STUDENT-FWS-Community Science Institute, Inc.

Ithaca College • Town of Ithaca, NY

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Community Science Institute (CSI) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and NYSDOH ELAP-certified water testing lab. Our mission is to inspire and empower communities to safeguard water resources by cultivating scientific literacy through volunteer water quality monitoring, certified laboratory analyses, and education. CSI recruits, trains, and coordinates volunteers to participate in our water quality monitoring programs: Synoptic Stream and Lake Monitoring, Biomonitoring, and Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring. In partnership with these volunteers, we build long-term datasets of regulatory quality data that can help guide the sustainable management of local water resources. These data are available to the public on our online water quality database. CSI offers fee-based, certified drinking water testing services and counts the Tompkins County Health Department and Cornell University as well as dozens of businesses and hundreds of private homeowners among our clients. Through our fee-for-service program, we offer affordable water tests to the public while also providing our clients with the information they need to make informed decisions about their drinking water resources.

Requirements

• Work-Study Students be able to take initiative, work independently, solve problems, and pay close attention to detail.
• At least 2 semesters of coursework in chemistry, environmental science, biology, or a related discipline
• Experience with science communication or science education
• Customer service experience
• Confidence using Microsoft 365

Responsibilities

• Assist with coordination of CSI programs (Biomonitoring, Harmful Algal Bloom, Synoptic Sampling, Journey of Water) and events.
• Support CSI staff to develop, produce, and publish educational content about water quality through social media, handouts, fact sheets, or articles.
• Provide customer service to CSI’s diverse clientele by discussing their water testing needs, educating clients about water quality issues, providing appropriate sample bottles and chain-of-custody forms, and logging samples into our state certified laboratory system.
• Enter data from our water quality monitoring programs into CSI’s public water quality database.
• Prepare certified water test reports for drinking water clients.
• Wash and prepare sample bottles for volunteer monitoring programs.
• The Work-Study Student will also be given the opportunity to pursue a specific project that supports CSI’s mission pending approval from the Executive Director.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed