River Watch Outreach Coordinator

Program Overview: River Science is the lead organization for River Corps and is a 501c(3) nonprofit located in Canon City, CO. The River Corps program places AmeriCorps members at organizations and agencies throughout Colorado to focus on helping the efficiency, efficacy, and scale or healthy rivers and watersheds. To thrive in these technical positions, Members will receive comprehensive training and ongoing support. Specifically, all members will receive training in water quality sampling, stream flow measurement, on-the-ground project monitoring with GIS, and essential watershed coordination techniques to ensure they are adding valuable capacity to watershed actions and initiatives across Colorado. Some positions will require members to be trained in low-tech process-based restoration (ltpbr).  

Service Site Overview: The Blue River Watershed Group (BRWG) was founded in 2004 by a group of local community members who were passionate about protecting and preserving the health of the Blue River Basin. Our mission is to promote, protect, and restore a healthy Blue River watershed through cooperative community education, stewardship, and resource management. We focus on the entire watershed, which drains an area of about 680 square miles covering all of Summit County and portions of Grand and Lake Counties.

Service Position Summary: The River Watch Outreach Coordinator will be trained in River Watch methods and water quality data collection protocols to better serve the volunteers in the program which services rivers throughout Summit County, Colorado. Through this program, we offer volunteers, students, and community members an opportunity to enhance their environmental knowledge of the rivers and ecology while collecting, synthesizing, and inputting data used by the statewide water quality database. Our goal is to increase our environmental stewardship footprint within the Blue River watershed by including community members, volunteers, and students while offering the opportunity to learn about local watershed work, river restoration, water quality monitoring, and river ecology.

This position will also support outreach efforts related to restoration projects, support ongoing restoration efforts, and support the Project Director in implementing educational outreach efforts and coordinating volunteers to support restoration efforts.

Essential Functions (Primary Responsibilities): The coordinator will engage with Blue River Watershed Group to develop, implement, and enhance programs, projects, and activities that will create progress towards BRWG’s and River Watch’s goals. These duties include:

• Support creation of an outreach event that engages students to learn about environmental monitoring
• Create educational material to be used to aid River Watch volunteers
• Be trained in River Watch methods and protocols to engage with students already in the program
• Serve as a representative of River Watch during site visits to groups located throughout Colorado
• Serve with school groups throughout the County to provide support with sampling throughout the state
• Track progress and collect evaluation data for the program’s performance measures
• Attend all required AmeriCorps orientations, meetings, and trainings
• Complete and submit all necessary paperwork and reports by predetermined deadlines
• Some local travel may be required

Marginal Functions (Secondary Responsibilities):

• Create a sustainable plan to support a volunteer or internship program
• Learn about data and volunteer management while helping to create and manage BRWG volunteer groups throughout the County
• Engage with students at site visits to further their understanding of methods, protocols and environmental opportunities outside the classroom
• Learn from professionals in the environmental fields gaining opportunities and contacts within water policy, river research, and riparian restoration

Physical, Emotional, and Intellectual Demands:

• Must be willing to attend any River Watch Training events during term of service. We usually host one training annually for 4 days in the fall.
• Outgoing and able to engage with students, volunteers, as well as other environmental professionals.

Qualifications:

• Desire to learn about and serve with environmental professionals
• Word, Google Suite, Excel, and PowerPoint knowledge is helpful
• Ability to engage with volunteers and students of all ages
• Ethic of national and community service and a strong desire to create positive change
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing; computer literate
• High school diploma or GED required
• Ability to pass criminal history checks required
• Reliable transportation and proof of auto insurance required
• S. Citizen, U.S. National, or lawful permanent resident status required

Term of Service: This is a half time national and community service position requiring a minimum of 900 hours during the year (approximately 15-25 hours/week). The position begins March 3, 2025 and ends November 21, 2025. While the position service will occur mostly between Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm, flexible hours may be required including occasional early morning, evening and weekend commitments. Within these hours, there will be sufficient opportunity to fulfill the term of 900 hours, including holidays, time off, and missed hours to makeup.

Training and Support Provided: River Corps members receive significant training and experience in technical skillsets (e.g. water quality data collection, assessment with GIS) and community engagement (e.g. watershed coordination, stakeholder communication). Up to 20% of total hours served may be spent in applicable approved trainings. Members will be supervised and supported by Vanessa Logsdon BRWG’s Executive Director(director@blueriverwatershed.org) and Kendra Tully BRWG’s Program Director(projects@blueriverwatershed.org), as well as by Allison Palmasano, River Corps Project Director, allison@river.science / 719.429.3707. The cohort of members serving throughout the region will act as additional resources and support for each other. 

Location and Service Conditions: This position is based in Breckenridge at the Water Division, 38 Stan Miller Dr, Breckenridge, CO 80424. Service is also performed at program sites in the surrounding region.

Benefits:

• A living allowance of $12,500 will be made in bi-weekly (every other Friday) payments of $657.89 before taxes. Taxes are deducted and the living allowance is distributed by direct deposit to the member.
• An education award of $3,697.50 upon successful completion of term of service
• Training certificates in Water Quality & Ecology, and Hydrology Technician 1
• It is possible to temporarily postpone repayment of qualified student loans through forbearance while serving as an AmeriCorps member
• Mileage reimbursement for travel to required trainings and days of service
• Non-tangible benefits including valuable hands-on experience, networking, opportunity to help river and watershed health in a local community.
• Alumni benefits include priority hiring with organizations that are part of Employers of National Service and the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program to eliminate educational debt.

Diversity and Equal Opportunity Statement:

In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, there shall not be any discrimination against an employee, volunteer, or program participant on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, disability, political affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, marital, parental, veteran or military status, political service, or membership, participation or association with any organization. We provide equal employment, volunteer, and experience opportunities to all individuals based on relevant qualifications and abilities. River Science prohibits any such discrimination or harassment.

River Science will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities, unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. This policy governs all aspects of the position, including: selection, assignment, compensation, discipline, termination, and access to benefits and training. If you believe you need an accommodation due to a disability, contact the Executive Director immediately. Members with questions or concerns about discrimination in the workplace are encouraged to bring these issues to the attention of the Executive Director.