Individual Placement - Public Engagement Coordinator

Student Conservation Association • Poughkeepsie, NY

8h • Hybrid

About The Position

As part of the River Cities Team at Scenic Hudson, Inc., the Public Engagement Coordinator promotes civic engagement in urban conservation projects through participatory design and planning, activation of public spaces, urban agriculture initiatives, and community science. The position supports River Cities projects and involves frequent interaction with the public in urban and front-country settings. Work is hybrid, with at least two days per week in the Poughkeepsie office, and requires a personal vehicle for travel throughout the Hudson Valley. The schedule is generally Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with approximately 40 hours of service per week for 10 months. Earlier mornings, later evenings, and occasional evening and weekend work are planned as needed; evening and weekend work is expected on average twice per month. The service period is January 25, 2027, through November 19, 2027.

Requirements

• Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or national; be at least 18 years old; and have a high school diploma or equivalent or be actively working to complete one.
• Be willing to undergo a National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender, and FBI checks after an offer is made.
• Have a college degree in environmental studies, urban studies, urban planning, education, environmental science, or a related field; equivalent knowledge and experience gained through professional experience is accepted.
• Have a desire to engage youth and community members in community science and civic engagement projects.
• Be comfortable working in urban and rural environments.
• Enjoy working with multigenerational audiences.
• Be comfortable interacting with the public in structured and unstructured settings.
• Be well-organized, detail-oriented, have strong interpersonal communication skills, and support Scenic Hudson’s mission.
• Be familiar with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Suite.
• Have access to reliable transportation; driving a motor vehicle is required.
• Be able to work occasional evenings and weekends, averaging twice per month.

Responsibilities

• Work with regional partners to activate public parks and open spaces through programming, event coordination, and strategic partnerships that encourage active use of public spaces.
• Coordinate park stewardship programs with local partners, track park usage data, and synthesize and report on program results.
• Engage members of the public, local organizations, and coalitions in advocating for public-led conservation in cities.
• Help coordinate and implement outreach strategies that promote public engagement in park planning, programming, and community science initiatives.
• Coordinate the bimonthly Northside Collaborative meeting, a local community development coalition in Poughkeepsie.
• Work with the Director of Urban Conservation to synthesize and analyze public engagement data.
• Coordinate public engagement event logistics for key River Cities Program projects with project partners and Scenic Hudson’s Northside Hub Coordinator.
• Assist with weekly farm stands, organize events with local partners, and lead outreach efforts at Pershing Community Farm in Poughkeepsie.
• Support community science initiatives by co-facilitating science-based public programming and events, including aquatic and terrestrial surveys (bioblitzes) in each city.
• Participate in required SCA Corps-wide training and service projects, as well as project evaluation and reporting.
• Submit timesheets and required output and narrative reports.

Benefits

• $500 weekly living allowance.
• $1,000 per month housing allowance for positions outside of New York City; members secure their own housing within reasonable commuting distance of Poughkeepsie.
• Eligible for free health insurance.
• Eligible for childcare assistance through AmeriCorps.
• Eligible for federal student loan forbearance and interest payment deferment for qualifying loans.
• Education award of $7,395 upon successful program completion.
• Training and professional development opportunities, including Mental Health First Aid, Wilderness First Aid and CPR, environmental education, environmental leadership, Hudson River ecology, Leave No Trace, and job readiness.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level