Sustainability Interns (x2)

Location

Whitehorse, YT | Canada

Job description

Sustainability Interns (x2)

Hours: 30 - 37.5hrs / week

Wage: $28.00 / hr

About YCS

The Yukon Conservation Society (YCS) is a grassroots environmental non-profit organization established in 1968. Since then, we have gained a respected position of influence on environmental policy and education in the North by working with communities, First Nation governments, and diverse organizations to achieve many conservation victories in the territory. Our Board, staff, and volunteers are experts in their fields. We are committed to pursuing ecosystem well-being throughout the Yukon and beyond, recognizing that human well-being ultimately depends upon fully functioning, healthy ecosystems.

Position Summary

YCS is hiring two enthusiastic youths (20-30 years old) who can collaborate in many interdisciplinary conservation and mining projects. This position allows interns to be involved in diverse projects within a conservation organization, ranging from land-use planning to collecting mining data and writing articles to conducting research. Similarly, the daily tasks will be varied, from attending meetings and writing research reports.

An Internship at YCS will be a challenging and rewarding experience for the right person. While a strong grounding in environmental science and familiarity with tools such as GIS and statistical analysis will be key attributes, a cheerful and cooperative attitude and the desire to become part of a team will be more important.

Main Responsibilities

Conservation/Mining (80%)

Working primarily with the YCS Mining and Conservation teams, the Interns’ tasks will be diverse in nature and topic depending upon current YCS projects, issues and the intern’s personal interests and skills. These may include:

• Participate in Summer Program training (May 30-June 8), occasionally delivering theme hikes and supporting Interpretive Trail Guides when necessary.
• Write articles and communications material on conservation for YCS’s publications.
• Attend and summarize pertinent information at select workshops and meetings
• Conduct quartz (hard rock) mining research.
• Become familiar with climate change adaptation, mitigation strategies, and climate-related impacts in the Yukon.
• Develop a plan for establishing a Yukon Species at Risk Act.
• Compile data on the status of select Yukon Caribou herds and the amount of surface disturbance within their ranges.
• Screen environmental assessment applications and help compose interventions and comments.
• Analyze and develop a campaign to inform Yukoners about current best practices, GHG emissions reduction strategies and alternative energy sources for mining operations in the Yukon.
• Collaborate in developing fact sheets related to conservation, mining and climate change.
• Assist YCS staff with outreach programs in Whitehorse and potentially across the Yukon.
• Develop and help deploy a community science project.
• Explore the use of AI in promoting conservation in Yukon.

Other/Administrative (20%)

• Participate in relevant project and team meetings and discussions, and prepare project and funding reporting as necessary.
• Identify and apply for funding opportunities in collaboration with the YCS staff.
• Work closely with the Analysts and Managers in reporting and budgeting tasks.

Ideal Candidate Background

The intern will possess excellent research and analytical skills with a qualitative and quantitative analysis background. In addition, knowledge of environmental issues and solutions currently influencing the Yukon, Canada and globally (i.e. climate change, mining, green energy, land-use planning, wetlands and wildlife) is critical. Finally, the intern can expect to gain or improve their skills in such areas: conducting training; reviewing and reporting on technical documents; preparing briefings and position papers; research methods and processes conducive to environmental research; and writing reports and articles.

Additional assets include:

• Experience working or volunteering effectively in a small, geographically dispersed location with multi-disciplinary teams and Indigenous-led organizations.
• Experience working in the Yukon or other northern jurisdictions and experience working in the not-for-profit or academic sector.
• Strong organizational, budgeting and record-keeping skills.
• Knowledge of conservation in the Yukon (including the influences of legislation, policy and modern treaties) or a willingness to learn.
• Independent, driven, yet able to cooperate in collaborative decision-making.
• Exceptional verbal, written and visual communication skills.
• Experience working or volunteering with Indigenous-led organizations, First Nations governments or communities.
• Fluency with computers including Google Workspace & Microsoft Office Suite.
• Website and graphic design skills (Squarespace, Canva, Adobe Creative Suite).
• A passion for education, outreach and social media content creation.
• A valid driver’s license and/or access to a vehicle is preferred.

Logistics

• Schedule: Full-time, 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday to Friday.
  
• Location: Parnell House, 302 Hawkins, Whitehorse.
• Vacation: 2 weeks of vacation and 2 weeks of paid time off at the end of the calendar year (as per YCS’s Personnel Policy), plus 14 Statutory Holidays.
  
• Benefits: Semi-annual self-administered employer cash contribution.
  
• Duration: 40-48 weeks, with a possibility of extension.
• Expected start date: April 2024 (flexible for the right candidate).

Hiring Process

We encourage you to apply quickly for this position if you are a good match. Please email your cover letter and resume to [email protected] . If you have any questions about this position, please email or call 867-668-5678.

We will contact you to schedule an interview if you are a suitable candidate for the role. Interviews will take 45 - 60 mins, in-person or online. We will accept applications on a rolling basis until we find the right candidate to join our team.

Applications are open to individuals under 30 who are not currently students and are authorized to work in Canada. Priority will be given to applicants from the Yukon, particularly First Nations and Indigenous individuals, as well as other underrepresented groups.

We encourage you to apply now!

Job tags

Salary

$28 per hour