UT Shield

Bridging Disciplines Programs Opportunities

Sharing connecting experience opportunities with BDP students.

Environment & Sustainability

, Filed Under: Internship

Internships Still Available with UT Resource Recovery – Summer 21

Role Description

Employer: UT Resource Recovery
Position Title: Resource Recovery Team Member – Standardized Signage (Summer)
Employment Dates: June 1 – August 6, 2021
Compensation: $11.00/hour
Supervisor’s Name: Morgan Laner, Zero Waste Program Coordinator
To Apply: Submit cover letter, Resume

Description:
Resource Recovery is a department within UT Facilities Services that encompasses both Zero Waste and Surplus Properties. Resource Recovery is tasked with improving sustainability at UT, specifically with regards to reaching our Zero Waste goal to divert 90% of all materials from the landfill. Major diversion strategies include source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting. As a result, we have the opportunity to partner and observe material processes across campus.
This summer, we are looking for six students to assist with the rollout of new waste signage across campus as part of a Green Fund grant project. By providing consistent, standardized signage for Landfill Trash and Recycling bins, we can help reduce confusion over what goes in each bin. Students working on this project will play a major role in ensuring that campus is ready to go for the fall semester.
Primary job responsibilities:
  • Utilize best practices in signage placement to affix Landfill Trash and Recycling signs across campus
  • Maintain inventory and transport materials to each building
This position is 10 hours per week from June 1 to August 6, 2021. We expect to have set hours on two days per week based on students’ schedules, and will provide guidance for which buildings to focus on each day. Students will participate in a weekly project meeting and onboarding via Zoom, and remaining hours will be done on-campus. Resource Recovery takes the safety of our students very seriously and abides by all COVID protocols, including capacity limits, face masks, and sanitization practices.
As a result of this experience, you will:
  • Have a greater knowledge of waste diversion at UT (e.g. recycling, compost)
  • Enhance collaboration skills with other team members
  • Explore buildings on campus that you may not have entered otherwise
Qualifications:
  • Interest and/or experience in sustainability and willingness to learn about the inner workings of waste diversion
  • Ability to maintain professionalism and represent the department well when communicating with faculty, staff, and students
  • Timely and effective communicator
  • Punctual
  • Ability to produce quality work individually and in teams
  • Organized and adaptable
  • Must be able to lift 50 pounds and be comfortable working outdoors

Contact Information

Morgan Laner
Zero Waste Program Coordinator

To Apply

Please apply online through Handshake.

, Filed Under: Internship

Education and Outreach Intern with Campus Environmental Center – Fall 2021 & Spring 2022

Summary. The Education and Outreach (E&O) Team Leader promotes general knowledge about sustainability and environmental issues to the greater UT community especially students through educational workshops, socials, outreach campaigns, and more. In this role, you will represent the CEC, the Office of Sustainability (OS), and UT. You must be a positive role model and work to create a culture of inclusion within the CEC. You are expected to encourage and support your fellow CEC leaders, your Team Members, and the CEC members to learn about and be involved in sustainability on campus.

Specific Position Functions
  • Develop and lead educational workshops, socials, campaigns, speaker events, or other events about sustainability and/or the environment
  • Develop and lead creative new educational initiatives to raise awareness about sustainability issues and educate the general student body
  • Develop educational resources related to sustainability for students
  • Partner with other campus organizations, outside sustainability groups, and/or CEC teams on education/outreach events
Requirements. Ability to communicate well and teach others about sustainability. Willingness to meet new people including students and staff. Strong coordination and event planning skills. Ability to coordinate event logistics in a timely and professional manner.
Wage. $11.00 per hour, 10 hours per week
Location. Anticipated on-campus, dependent on University policies. Typically located in Student Services Building (SSB) 1.302.
Start Date/Duration. August 2021 start, with virtual onboarding/training this semester (May 2021). This is an academic year position (i.e. approx. Sep-May). One year commitment required.

CEC Leader Mandatory Meeting Schedule
  • Leadership Council Meetings, General “Campfire” Meetings. Weekly, typically 6-7pm on Tuesdays
  • Weekly meetings with Admin Team
  • Weekly/biweekly meetings with Team Members
  • Bi-Weekly check point meetings with Staff Advisor
CEC Leader Expectations
  • Attend mandatory meetings and other team meetings as needed
  • Monitor and respond to team emails and inquiries promptly
  • Recruit, manage, support, and encourage Team Members and volunteers
  • Be an active member of the CEC leadership and support CEC members by attending and volunteering at various CEC events
  • Attend social and service events whenever possible (optional and do not count as paid time)
  • Develop, implement, and report on a team-specific metrics tracking strategy each semester
To apply, submit a resume and cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role and the relevant skills/experiences you bring. Submit materials via Handshake or directly to Brianna.duran@austin.utexas.edu. Students who are Work Study eligible should also submit their Work Study Verification (WSV). Applications due Sunday, April 25th.

