Maryland Oyster Restoration Intern

Description

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation seeks a Maryland Oyster Restoration Intern to be based at the Philip Merrill Environmental Center located in Annapolis, MD, and field based at restoration projects throughout Maryland.

THE CHESAPEAKE BAY FOUNDATION

Established over 50 years ago, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the nation's leading conservation organization dedicated solely to restoring and protecting the Chesapeake Bay, our nation's largest estuary. With 200,000 members, an annual operating budget of $26 million, and a $55 million endowment, CBF's 190 full time staff work in offices in Annapolis and Easton, MD; Richmond and Virginia Beach, VA; Harrisburg, PA; Washington, DC; and in 15 field education program locations across the Bay watershed.

CBF's headquarters - the Philip Merrill Environmental Center - in Annapolis is the world's first USGBC LEED platinum building. In 2014, CBF opened the Brock Environmental Center in Virginia Beach; the Brock Center is the tenth certified Living Building and one of the most energy efficient, environmentally smart buildings in the world.

DEPARTMENT DESCRIPTION

Environmental Protection and Restoration

CBF's Environmental Protection and Restoration department defends and restores the Chesapeake Bay by protecting the Bay's natural resources from pollution and other harmful activities by fighting for strong and effective laws and regulations; restoring the Bay's essential habitats and filtering mechanisms; and involving citizens in CBF's environmental efforts by recruiting, training, and incorporating them as effective partners and leaders.

CONTEXT OF THE POSITION

The Maryland Oyster Restoration Interns will support the Chesapeake Bay Foundation's (CBF) oyster restoration program and staff in Maryland. The role will consist of both administrative aspects of the program, such volunteer engagement and event planning, as well as a great deal of emphasis on field work. The interns will also support other programmatic needs of the oyster restoration program, such as oyster gardening (a community-based program that teaches hundreds of people how to grow and care for oysters to use in restoration projects throughout Maryland) and shell recycling (partnering with restaurants to keep oyster shells out of the trash and to recover them for use in restoration).

Requirements

• Assist with hands-on restoration activities including spat-on-shell production, oyster planting, shell recycling, etc.
• Assist with managing volunteer events associated with the program.
• Help CBF Oyster Team staff with general office/administrative support, including data entry and filing, digital and material organization, among other tasks.
• Attend relevant meetings with CBF staff and other restoration partners.
• Help CBF Oyster Team staff manage the oyster gardening and shell recycling programs
• Help prepare materials for any events including advocacy asks, spat-on-shell, cages, spreadsheets, etc.

PREFERRED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidates should have excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills; an ability to work effectively with staff and volunteers, as well as independently; and an ability to be a self-starter. Previous experience with fieldwork and data collection is preferred but not a requirement. Excellent time management skills needed to handle multiple, concurrent projects. Familiarity with Excel, Word, and Outlook required. We seek creative thinkers interested in learning about the Chesapeake Bay as well as furthering the Foundation's mission to \"Save the Bay." This internship will take place in approximately May-August of 2025. The exact start and end dates during that time frame are negotiable.

The successful candidates must have reliable daily transportation for travel in Maryland. The majority of the work will take place in Anne Arundel County but travel to other areas within the state such as Baltimore, the Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland is required. In addition, this position may involve working some evenings and weekends.

Salary Range: $16 an hour

To apply, please send resume and cover letter through job posting on CBF website no later than March 9, 2025.