Ulster County Climate Corps Internship Program

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Applications Open: March 21, 2024

Application Deadline: Applications Now Closed

Interviews Begin After April 15

Program Start Date: June 10, 2024 (Onboarding begins earlier, dependent on intern availability)

Program End Date: August 16, 2024 (flexible)

Rate: $17/hr

Commitment: Minimum 2 days per week, possibility of up to 4 days per week.

Overview

The Ulster County Climate Corps is a paid, project-based ten-week summer internship program. Participants will be assigned to County departments to help implement the County’s climate and sustainability initiatives and meet the goals of the NYS Climate Act.

2023 Climate Corps Kick OffThis internship program is part of a broader effort to recruit and cultivate the next generation of public servants reflecting the talents and diversity of our community. Interns will gain professional and practical experience in government, supplemented by skill-based training and guest speakers on topics related to the environment, project management, and public administration. Interns will also have opportunities to participate in community engagement and fieldwork.

Application Process

Applicants should review the list of intern projects (below) and select a first, second, and third choice. As part of the application submission, applicants are to prepare a cover letter describing why they are interested in their first-choice project, their qualifications to successfully accomplish the project, and a brief summary of how they would approach the project.

In addition to the cover letter, applicants are asked to provide a resume and transcript.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through the end of May, or until the program is filled, whichever comes first. Interviews with candidates are scheduled to begin after April 15, and candidates are encouraged to submit their applications before then for first consideration.

2023 Climate Corps Field Trip to Cornell Cooperative’s Agricultural Tech Research Academy

Application Checklist

Before beginning the online application form, please have the following documents available to upload:

  • Cover Letter

    • Why are you interested in the project?

    • How are you qualified to take on this project?

    • How would you approach this project?

  • Resume

  • Transcript

Requirements & Commitment

  • Open to applicants ages 16 & up

  • Participation in 1-2 virtual interviews via Microsoft Teams

  • At least 1.5 days/week onsite

  • Participation in cohort programming (trainings, guest speakers, workshops)

Green Radio Hour interview with 2023 Climate Corps interns at Radio Kingston

2024 Climate Corps Intern Projects (by Department)

Department: Aging/Veterans Services
Project: Energy Assistance Program Outreach for Seniors and Veterans

  • Targeted outreach program to assist vulnerable seniors and veterans with high energy costs.
  • Work with staff to develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan with targeted metrics.
  • Communicate and connect with various resources related to reducing energy usage and lowering utility bills for both senior/ veteran renters or homeowners.

Department: County Executive
Project: Sustainability | EV Charging | Solar Infrastructure Municipal Grant Program
Work with staff to implement a $2.5 million municipal grant program for solar and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Tasks may include:

  • Researching additional utility, state, and federal funding opportunities that can be leveraged by local governments and prepare informational briefs to help guide and assist them.
  • Assist in review of applications for eligibility.

Department: Public Works (DPW) + Buildings & Grounds (B&W)
Project: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for County Operations
Study the viability of enhancing EV infrastructure for County operations.

  • Review existing inventory of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure with an eye toward electrifying facility operations.
  • Research state, federal, and utility funding opportunities for EV infrastructure that align with Executive Order 1 and Climate Action Plan.
  • Research available technologies and make recommendations for additional fleet and public charging stations.
  • Benchmark cost and environmental effectiveness of the current EV fleet.
  • Make recommendations for future capital projects to Department of Public Works staff.

Department: Social Services
Project: Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program
Work with the Ulster County Environmental Outreach Manager to expand equitable access by Ulster County residents to the benefits of energy-saving investments as part of the Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program in the Department of Social Services. Tasks may include:

  1. Community Outreach and Education:

    • Engage with the community to raise awareness about the Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program.

    • Attend informational sessions or workshops to educate the public on the available programs and benefits.

    • Work with local organizations, community centers, and social service agencies to expand outreach to disadvantaged communities.

  2. Application Assistance and Support:

    • Assist residents who receive federal home heating assistance (HEAP) in navigating the application process for no-cost home energy improvements.

    • Provide guidance on required documentation and eligibility criteria.

  3. Data Collection and Analysis:

    • Implement a system for collecting data on program participation and outcomes.

    • Analyze data to identify trends, assess program effectiveness, and make informed recommendations for improvements.

