The Director’s Office of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) is seeking a dynamic and enthusiastic graduate intern with a deep interest and commitment to local food systems!

In 2014, King County Executive Dow Constantine launched the Local Food Initiative to serve as a roadmap for strengthening our local food system and increasing access to healthy and affordable food. The Initiative aims to build a stronger farm to plate pipeline by setting targets and taking bold steps to:

• Better connect local farms to consumers
• Increase access to healthy affordable foods in underserved areas
• Support farmers and protect farmland
• Create a sustainable farm-to-plate pipeline resilient to the effects of climate change

The King County DNRP Director’s Office manages the implementation of the Initiative by working with stakeholders from across the food and farm ecosystem to plan, develop and implement a variety of projects and programs that move us towards the goals articulated in the Initiative roadmap. The purpose of this position is to assist the Local Food Economy Manager with:

1. Stakeholder communications, including the development of strategies and content for outreach about the Initiative to communities, partners and the general public;
2. Development and maintenance of the new food system data center that provides metrics and performance indicators for collective work under the LFI; and
3. Management of special projects on key issues and concepts relevant to local food systems, including new farmer training and development, agricultural resilience to climate change, affordable farmland access, consumer education and market demand, food system infrastructure, etc.

Duration: One year with a one-year renewal possible while student is enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited university.

To learn more about the Department of Natural Resources and Parks click on the below links:
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp.aspx
https://www.kingcounty.gov/depts/dnrp/about/vision-mission-goals.aspx

Who is Eligible: This position is open to students in a graduate degree program. This is a year-long internship and if you are not available to work throughout the school year, you may not qualify for this opportunity.

Permanent Telecommuting Requirement
The work associated with this position will be performed remotely on a permanent basis.  There will be situations where the employee is required to report to a County worksite. Employees must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Employees will be provided with a County issued laptop and must maintain a workspace with an internet connection (access may be supplemented in some situations) where they can reliably perform work and remain available and responsive during scheduled work hours. Please note that when an employee conducts work that is likely to bring them in contact with another individual, safety precautions are required by the department in alignment with the Public Health Directive from the Seattle & King County Public Health Officer. King County is doing its part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and remains committed to reducing our carbon footprint.

To support employees during this time King County has a robust collection of tools and resources to support working remotely. The individual selected for this opportunity will be joining an innovative and progressive team.

Work Location: Primarily teleworking and the King Street Center 201 S. Jackson St., Seattle WA 98104

Work Schedule: This position is covered under the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and is overtime eligible. This part-time position may work up to 20-hours per week during school and up to 40 hours per week during vacations. The standard work week is Monday through Friday.

Under direct supervision, the employee will:

• Draft blog posts and newsletter stories on a variety of Local Food Initiative projects and programs
• Assist in developing social media content for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
• Assist in conceptualization, content development, and data identification for the new Food System Data Center being developed as part of the Farm King County website (http://www.farmkingcounty.org/)
• Assist with special projects, such as Farm Practices Illustrated book development, and events
• Conduct outreach to local food system stakeholders to gather insight and information on projects and program development
• Collaborate with staff on new ideas, directions, and venues for Local Food Initiative communications efforts
• Assist with the evaluation of campaigns and projects
• Convene meetings for a variety of working groups and project teams, including preparing the agenda and taking notes
• Conduct research on local food system issues

• Interest and prior experience in farming, local food systems, food access, sustainability and racial equity and social justice.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively through written and oral communications and develop messages that are clear, concise, creative and persuasive.
• Strategic approach – keen analytical and strategic planning skills to develop communications.
• Curiosity – demonstrates a desire to explore, learn and apply learnings.
• Problem solving/critical thinking – approaches challenges and problems in a rational, thoughtful manner.
• Working knowledge of software products including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Outlook.
• Self-motivated, flexible and able to work independently.
• Enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited university.

Application and Selection Process: Application materials will be screened for clarity, completeness including online application, cover letter and resume, and responsiveness to the list of qualifications, skills, and abilities. The most competitive candidates may be invited to participate in one or more panel interviews. Applications without the following required materials may not be considered for this position.

• King County application

• Resume

• Cover Letter detailing your background and what you can bring to this position

• Responses to supplemental questions

Union Representation: This position is not represented by a Union

For more information regarding this recruitment, please contact:

Diana Eberly
Senior Human Resource Analyst
206-477-6899
Diana.eberly@kingcounty.gov

Forbes recently named King County as one of Washington State’s best employers. 

Together, with leadership and our employees, we’re changing the way government delivers service and winning national recognition as a model of excellence. Are you ready to make a difference? Come join the team dedicated to serving one of the nation’s best places to live, work and play. 

Guided by our “True North“, we are making King County a welcoming community where every person can thrive. We value diversity, inclusion and belonging in our workplace and workforce. To reach this goal we are committed to workforce equity. Equitable recruiting, support, and retention is how we will obtain the highest quality workforce in our region; a workforce that shares and will help advance our guiding principles–we are one team; we solve problems; we focus on the customer; we drive for results; we are racially just; we respect all people; we lead the way; and we are responsible stewards. We encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply, including Native American and people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, LGBTQ+, people living with disabilities, and veterans.

King County is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Employer
No person is unlawfully excluded from employment opportunities based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation and pregnancy), age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or other protected class. Our EEO policy applies to all employment actions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, selection for training, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation.

To Apply
If you are interested in pursuing this position, please follow the application instructions carefully. If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process or if you have questions please contact your recruiter listed on this job announcement.