The NYC Department of Parks and Recreation is offering a dozen internships for the summer that range a variety of industries from government, to communications, to environmental affairs. I’ve highlighted a bunch of my favorite options, but we sure to head over to MOJO to learn more about these and others, and to apply! The deadline for all NYC Dept. of Parks and Rec. internships is March 16. **Although these internships areunpaid, you can apply for funding through Middlebury at go/summerfunding by April 4.
1. Capital Management Services Intern at NYC Department of Parks & Recreation in NYC
For those interested in finance or government, the Management Services Team for the Department’s Capital Division is comprised of four units: Contracts, Finance/Accounting, Consultant Project Management and Budget. The intern will be responsible to conduct due diligence reviews on existing and new construction contractors as part of the Agency’s vendor review process. Duties will include the research, review and analysis of vendor data from various sources including: public databases and web research.
2. Environmental Education Intern at City Parks Foundation in NYC
City Parks Foundation’s (CPF) education department connects teachers, students and families to local parks by providing hands-on programs that meet specific community needs and public educational standards. CPF Education targets Title 1 schools in low-income and remote communities throughout the five boroughs and encourages schools to select special needs and bilingual/dual language programs to participate in its programs. Interns would work with educators to deliver public programs and assist CPF Education teachers on lesson preparation. In the summer lessons are taught entirely outdoors with school summer programs, camps, organizations, and adult learners (from special need adults to the elderly).
3. Natural Areas Monitoring Intern at Natural Resources Group in NYC
Established in 1984, the Natural Resources Group (NRG) is responsible for acquisition, protection, restoration, and management of remnant and restored natural areas within the 28,000 acres of City parkland. To aid in protecting and managing natural areas, this intern will conduct landscape level vegetation mapping in city parks and natural areas within New York City. Under the guidance of an NRG forester tasks will include: vegetation monitoring, including the classification of plant types, land use analysis, historical and current use, and aerial photo interpretation; various office and field tasks, including GIS, data entry, map and report creation, and photo archiving.
4. Sustainability Initiatives Intern at NYC Department of Parks & Recreation in NYC
The Sustainability Initiatives Office serves as a catalyst, hub, and advocate for the integration of sustainable practices throughout agency divisions. Intern projections include the following: attending and participating in Sustainable Parks meetings and in meetings at the Mayor’s Office, conducting field visits to parks around the city to gather crucial information on sustainable maintenance and operations practices, organizing educational events to engage employees and the public in resource conservation, creating and maintaining a tracking system for performance indicators, and more!
5. Natural Resources Crew Intern at Prospect Park in NYC
The Natural Resources Crew of Prospect Park manages 250 acres of woodlands and 62 acres of water bodies located within historic Prospect Park. Interns will have the opportunity to take part in a variety of projects including woodland restoration, lake/pond monitoring and restoration, and vegetation monitoring. Work in monitoring will include data collection of both water quality and related indicators, or of an ongoing terrestrial woodland project. Interns will be able to learn techniques for all of the above tasks, native and exotic plant identification, and all about the details of operating a wild urban park.
6. Office of the Commissioner Intern at NYC Department of Parks & Recreation in NYC
The Commissioner’s office oversees all divisions and operations of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. The office is responsible for managing Commissioner Benepe’s workload and schedule, preparing him for and accompanying him on events, managing his phone calls, and also receives correspondence from constituents, elected officials, and other city agencies for the entire Parks Department. Intern duties are diverse and dynamic, offering a chance to learn about the Parks Department and City government at all levels; the intern will help manage and delegate responsibility for the hundreds of emails, letters, and 311 calls that come into the office each week. The intern will also have the regular opportunity to accompany Commissioner Benepe on press events, field outings, and ribbon cuttings.