Ecology Action

Ecology Action is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environment for interns. All interns complete organizational onboarding and receive training relevant to their assigned projects and responsibilities. Interns are supervised by a designated mentor and have regular opportunities to meet with staff for guidance, feedback, and professional development. Depending on project assignments, interns may participate in office-based work, virtual collaboration, community outreach events, and site visits. Safety protocols and expectations are reviewed during onboarding, and staff are available to provide support whenever needed. 

The student will be onboarded to the org and 3 different departments where they will be contributing. Each department has a lead that will mentor the intern through their projects, in addition to the main contact who will oversee their overall experience with the organization. While we intend to fully support the intern, including being available to troubleshoot any level of difficulty, it is envisioned that - once onboarded - the intern will have the option of working independently on assigned projects. Mentors will meet 1:1 with the intern on a minimum of a weekly basis and the intern will otherwise have a dedicated office space from which they can work which will give them ongoing access to other organizational staff, support and resources.

Ecology Action is committed to providing a safe, supportive, and welcoming learning environment for interns. All interns complete organizational onboarding and receive training relevant to their assigned projects and responsibilities. Interns are supervised by a designated mentor and have regular opportunities to meet with staff for guidance, feedback, and professional development. Depending on project assignments, interns may participate in office-based work, virtual collaboration, community outreach events, and site visits. Safety protocols and expectations are reviewed during onboarding, and staff are available to provide support whenever needed. 

Additional Requirements and/or Considerations
Computer Literacy: Interns should be comfortable using standard workplace technology,
including email, video conferencing platforms, Microsoft Office applications, and web-based collaboration tools.
Professional Communication Expectations: Interns are expected to communicate
professionally and reliably throughout their internship. This includes regularly monitoring and responding to email, attending scheduled meetings, providing timely updates on
assignments, and proactively communicating any scheduling conflicts or challenges.
Effective workplace communication skills are a critical component of your placement with
Ecology Action.
Work Environment: This position may include a combination of office-based, remote, and
community-based activities. Interns can expect to work collaboratively with staff and
community partners while gaining exposure to nonprofit operations, program implementation, community engagement, project management, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
Spanish Language Skills (Preferred): Bilingual English/Spanish communication skills are
highly valued. Many of the communities we serve include Spanish-speaking residents, and
the ability to communicate effectively in Spanish can enhance outreach, engagement, and
participant support. Spanish fluency is not required, and applicants from all language
backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

Learning Outcomes
Depending upon each intern’s specific placement, students will have the opportunity to:

•  Develop professional communication skills through collaboration with staff, community members, schools, government agencies, and partner organizations.
• Gain hands-on experience supporting community-based programs that advance sustainable transportation, climate resilience, environmental education, and community engagement.
• Build project management and organizational skills by assisting with program planning, implementation, outreach, event coordination, and follow-up activities.
• Strengthen teamwork and leadership abilities through participation in cross-functional projects and collaborative problem-solving.
• Learn how nonprofit organizations design, implement, and evaluate programs that create measurable social, environmental, and community impact.
• Develop skills in data collection, reporting, research, and program evaluation to support continuous improvement and accountability.
• Increase understanding of equity-centered approaches to community engagement and climate action.
• Explore potential career pathways in nonprofit management, sustainability, environmental programs, transportation planning, public health, community development, and related fields.

This internship is designed to provide meaningful, real-world experience while helping students build transferable professional skills applicable across a wide range of careers.