The UT Office of Sustainability/Campus Environmental Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourages members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, including BIPOC, LGBTQ identifying people, gender-nonconforming people, individuals with disabilities, veterans, and people who speak a language in addition to English.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this internship, the Education & Outreach Intern will:
  • Understand how to apply concepts of sustainability to their personal lives, the campus community, and globally.
  • Have a strong knowledge of environmental and sustainability issues.
  • Improve their ability to work as a team using effective interpersonal communication and conflict resolution to meet the team’s goals.
  • Gain experience working with a wide variety of people to advocate for positive change.
  • Gain public speaking, email writing, meeting, and other professional communications skills.
Career-Readiness Competencies:
As an Education & Outreach intern, students will strengthen the below competencies.
  • Oral/Written Communications: Articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively in written and oral forms. By leading discussions and giving presentations, strengthen public speaking skills, interpersonal communications skills, and ability to express ideas to others. Will gain professional email communications skills.
  • Professionalism/Work Ethic: Demonstrate personal accountability and the ability to work effectively both independently and within a collaborative team environment consisting of student and professional staff.
  • Critical Thinking/Problem Solving: Strengthen the use of sound reasoning to analyze issues, make decisions, and overcome problems. Develop and implement creative new ideas about how to educate and engage students with environmental/sustainability issues.
  • Teamwork/Collaboration: Build collaborative relationships with teammates and other organizations. Develop ability to work within a team structure.

, Filed Under: Internship

Waste Management Recycle Corps Internship – Summer 21

Waste-Management - Jani-King

About Waste Management

Waste Management (WM), a Fortune 250 company, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste and environmental services in North America. We are strongly committed to a foundation of operating excellence, professionalism, and financial strength. WM serves nearly 25 million customers in residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal markets throughout North America through a network of collection operations, transfer stations, landfills, recycling facilities, and waste-based energy production projects.

Job Summary

Internship Location: Kirkland, Washington, United States

The WM Recycle Corps collegiate intern program is a nine-week internship focused on the latest strategies in engaging residents and businesses in waste reduction and recycling behavior change. The internship is designed to provide a diverse group of responsible students with experience as recycling educators.

This position provides an opportunity to work with communities across the Puget Sound. Both virtual and in-person work will be required. We are seeking a diverse group of applicants, from all cultures and communities, to best connect with the businesses and residents of this region.

WM Recycle Corps interns represent the company on a variety of outreach projects. Interns will primarily conduct remote phone-based and video-call education campaigns for businesses and apartment complexes. Additional outreach projects could include writing blogs, creating social media posts or videos, delivering educational supplies to customers, and tagging recycling carts with educational flyers.

Waste Management is committed to social and racial equity and cultural responsiveness in our services to clients, our workforce composition and practices, and our organizational culture.

Waste Management has taken several measures to protect employee and community safety during COVID-19. Our team observes safety guidelines including social distancing, health and safety screenings, and use of personal protective equipment.

Essential Duties and Qualifications

  • Curiosity and enthusiasm for recycling and composting
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills
  • Ability to engage and educate the public through technical assistance phone calls and emails
  • Ability to work efficiently and independently while maintaining attention to detail
  • Able to be flexible and adapt to changing situations while remaining positive
  • Ability to work effectively in a diverse, collaborative team environment
  • Fluency in Spanish, Mandarin, Marathi, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Russian, or Somali is preferred, but not required

Position Requirements

  • Must be available to participate in the internship from start to finish: 6/21/2021 – 8/20/2021
  • Recent graduate, students taking a “gap year” or completed at least one year of college 
  • Must have a cell phone for periodic use
  • Must possess an insured and reliable vehicle and be able to travel to and from locations throughout King, Snohomish, and Skagit counties. Personal vehicles may be used to transport outreach materials including tables and tents.
  • Capable of lifting 30 pounds
  • We recommend that you have a quiet home office workspace with internet access to complete phone-based outreach. Accommodations can be made for those who don’t have this access.

Work Environment

  • Required to exert physical effort in handling objects less than 30 pounds
  • Required to be exposed to physical environment which involves dirt, odors, noise, weather extremes, or similar elements
  • Some settings for this job will be outdoors, cart tagging in neighborhoods, delivering educational supplies to customers, or tabling at a community event such as a farmer’s market. You will be responsible for driving to these locations.

Program Overview

  • This is a paid internship, full-time (approx. 40 hours/week)
  • Eligible candidates must be able to start Monday, June 21, 2021, and work through Friday, August 20, 2021. Most shifts will start at 9 a.m. and end at 5:30 p.m. On occasion, shifts will begin as early as 5 a.m.
  • Most shifts will be Monday – Friday, but some weekend work will be required.
  • WM Recycle Corps Headquarters is in Kirkland, WA, but interns will be assigned to primarily staff outreach campaigns in either South King County (Auburn, Federal Way, Tukwila, Bremerton, etc.) or North King County (Redmond, Kirkland, Snoqualmie, Seattle, etc.)

*****Application deadline is Friday, April 23, 2021. To learn more about this position, and to apply, please visit our online internship posting!