Summer 2017 Internships with Freshkills Park

03.21.17

The Freshkills Park Team is looking for a Development Intern, Public Art Program Intern, Environmental Monitoring Intern, and Communications Intern to join the staff at the project’s lower Manhattan headquarters this summer. These four part-time positions will involve site visits and provide opportunities to collaboratively contribute to ongoing park planning and project implementation. We offer weekly supervision, a supportive work environment, and interaction with staff from different disciplines. Interns walk away with knowledge of NYC Parks and solid projects that have life after the internship. Graduate students are preferred but qualified undergraduates are encouraged to apply.

Expected Duration: three month term, dates flexible
Hours: 14-21 hours per week (schedule by arrangement)
Salary: Unpaid; school credit depending on school requirement
Please send cover letter and resume to: shane.gardiner@parks.nyc.gov

Development Internship

The Freshkills Park Development Intern will support the Freshkills Park project through research and fundraising. Interns will gain experience in prospect research, grant writing, messaging strategy, fundraising databases, and general office procedures (filing, data entry, answering phones, etc.) The internship offers an opportunity to understand the inner workings of Park programming and communications and support exciting new initiatives including public art and scientific research at this unique site.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain grants database, package projects for grant proposals, prospect research identifying new grant and sponsorship opportunities
• Create new cultivation materials for potential donors/sponsors
• Conduct research on topics across urban studies, art, architecture, design and ecology
• Write and pitch press stories, journal articles, blog and social media posts
• Develop content for park newsletter, blog and social media
• Assist assembly of dossier materials for planning meetings
• Attend team meetings, interagency meetings and planning sessions when possible
• Complete general administrative work as needed

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Familiarity with grant writing and non-profit fundraising, community relations and communications strategy
• Ability to work independently and execute delegated tasks as well as communicate progress in a collaborative team environment
• Diligent research capability and detail-oriented
• Knowledge of and interest in topics in art, natural sciences, environmental science, waste & recycling helpful
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, experience writing for web desirable
• Graphic design skills, experience with Adobe Suite and web publishing desirable

Public Art Program Internship

The Freshkills Park Development Team is looking for a Public Art Program Intern to support foundational elements of the growing art program in order to integrate artists in park development over the next 25 years. The Public Art Program Intern will have a hands-on role in planning and implementation: organizing a working group, creating a new gallery space, developing an artist registry; while soliciting proposals, assisting with production, and collaborating with partners.

Responsibilities:

• Support art program development with original research on practitioners and topics spanning urban studies, art, architecture, design and ecology
• Research and compile dossiers on visual artists, dancers, writers, scholars, musicians, architects, curators, collectives, institutes, residency programs, advocates and educators
• Attend site visits for art project and program development
• Attend team meetings, arts working group meetings, interagency meetings and planning sessions
• Contribute to the research and creation of original content across social media including a blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
• Complete general administrative work as needed

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Interest in and knowledge of contemporary art, environmental art and social practice artists
• Strong writing and communication skills; editorial experience
• Excellent organizational skills
• Graphic design skills, proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite preferred
• Knowledgeable and active on social media platforms
• Familiarity and ease with A/V (particularly photography and film) and digital media preferred
• An ability to work independently as well as flexibly in a team environment

Environmental Monitoring Internship

The Environmental Monitoring internship will offer a unique research opportunity to scientists-in-training to actively assist with scientific studies in the grasslands, creeks, and wetlands of Freshkills Park. The Freshkills Park office has a variety of data collected for the purpose of monitoring the ecological restoration on site. The Environmental Monitoring intern will be responsible for compiling reports from these data to make overall claims about the changes taking place, and to support other scientific studies at the Park.

In addition to analysis of collected monitoring data, the intern will also be responsible for collecting data for a comparative grassland habitat study, and monitoring the ongoing ecological restoration project at the North Park Wetlands. These projects call for collecting data, developing progress reports, and later applying this experience and critical thinking to incorporate relevant information with our outreach and educational programming.

Responsibilities:

• Collect and analyze data examining habitat composition at two grassland sites. Assist with recommendations for habitat management strategies based on these data
• Monitor the restoration progress at the North Park Wetlands pilot project and compile final report with new data and analysis
• Assist with fish monitoring program and water monitoring programs
• Contribute to the Freshkills Park Blog
• Attend team meetings, interagency meetings and planning sessions
• Complete general administrative work as needed

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Self-determination and willingness to work outdoors
• Knowledge of and interest in topics in natural sciences, botany, environmental science, waste & recycling
• Familiarity with field data collection preferred
• Ability to work independently as well as in a team environment
• Exceptional writing and editing skills and attention to detail
• Enthusiasm for outdoor activities – hiking, kayaking, etc. – preferred

Communications Internship

The Freshkills Park Communications Intern will support the Freshkills Park project by developing print and digital materials that educate and inform the public. This internship offers an opportunity to learn about the inner workings of Park programming and outreach and support exciting new initiatives including public art and scientific research at this unique site.

Interns will gain experience in developing written and visual content, assisting with messaging and public engagement initiatives, working with staff to implement communications strategies, and general office procedures (filing, data entry, answering phones, etc.)

Responsibilities:

• Assist with digital newsletter.
• Assist with implementation of social media plan by developing content and coordinating social media posts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
• Assist with coordination of Freshkills Park promotion calendar.
• Track print and digital press mentions.
• Help maintain digital files of photos, videos, and text content.
• Assist with media cultivation and story placements.
• Provide support for special communications projects.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Experience with Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and web publishing
• Ability to work independently and execute delegated tasks as well as communicate progress in a collaborative team environment
• Knowledge of and interest in topics in art, natural sciences, environmental science, waste & recycling helpful

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