Department: Economic Development

Project: Climate-Smart Small Business Support
Tasks may include:

  • Develop Fact Sheets on federal, state, and utility small business incentives for energy efficiency improvements, EV charging, on-site solar, and all-electric appliances and systems; climate and co-benefits (energy savings, health and comfort); average paybacks on investments.
  • Engage in outreach to small businesses through business organizations (Chamber and local/regional business organizations), as well as direct outreach to small businesses, prioritizing those in federally and state-mapped disadvantaged communities in Ulster County.
  • Preparing messaging materials for Economic Development staff to be used as part of all local business services.
Department: Emergency Management

Project: Community Wildfire Protection Plan

  • Research and create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan with emphasis on Climate Change and Resiliency.
  • Identify areas most vulnerable to wildfire throughout the county.
  • Develop Strategies to reduce risk.
  • Improve citizen and firefighter safety.
  • Engage and educate the community about property preparation.
  • Incorporate WUI (wildfire urban interface) considerations into land management plans.
  • Become part of FireWise USA program.

Project: Climate Change Adaptation Annex
Review and update plan.

Department: Environment
Project: Climate Smart Communities
Help Ulster County achieve Gold-Level New York State (NYS) Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Certification. (Ulster County was the first county in the state to achieve silver-level certification!) Tasks may include:

  • Research and gather documentation on Climate Smart actions that the County has already completed toward gold-level certification.
  • Develop updated content for the County’s CSC webpage.
  • Coordinate across 2024 Climate Corps projects to help align them with CSC Program actions and identify opportunities to complete new CSC actions, where relevant.

Project: Ulster County Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP)
Core skills & interests for this project include: environmental policy and climate action, interdisciplinary collaboration, group facilitation, research, technical report writing, and Microsoft Office Suite (including intermediate/advanced Excel). Bonus skills: public speaking and presentations.

  • Assist with public outreach & engagement to inform the development of the plan. Tasks may include:
  • Provide support in preparing and conducting public meetings
  • Undertake public outreach and surveying at public events and spaces (farmers markets, libraries, summer festivals) through the “Meeting-in-a-Box” tabling tool.
  • Develop public survey questions for climate action initiatives and other climate education materials for public outreach.
  • Synthesize findings from prior research and public engagement activities to help inform climate action priorities and ensure the needs of disadvantaged communities are represented.

Department: Information Services
Project: Greening Office Equipment Life Cycles
Explore viability of auctioning/donating end-of-life (EOL) equipment - specifically high-end networking, server, and storage devices - that have reached manufacturers EOL and are retired from County production service but are still functional.

Project: Climate Initiatives Dashboard

  • Continue refining, sourcing and incorporating additional data into the Climate Initiatives Dashboard to connect residents to grants, subsidies, and other opportunities related to climate initiatives.
  • Collaborate with other interns to identify metrics related to their projects and other County initiatives for inclusion in a data dashboard.
  • Assist with climate-related GIS projects.

Department: Planning
Project: 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan development - Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC)
Based in the Ulster County Planning Department, the UCTC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Ulster County, which is responsible for administering federal transportation funds in coordination with the NYS Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Federal Transit Administration for the purposes of planning and constructing road, bridge, trail, public transit, and other regionally significant transportation projects.

Primary task will include:

Tasks may also include:

  • Conduct transportation-related inventories, such as the regional park and ride lot capacity analysis, sidewalk inventory, and Fatal and Serious Injury dashboard.
  • Assist in the development of a county-wide analysis of speeding patterns on county and local roads.
  • Provide general assistance with updates to the UCTC Wordpress website, developing or refining PowerPoint presentations, staffing public meetings and similar events, and other general transportation planning tasks as needed.

Core skills and interests for this project include: report writing and presentation abilities, proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, collecting and analyzing technical data, performing geographic information systems (GIS) data analysis and mapping, providing project support to senior staff, ability to work independently in remote locations, and have a genuine interest in multi-modal transportation planning activities.

Department: Purchasing
Project: Ulster County Sustainable Purchasing Program
Inform and educate County staff on practical/professional and environmental benefits of sustainable purchasing. Tasks may include:

  • Update the training program, which was rolled out in 2023, including a revised list of approved sustainable products purchased via solicitations.
  • Survey users for feedback to improve sustainability communication process.
  • Research alternate options to replace non-sustainable products.
  • Review nationwide municipal sustainability programs for best practices.
  • Work with the Information Services Department to benchmark results and improve reporting capabilities in the County financial system.
  • Develop format and content with the Purchasing Department and Department of the Environment for Quarterly Sustainability Report.

