For more information, please follow this link: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty/jobs/3527506/environmental-intern

Salary– $18.58 – $23.56 Hourly

Summary

The King County Solid Waste Division plan, develop, and implement a variety of programs that target residents, businesses, local governments, and schools with programs including waste reduction, recycling, moderate risk wastes, green building, and sustainability.  We are looking for a dynamic and enthusiastic intern who will assist the waste prevention, recycling, hazardous waste, sustainability, and climate staff with program planning and implementation, communications, research, and other duties as assigned.

Examples of past intern projects include: Developing replicable Equity and Social Justice (ESJ) efforts for a green building capital project that provides green apprenticeship training for marginalized communities in the service area, researching different cities and countries Zero Waste plans to identify gaps in King County’s new Zero Waste of Resources plan, developing social media posts and communications strategies, planning and implementing a tour of British Columbia plastics recycling facilities, and creating an “equity in hiring” checklist, and conducting research. Interns will have the opportunity to explore other areas of King County government beyond Solid Waste through informational interviews and networking opportunities.
 
Opportunity to Learn More: We invite you to join an MS Teams audio call to learn more about this position. During this call, we will have current interns available to answer questions and provided an overview of the position and answer questions. We will have this event on Friday, May 6th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. You can call us at 1 425-653-6586 and enter code 103061351# when prompted. If you are unable to join us during that time and have questions about the position, you can call Lauren Cole at 206-477-5270 or email her at lauren.cole@kingcounty.gov.

Who May Apply: This position is open to full-time students working toward an undergraduate degree including community college, trade school etc. Please ensure that you are available to work throughout the school year.

Internship Length: Duration is for one year with up to three, one-year renewals possible while the student is enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program at an accredited university.

Work Schedule: Interns work up to 15 to 20 hours/week during the school year and 40-hours/week during the summer with maximum hours limited to 900 hours per year.  The core working hours are between 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. We are flexible about student working hours and will make every effort to accommodate student schedules.

Permanent Teleworking Requirement: The work associated with this position will be performed predominantly by telecommuting, with occasional onsite work and meetings, as influenced by business needs. Interns will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Interns must reside in WA state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksite to respond to workplace reporting requirements.

Interns 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.

Compensation Details: This is a paid internship.  Student interns are not eligible for benefits but do receive a free transit (ORCA) pass. Undergraduate Student Intern (Intern II) will be placed on Pay range 26 with $18.59 at step 1 and $23.56 at step 10. Generally, student interns begin at Step 1 of their pay range. Pay rates above Step 1 may be offered in certain circumstances based upon the intern’s program of study, experience, and class standing.

How to Apply: Please submit a (1) King County online application and (2) a cover letter that describe (a) Your interest in the position and how both you and King County Solid Waste will benefit from your employment and (b) How your background and experience demonstrate creativity, initiative and an ability to communicate with others.

If considered for an interview, please be prepared to provide proof of full-time enrollment in an accredited college or university, a transcript, and proof of cumulative grade point average. Proof of enrollment and eligibility to work is required upon hire.

Recycling and Environmental Services Section Profile: Recycling and Environmental Services Section is the lead for the division’s recycling programs. Some of the notable programs include communications, green building, construction and demolition material diversion, hazardous waste and the Wastemobile, product stewardship, policy, resource recovery, junk vehicle, and special waste programs. The section also has outreach programs designed to educate the public on proper recycling methods and help the county reach the desired 70 percent recycling rate. Some of the most successful outreach programs are Guilt Free KC, Green Schools, Food: Too Good to Waste, and Recycle More/Recicla Mas.

Potential For Student Learning in This Internship:

  • The intern will use skills in communication, collaboration, research, project development, and implementation, and will become familiar with the structure and organization of the King County government.
  • The intern will improve project management skills.
  • The intern will improve their understanding of waste prevention/recycling programs, communications, policy, product stewardship, green building, and hazardous waste management.
  • The intern will gain expertise in working on project teams.
  • The intern will learn how to apply a racial equity lens to projects, programs, policies, procedures, hiring and retention practices, etc.
  • The intern will learn how to design and apply culturally and audience-appropriate outreach and education strategies.
  • The intern will learn how to plan and implement culturally and audience-appropriate projects.

Example of Intern Responsibilities:
Under direct supervision, the student will:

  • Assist with developing outreach tools to support waste prevention and recycling education programs including school and general outreach programs.
  • Conduct research related to audience attitudes, beliefs, and barriers to sustainable behaviors associated with hazardous waste, recycling and environmental services programs.
  • Assist with product stewardship and policy programs.
  • Assist with other recycling and environmental services projects, as needed.
  • Assist and contribute to process improvement efforts.
  • Assist with external communications including social media and marketing campaigns.
  • Assist with internal communications including copywriting and coordinating newsletters.
  • Assist with visual communications including creating or supporting graphic design, photography, videography, and data visualization.
  • Assist with developing resources and examples for green building and sustainable development practices.
  • Assist with integrating equity and social justice practices in county operations and program development.
  • Assist with implementation efforts around sustainability and climate response-related efforts.

Internship Requirements and Qualifications:

  • Experience using communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Experience using written, analytical and organizational skills.
  • Experience working with or basic knowledge of or willingness to learn about King County residents who speak languages other than English.
  • Working knowledge of software products used in an office environment, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Outlook.
  • Self-motivated, flexible and able to work independently.
  • Enrolled full time in an undergraduate program at an accredited university