AEC Summer Internship

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  CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
  

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Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants .

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center (AEC) was founded in 2008 by the College of Agricultural Sciences and its Environment and Natural Resources Institute (now the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Science (SAFES) ), to enhance the communication and integration of science to inform policy and improve and build partnerships that benefit working landscapes across the Commonwealth.

For over a decade, the AEC has helped establish Penn State as a leader on complex environmental problem solving, particularly related to agriculture and water quality, through initiatives such as the Manure de Jour webinar series, Ag 101 training modules, the Conewago Creek Initiative, Chiques Creek Reenvisioned, Greening the Lower Susquehanna, and Pennsylvania in Balance. 

The AEC seeks to establish its vision of healthy land, water and environment through integrated research, extension, education and collaborative community engagement as it fulfills its mission: to catalyze integrated research and engagement related to the impacts of land use and land management on water and the environment .  The AEC builds and sustains partnerships with stakeholders engaged in land and water issues and integrates Penn State University's education, research, community outreach and extension assets to help communities and stakeholders solve land and water-related environmental problems at multiple scales. 

The focus of the AEC’s work is one of the great environmental problems we face today: nonpoint source water pollution caused by land use and land management.  This focus on the land and water interface helps position the College as a leader in land and water research, engaged scholarship, and extension and outreach.
 

The AEC has two offices, one located at the University Park Campus and the other at the Harrisburg Campus (Lower Susquehanna Office).

The AEC is in need of a part-time summer intern at its Lower Susquehanna Office to assist the AEC Director, Project Manager, Watershed Projects Coordinator, Agricultural Outreach Specialist, and other staff in the delivery of a multitude of its projects and programs in the Lower Susquehanna region. In particular, the intern will work on projects and programs related to implementation of riparian buffers and green infrastructure and other conservation practices on agricultural and urban lands throughout the Lower Susquehanna. Much of the work will be performed at the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SEAREC) and in the surrounding Chiques, Conewago, Conoy, Little Conestoga, and Spring Creek watersheds in Lancaster, Dauphin and Lebanon Counties. Primary duties will be field based work, including: maintaining the Lower Susquehanna Native Tree Nursery; visiting farmers, landowners, and municipalities to discuss opportunities for implementing conservation practices, riparian buffers and “turf to trees” reforestation projects and developing planting plans; organizing and coordinating tree pickup for restoration projects in the Lower Susquehanna region; assisting AEC staff in planning, coordinating and supervising volunteer plantings and other events through the AEC’s Lower Susquehanna Volunteer Conservation Corps; working with local nurseries to promote native species for conservation projects; assisting Penn State Extension and other technical partners to help deliver green infrastructure trainings; conducting field work on restoration and best management practice (BMP) implementation, including conducting maintenance on riparian buffers, native meadows, rain gardens, and other green infrastructure practices; assisting in watershed planning and water quality monitoring; assisting AEC staff in facilitating and managing watershed based partnerships in the region, in particular in the adjacent priority watersheds in Lancaster, Dauphin and Lebanon Counties (through our Lower Susquehanna Regional Partnership ); and assisting in the delivery of outreach materials, events and approaches that build partnerships with entities involved in conservation work in the Lower Susquehanna region and beyond. Because of the partnership nature of the AEC’s work, the intern will gain exposure to different partners from private, public agency, and nonprofit sectors.  Other duties (as assigned) to assist the AEC Director and other staff.
Qualified Candidate: Should have relevant major and interest in water resources, natural resources, and environmental and/or agricultural sciences; interest and skills in community and landowner engagement and outreach; be upper-class (Jr. or Sr. level, but all are encouraged to apply and will be considered based on experience/background); have excellent writing and communication skills; have ability to work remotely with reliable internet connection; and be willing to conduct occasional travel (valid driver’s license and reliable vehicle required).

This job requires that you operate a motor vehicle as a part of your job duties. A valid US driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks.

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

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Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies. 

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