Eco Innovators College Intern (Part-time)

New York, NY
Internship
Education
Student (College)

Position/Title: Eco Innovators College Intern

Start Date: September 2025

End Date: December 2025

Salary: $20 an hour

Employment Type: Seasonal, Part-Time (up to 12  hours/week) 


ABOUT CITY PARKS FOUNDATION  

City Parks Foundation (CPF) is the only independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to offer programs in public parks throughout the five boroughs of New York City. At CPF, we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through sports, arts, community development, and education programs for all New Yorkers. Our programs and community building initiatives -- located in more than 350 parks, recreation centers, and public schools across New York City -- reach 425,000 people each year. 

  • We present the largest free, outdoor performing arts festival in NYC through SummerStage, presenting artists of the highest quality across multiple disciplines and genres, and marionette puppet theater in all five boroughs with our Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater and the roving PuppetMobile.
  • Partnerships for Parks, a public-private program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks, supports and champions a growing network of leaders who care and advocate for the transformation of their neighborhood parks.
  • We connect youngsters to nature in the urban environment with education programs that provide learning experiences through classroom and hands-on activities in parks, urban forests, coastal areas, gardens, and recreation centers.
  • Free golf, tennis, track & field, soccer, and fitness programs bring high-quality instruction and equipment into areas where few organized athletic opportunities exist. We offer leveled training, year-round scholarship coaching, and special pro events.

Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks reflect thriving communities.

POSITION SUMMARY 

Eco-Innovators is a program for 9th - 12th graders that gives students access to environmental leaders and infrastructure across the City as they work to invent creative projects that push the environmental resiliency movement forward in their own communities. Students make real change as they explore advocacy tools and learn techniques to help solve challenging environmental issues, including expanding green spaces, increasing recycling and reducing waste, and improving energy efficiency. 

Eco Innovators after school program operates from September 2025 to June 2026, during after school hours (3:00 pm - 6 pm), with each program site meeting once weekly. 

CPF is seeking a college intern for the Fall to assist the Eco Innovators After School Program Manager in providing instruction and guidance to high school interns during program hours for up to 12 hours each week from late September to December. The ideal candidate will have some knowledge in environmental science and a basic understanding of youth development.

Eco Innovators takes place at sites throughout Manhattan, The Bronx, Brooklyn and Queens. The college intern will be required to travel to and from our program sites independently and participate in any planned field trips which take place throughout the city. The college intern may also be asked to work at the CPF education department main offices at 1234 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10029, and virtually as needed.  

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Directly support and assist Program Manager with implementation of afterschool program.
  • Co-facilitate lessons, activities, service-learning projects, and field experiences.
  • Help design engaging, age-appropriate, inquiry-based, experiential environmental education activities. 
  • Provide logistical support and comprehensive general administrative duties as needed.
  • Support the gathering of materials, photos, and anecdotes of the program.
  • Assist with data collection and recordkeeping.
  • Help in managing student safety on the NYC subway system, in NYC parks, and on other field trips.
  • Be willing to engage in physical activity in the outdoors 
  • Commit to and travel to the program sites throughout the boroughs

QUALIFICATIONS 

  • Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in education, ecology, biology, environmental science, or related field
  • Experience working with and building rapport with youth and/or children a plus
  • Awareness of current environmental issues and passion for socio-environmental change
  • Understanding of scientific methods and science inquiry practices
  • Interest in working with diverse students, all age groups, and low-income communities
  • Versatility, resourcefulness and creativity required 
  • Willingness and enthusiasm for leading students in outdoors, on hikes, and on field trips around New York City in cold/sometimes uncomfortable weather conditions
  • Commitment to Eco Innovators mission and values

Only potential candidates will be contacted. No calls, please.

ABOUT CITY PARKS FOUNDATION

At City Parks Foundation (CPF), we are dedicated to invigorating and transforming New York City parks into dynamic, vibrant centers of urban life through arts, environmental education, sports, and community building programs for all New Yorkers. Our ethos is simple: we believe thriving parks mean thriving communities.

Community engagement includes Partnerships for Parks, a public-private program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks, which supports and champions a growing network of community leaders who care and advocate for the transformation of our neighborhood parks and the Parks and Open Space Partners-NYC coalition of conservancies and alliances. We also administer the NYC Green Fund, a regranting program for parks and open space nonprofits and grassroots organizations.

We produce SummerStage, the iconic free, outdoor performing arts festival in NYC, presenting world-class artists from across the globe and our own neighborhoods on our mainstage in Central Park and in local parks in all five boroughs, and our Swedish Cottage Marionette Theatre and roving PuppetMobile present marionette puppet theater throughout New York City.

We connect youngsters to nature in the urban environment through progressive, experiential teaching. Using parks as classrooms, we provide learning experiences and hands-on activities in urban forests, coastal areas, and gardens.

Free golf, tennis, track & field, soccer, and fitness programs bring high-quality instruction and equipment into areas where few organized athletic opportunities exist. We offer leveled training, year-round scholarship coaching, and special pro events.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. City Parks Foundation does not offer visa sponsorship.

Share

Apply for this position

Required*
Apply with Indeed
We've received your resume. Click here to update it.
Attach resume as .pdf, .doc, .docx, .odt, .txt, or .rtf (limit 5MB) or Paste resume

Paste your resume here or Attach resume file

Human Check*