek academic credit or funding through their college/university and EDF will ensure that any and all paperwork needed to secure academic credit is completed.

Application Materials

Interested applicants should attach their cover letter and resume to the EDF application, together with a writing sample and unofficial transcript.

Pay Ranges

The pay range for this role is shown below which takes into account factors such as candidate experience, skills, training, internal team equity and local norms.

Minimum Salary

USD $17.00/Hr.

Maximum Salary

USD $22.00/Hr.

EEO Information

Environmental Defense Fund is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.