Swimmable Water Intern

Job Opportunity

 

Do you love the North Saskatchewan River and the waters that surround Edmonton? Do you want people who live in Edmonton to have access to clean water? Would you like to help improve physical and mental health in your community?

If you said “yes”, then you may be the next Swimmable Water Intern with North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper, a Swim Drink Fish initiative.

We are a community organization looking to improve public understanding of water quality in the Edmonton area and to build public support for a clean, healthy, and accessible river. We are looking for a summer student with an interest in water issues to research and publicize recreational water quality information in the Saskatchewan River watershed.

 

Responsibilities
  • Ensure that beach locations, descriptions, and water quality test results are up-to-date and accurate for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in Swim Guide (see www.theswimguide.org).
  • Respond to pollution reports and beach suggestions from Swim Guide users in  Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
  • Research and write weekly blog posts about recreational water hotspots and issues in the Edmonton region, including sharing updates about Accidental Beach.
  • Share information about river health and recreational water activities on the North Saskatchewan River Twitter and Facebook pages.
  • Assist with other water literacy and outreach activities as needed.

 

What You’ll Learn

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who wants to learn more about water policy, water quality monitoring protocols,, water quality and public health guidelines, the Saskatchewan River watershed, and community outreach. The Internship position is perfect for an environmental studies or communications student who loves policy, science, and writing. By the end of the summer, you will have gained experience working in a small office, working with collaborators in BC and Ontario, data integrity, and you will have a portfolio of eight published articles.

 

Qualifications
  • Detail-oriented, with the ability to ensure accurate information is being communicated to the public at all times;
  • Comfortable working independently, because most of your colleagues will be working in other cities;
  • Reliable, because the water quality information you share is vital for the protection of public health;
  • A good writer/ communicator, because your words can help to educate 70,000 Swim Guide users about water quality issues in your area;
  • Comfortable with WordPress, Facebook, Twitter, Google Docs, Gmail and the ability to learn how the Swim Guide Beach Manager works, because these are the tools you will be using to share water quality information with the public;
  • Knowledge of the North Saskatchewan River/ Alberta waters or a desire to learn as much as you can about the topic;
  • Knowledge of water quality guidelines such as  Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality or a desire to learn as much as you can about the topic; and,
  • Meets the Canada Summer Jobs program requirements: (a) is between 15 and 30 years of age (inclusive) at the start of employment; (b) was registered as a full-time student during the preceding academic year; (c) intends to return to school on a full-time basis during the next academic year; (d) is a student in a secondary, post-secondary, vocational or technical program; (e) is a Canadian Citizen, permanent resident, or person on whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and; (f) is legally entitled to work according to the relevant provincial / territorial legislation and regulations.

 

Job Details

The Intern will work 30 hours per week for 8-10 weeks (depending on availability). Compensation is $15.00 per hour. Intern may work from our office in heart of Old Strathcona, from home, or a combination of both.

How to Apply

The deadline for applications is Friday June 8, 2018.

To apply, email the following information to edmontonjob@swimdrinkfish.ca with the subject “Edmonton Summer Job – Your Name”

  1. In the email, write a brief letter that describes why you want this summer position. Tell us a little bit about yourself, your qualifications, and show off your writing style.
  2. Attach your resumé.
  3. Include names and contact information for two references.

 

Swim Drink Fish Canada is committed to having a skilled, diversified workforce reflective of the Toronto community, and to the equitable representation of women, Indigenous peoples, and members of a visible minority group.

Candidates will be contacted for an interview beginning June 11, 2018.

 

About Swim Drink Fish and North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper

Swim Drink Fish Canada and North Saskatchewan Riverkeeper work to protect swimmable, drinkable, fishable water by blending science, law, education, and storytelling with technology. Together, these Canadian charities empower millions of people to know and safeguard their waters through the Edmonton Water Literacy Program, Swim Guide, Watermark Project, and Community Water Monitoring. These programs help to build a national movement of active, informed, and engaged individuals working to ensure their communities can swim, drink, and fish forever.