Composting System Associate

Job DescriptionComposting System Intern

Organization Description:
Irvine Nature Center is a non-profit educational organization that offers programs of environmental studies and natural science to children and adults of the greater Baltimore area. Our mission is to educate and inspire current and future generations to explore, respect and protect nature.

Internship Position Description:
This internship is UNPAID, but eligible for academic or course credit if approved by your educational institution. This internship provides an exciting opportunity to tackle the issue of food waste reduction and composting at Irvine Nature Center. The candidate will assess where food waste is occurring at Irvine and then develop and help implement methods to reduce. This includes the upkeep and upgrading of Irvine's current compost bins, implementing a kitchen compost plan, and creating interpretative signage about the importance and science of composting.

Position Responsibilities:

• Implement a kitchen composting system for Irvine staff and members.
• Upgrade and maintain Irvine's existing composting bins and areas.
• Create interpretive signage for composting area.
• Develop a short lesson plan on food waste for visiting school groups (and potentially classroom visits/ public programs, etc.)
• Work with local company to supply surplus produce for animal care use.

Qualifications:

• Self-motivated and able to work independently.
• Able to work with groups of different ages and explain ideas with enthusiasm.
• Some background knowledge about impacts of climate change preferred .

Hours:

• Must have Monday - Friday availability.
• Flexible but a minimum of 8 hours/week is required.
• Able to work partly when school groups are having lunch (usually between 11:30-1pm).

Project Details:

• Learn lots of practical ways to impact climate change through the issue of food waste.
• Learn proper techniques for composting and maintaining worm bins.
• Opportunity to develop and implement ideas.

TO APPLY:
Please fill out the Volunteer Application on our website at https://www.explorenature.org/get-involved/volunteer/ before sending your resume and three references to our Volunteer Coordinator, Maggie Winkler, at WinklerM@ExploreNature.org.