Environmental Projects Intern (Richmond, Virginia) (Apply by April 5)

March 16, 2026

About the Alliance

The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay (Alliance) is a regional nonprofit organization whose vision is clean streams and rivers flowing through resilient landscapes, cared for by the people who live, work, and play in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and whose mission is to bring together communities, companies, and conservationists to improve our lands and waters. The Alliance was founded in 1971 and has offices in Annapolis, MD, Lancaster, PA, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, VA.

Job Description

This is a ~10-week paid, part-time, hourly paid internship (~20 hours per week) that will support RiverTrends, the Alliance’s volunteer-based water quality monitoring project in Virginia, and the Virginia Green Infrastructure Team. The intern will support the water quality monitoring project staff through administrative work, volunteer management and support, and occasional time in the field (50%). This project will also support Virginia’s Green Infrastructure Team staff through field work, assisting in volunteer event coordination, and administrative work (50%).

Specific Duties of the Position:

  • Assist with volunteer water quality monitoring training events throughout Virginia by preparing, verifying, and calibrating equipment and supplies for training sessions.
  • Review water quality data submitted by volunteers, conduct quality assurance and publish it to the online database.
  • Support monitoring equipment maintenance, management, and distribution.
  • Support volunteer monitors with field work and equipment troubleshooting.
  • Assist in conducting an audit of Alliance-planted trees throughout the Richmond region by conducting site visits and creating a basic map and inventory of tree planting sites.
  • Assist in planning and executing garden maintenance events working with volunteers (prior gardening experience is not required).
  • Support preparation efforts for fall planting projects.
  • Assist with other projects in the Richmond, VA office as assigned

Qualifications and Experience:

  • Ability to lift and carry 25 lbs
  • Enthusiasm for environmental issues, specifically water quality and the Chesapeake Bay
  • Experience with Google Workspace and Microsoft Excel
  • Willingness to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
  • Willingness to travel throughout Virginia for training events and fieldwork

Supervision: The Intern will report directly to the Virginia Green Infrastructure Projects Coordinator and Water Quality Monitoring Projects Manager with additional oversight provided by Virginia-based staff.

Hours, Location, and Timeframe: The Environmental Projects Intern will be based at the Alliance’s Richmond, VA Office with occasional travel within Virginia. The position is hourly, part-time (~20 hours per week, June 8-August 15). Start and end dates can be adjusted based on intern availability. This position requires weekly time in the office during Alliance core hours, 9am to 5pm, and some weekend and evening hours. A consistent schedule for hours worked will be established between the supervisor and intern

Compensation: This is a temporary position at $15 per hour for ~20 hours a week from June 8-August 15, with the ability to adjust start and end dates based on intern availability. Applicable travel and other business expenses are reimbursed. There is no paid time off or other benefits associated with this position.

Application: Please email your resume and a response to the following questions to careers@allianceforthebay.org. Applications are accepted until April 5th. Indicate “Virginia Environmental
Projects Intern” in the email subject line.

  1. Why do you believe that engaging the public in conservation work matters?
  2. What experience, if any, do you have engaging with environmental organizations?
  3. What do you hope to gain from this experience for your future career goals?

Download the Full Job Description