The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership (LRWP), a regional non-profit organization serving central New Jersey, seeks an enthusiastic and creative Part Time Watershed Community Outreach Coordinator to help the LRWP implement and manage our environmental monitoring programs and related projects in 2025. This position works with schools, community groups, civic scientists as well as local, state, and federal government partners to support environmental engagement and stewardship of watershed health.

The ideal candidate will be bilingual (English/Spanish), with a passion for community engagement and science communication. We are looking for someone with familiarity with water quality monitoring protocols, data collection, QA/QC, and reporting methods, however we will train! The successful candidate must enjoy working with the public, be comfortable giving presentations and speaking publicly, and be comfortable working independently, as well as part of a collaborative team. The position requires excellent communication and organization to ensure that the LRWP board submits grant reports on time.

In 2025 the LRWP Community Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for four key projects:

• Green Brook Litter Trap (on-going)
• Raritan River Volunteer Pathogens Monitoring (Summer/Fall)
• Volunteer Eel Monitoring in the Green Brook (Early Winter/Spring)
• StreamKeepers Volunteer Stream Assessments (Fall/Late Fall)

The LRWP Community Outreach Coordinator will implement the 2^nd year of the Green Brook Litter Trap project, including community engagement in assessing litter flows, documenting the impact of the in-water litter collection device, and communicating findings to project partners and the broader community. In 2025 this will include schools and community outreach around eel monitoring near the Litter Trap installation site and being a member of the team planning a 5K “Run Off” and Walk/Roll/Stroll outreach and educational event to bring attention to the impact of stormwater runoff on local stream health.

The LRWP Community Outreach Coordinator will be responsible for the LRWP’s Raritan River pathogens monitoring activities, including all aspects of supporting volunteers in weekly pathogens monitoring; maintaining water monitoring equipment and supplies; populating and maintaining databases; maintaining citizen monitoring networks and contacts; and developing weekly science communication outreach materials to share via blog and social media posts.

The LRWP Community Outreach Coordinator will also work with the LRWP Board to further develop the infrastructure for, and deploy, a watershed-wide StreamKeeper’s Volunteer Stream Assessment Program.

About the LRWP: The Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership was founded in 2015. Since the beginning, the LRWP has prioritized work that supports civic science community engagement on the path to environmental stewardship. The LRWP’s core mission is to protect and restore the Raritan River and its watershed by building partnerships, engaging communities to find collaborative solutions, and connecting people to its streams and lands. The LRWP also leads a wide array of on-the-ground restoration projects.

Learn more about us by visiting our website: www.lowerraritanwatershed.org

Job Description: The Community Outreach Coordinator will need to be an energetic and independent worker, excited about engaging communities in the LRWP’s mission. The following skills are required:

• Volunteer Coordination – ability to recruit, coordinate, and lead volunteer events and volunteer participation at events.
• Project Coordination – ability to implement and complete projects on time, with willingness to learn and adapt quickly, and juggle multiple responsibilities at once.
• Strong Writing Skills – ability to assist with delivery of quarterly, annual, and final reports. This requires being well organized, attentive to detail, and having excellent time management skills.
• Science Communication – ability to write summary blog posts and generate social media outreach material that describes project activities and celebrates community stewardship.
• Relationship Building – ability to develop and maintain relationships with diverse partners, such as other non-profit organizations, schools, local, state, and federal government agencies, businesses, and individuals.
• Comfortable working outside in any weather. Some labor may require lifting over 40 lbs. Frequent evening and weekend work.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in earth systems, ecology, natural resource management, environmental science, or similar field of study. Experience coordinating projects and leading volunteer events. Excellent outreach, communication, and presentation skills and experience in public speaking. Proficient in MS Office. Experience with Google Drive, Canva, Salesforce and WordPress are a plus. Compensation: $25-30/hour Commensurate with experience. To Apply:  Please submit cover letter, resume, and a list of references to: hfenyk@lowerraritanwatershed.org, include Community Outreach Coordinator in email subject line. No phone inquiries.