Parks Connections Graduate Research Intern

Parks Connections is a Council initiative that strives to put nature within reach of our communities, and especially young people. The project is lead by a consortium of park, transportation, and community groups, who are working together to improve the accessibility of Bay Area parks for youth and our communities.

The Bay Area Open Space Council seeks a graduate student intern to help research current best practices and existing barriers to connecting youth with open space in the Bay Area. 

Internship activities include:
• Researching potential interviewees and scheduling interviews
• Assisting with the development of survey questions
• Conducting phone, and in-person interviews with partners
• Attending monthly working group and partner meetings
• Assisting with final report preparation and writing
• Helping design and implement report dissemination strategy

Desired applicant qualifications:
• Commitment to environmental justice, conservation, or community organizing
• Excellent research, writing, organization, and communication skills
• Substantive experience conducting in-person and phone interviews
• Familiarity with digital media (video or audio recording)
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, with minimal direct supervision
• Current graduate student in Environmental Policy, City Planning, Public Health, Law, or related field

Period of Internship:
January through May 2010

Compensation:
Interns are expected to work 20 hours per week, mostly in the Bay Area Open Space Council’s downtown Berkeley office at the David Brower Center. The internship offers compensation at the rate of $400/week. No benefits or relocation costs are provided, except standard holidays falling during the internship term. Transportation time and costs to interviews will be covered. We are happy to work with the intern and his/her university to obtain academic credit for internship work.

Application instructions:

Send all application materials by email to Ingrid@openspacecouncil.org by December 1st. Reference “Parks Connections Intern” in the subject line.

1. A cover letter detailing your interests, relevant experience, goals and availability
2. A résumé
3. A writing sample (1-2 pages)
4. A course list detailing applicable coursework experience
5. And a list of 3 references

The Bay Area Open Space Council is an equal opportunity employer.