Work in watershed centers & preview a conservation career

Looking for a rewarding summer employment opportunity? Interested in environmental conservation but lack formal educational or professional experience? The Alliance for Watershed Education’s (AWE) Delaware River Watershed Fellowship program may be for you. Now in its fifth year, the AWE fellows program is a 12-week, paid program designed to introduce young adults from local communities to conservation careers. The program hopes to nurture a new generation of environmental stewards from local communities served by the Delaware Watershed. Sound like a great opportunity? Keep reading for more information on how and why to apply!

Program Information

The program employs fellows across 23 different watershed centers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Fellows can expect to participate in a whole host of activities, including training with mentors and peers, planning and assisting with the centers’ programming, and more.

All fellows will participate in a 3-day overnight training at the Pocono Environmental Education Center (this training may be moved to zoom depending on COVID restrictions), with supplemental webinars throughout the summer designed to engage fellows from different centers with each other and educate fellows on conservation across the watershed. Each fellow will also complete a capstone project of their own design and present it at the fellowship’s end-of-program Summit on August 20th.

The program will run for 12 weeks, from June 7th to August 27th. Fellows will be paid $15 an hour and are expected to work 35-40 hours per week.

After completing the program, alumni will receive support from the AWE including access to job listings and professional development opportunities.

Who is eligible?

While eligibility for the fellowship programs vary significantly by watershed center, all of them require applicants to be 18 or older by the start date of June 7th. None of the programs require experience in environmental preservation — they encourage all applicants interested in environmentalism and working with local communities to apply.

Some watershed centers may prefer or require applicants with certain qualifications such as fluency in Spanish, a driver’s license, a high school diploma or GED, and residency in or near the location of the center. All centers strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds to apply. Click here to view the list of watershed centers involved in the program — each center’s page provides specific information on eligibility requirements.

How can I apply?

The specific details of the application process may vary widely depending on the center you’re interested in applying to. Some centers may require a cover letter, resume, or reference letters to apply — see this list to find out specific information on each center.

If you’re interested in applying, act fast — deadlines are approaching quickly! While a few of the centers’ deadlines have already passed, many remain open until April 14th or 16th — make sure to check the deadline for the center you’re applying for.

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Sophie Brous is an editorial intern at Green Philly. Born and raised in NYC, she now attends Haverford College, where she majors in linguistics. When she's not writing, she can be found exploring cities, making arts and crafts, and finding ways to live a greener lifestyle. View all posts by Sophie Brous