Delaware River Watershed Fellowship

National Audubon Society•Audubon, PA

16d•$19•Onsite

About The Position

The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety. Audubon’s work in the Mid-Atlantic region, which includes Pennsylvania and Maryland, focuses on restoring critical forest and coastal habitats, protecting fresh watersheds, building climate-resilient neighborhoods, and increasing the number of environmental supporters through school-based and public conservation education and community engagement work. One of our Centers, the John James Audubon Center in Montgomery County, PA, is committed to engaging diverse audiences in community-based efforts to protect and restore habitat, particularly along streams and rivers, and offering outreach programs designed to encourage people to become better stewards and advocates for their waterways and climate. This work increases the quantity and quality of native habitat for the benefit of birds, especially migratory species, as well as human communities. Organized in 2016, the Alliance for Watershed Education of the Delaware River is a regional initiative of twenty-three partnering environmental education centers. Each of these centers is located along the Circuit Trail or a major connecting trail, and on waterways throughout the Delaware River Watershed in Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. The John James Audubon Center, a member of the Alliance for Watershed Education (AWE) , is seeking to hire a Fellow from the Norristown area to help connect with local community members around protecting the Delaware River and its waterways. The Delaware River Watershed Fellowship is a 12-week, paid summer job opportunity designed to introduce young people from local communities to careers in environmental education. Fellows are hired at one of 20 environmental education centers across the Delaware River Watershed. Fellows are paid $19/hr., 34 hours a week over the summer. Fellows participate in training sessions to help prepare them for a summer of helping people connect with nature and informing their local communities about issues affecting the Delaware River, the source of drinking water for 13 million people living in the region. The Fellow will spend a portion of their time interacting with the section of the Perkiomen Creek found on JJAC property, and parts of the Schuylkill River that run through Norristown. Length of Assignment: June 1, 2026 to August 21, 2026 Hours: 34 hours/week This role is classified as on-site at John James Audubon Center: 1201 Pawlings Road, Audubon, PA 19403. Compensation: $19.00 / hour

Requirements

Must be 18 year or older by June 1, 2026 start date.
Appreciation of the natural world and commitment to engaging diverse audiences in conservation.
Strong time and project management skills.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Comfort working independently and as part of a team.
A positive attitude and willingness to greet visitors and start conversations with strangers.
Ability to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Occasional evening and weekend hours required.
Willingness to participate in nature-based programming in an outdoor setting, including in the Perkiomen Creek.
Valid state driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle required OR proficient with public transportation.

Nice To Haves

Candidates from Norristown are preferred.
Fluency in Spanish is also preferred.

Responsibilities

Fellows will participate in a 3-day watershed education training, at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (overnight, June 10-12.)
Fellows will help their host Center lead programs and activities, whether in-person or virtually, for community members and visitors to their site.
Fellows will attend virtual webinars as well as in-person meetings with Fellows from other AWE Centers.
Fellows will be paired with mentors from AWE Centers as well as past Fellowship alumni.
Fellows will check in with their mentors twice a month.
With guidance from their supervisor and mentors, Fellows will focus their efforts on a specific Capstone Project and present their work at the end-of-program Summit event (August 14).
Fellows will document their progress by completing a short log report every week.
Work with supervisor to develop a capstone project that benefits the Norristown community and deepens connections and engagement with JJAC and the Perkiomen Creek with an eye towards expanding watershed protection.
Capstone project should also include opportunities to engage new audiences.
Assist with leading environmental education and programming at JJAC and in the community.
Assist with public events at JJAC.
Monitor and document JJAC Museum guest experience, gathering data through surveys and interviews.
Assist in communication with Audubon’s constituents via targeted emails and social media.
Greet visitors to the John James Audubon Center Museum and along onsite pathways.
Assist with site maintenance, including debris or trash clean up, as well as office tasks as needed.