Department: Tourism
Project: Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan
Assist the Tourism Department in gathering information needed for a sustainable tourism plan including:

  • Visitor counts at major parks and trailheads in Ulster County over the past three years.
  • Identify key stakeholders and develop a survey assessing their perception of challenges within the tourism industry.
  • Create a PowerPoint explaining Sustainable Tourism and highlighting successful sustainable tourism plans in other municipalities in the United States.

Project: Nature Bus
Support Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) and Department of Tourism to promote and evaluate service provided by Ulster County’s Nature Bus – a free bus service bringing residents to popular outdoor locations. Tasks may include:

  • Work with community partners to encourage use of the service, especially in communities with populations who traditionally do not have access to outdoor activities.
  • Coordinate with Parks and Recreation staff at locations on free programming such as hiker safety basics, guided walks, bird identification, responsible outdoor recreation (Leave No Trace principles and other nature preservation behaviors)
  • Evaluate ridership levels for the three routes.


2023 Climate Corps Graduation





Applications Open: March 21, 2024

Application Deadline: Applications Now Closed

Interviews Begin After April 15

Program Start Date: June 10, 2024 (Onboarding begins earlier, dependent on intern availability)

Program End Date: August 16, 2024 (flexible)

Rate: $17/hr

Commitment: Minimum 2 days per week, possibility of up to 4 days per week.

Overview

The Ulster County Climate Corps is a paid, project-based ten-week summer internship program. Participants will be assigned to County departments to help implement the County’s climate and sustainability initiatives and meet the goals of the NYS Climate Act.

2023 Climate Corps Kick OffThis internship program is part of a broader effort to recruit and cultivate the next generation of public servants reflecting the talents and diversity of our community. Interns will gain professional and practical experience in government, supplemented by skill-based training and guest speakers on topics related to the environment, project management, and public administration. Interns will also have opportunities to participate in community engagement and fieldwork.

Application Process

Applicants should review the list of intern projects (below) and select a first, second, and third choice. As part of the application submission, applicants are to prepare a cover letter describing why they are interested in their first-choice project, their qualifications to successfully accomplish the project, and a brief summary of how they would approach the project.

In addition to the cover letter, applicants are asked to provide a resume and transcript.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through the end of May, or until the program is filled, whichever comes first. Interviews with candidates are scheduled to begin after April 15, and candidates are encouraged to submit their applications before then for first consideration.

2023 Climate Corps Field Trip to Cornell Cooperative’s Agricultural Tech Research Academy

Application Checklist

Before beginning the online application form, please have the following documents available to upload:

  • Cover Letter

    • Why are you interested in the project?

    • How are you qualified to take on this project?

    • How would you approach this project?

  • Resume

  • Transcript

Requirements & Commitment

  • Open to applicants ages 16 & up

  • Participation in 1-2 virtual interviews via Microsoft Teams

  • At least 1.5 days/week onsite

  • Participation in cohort programming (trainings, guest speakers, workshops)

Green Radio Hour interview with 2023 Climate Corps interns at Radio Kingston

2024 Climate Corps Intern Projects (by Department)

Department: Aging/Veterans Services
Project: Energy Assistance Program Outreach for Seniors and Veterans

  • Targeted outreach program to assist vulnerable seniors and veterans with high energy costs.
  • Work with staff to develop and implement a comprehensive outreach plan with targeted metrics.
  • Communicate and connect with various resources related to reducing energy usage and lowering utility bills for both senior/ veteran renters or homeowners.

Department: County Executive
Project: Sustainability | EV Charging | Solar Infrastructure Municipal Grant Program
Work with staff to implement a $2.5 million municipal grant program for solar and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Tasks may include:

  • Researching additional utility, state, and federal funding opportunities that can be leveraged by local governments and prepare informational briefs to help guide and assist them.
  • Assist in review of applications for eligibility.

Department: Public Works (DPW) + Buildings & Grounds (B&W)
Project: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure for County Operations
Study the viability of enhancing EV infrastructure for County operations.

  • Review existing inventory of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure with an eye toward electrifying facility operations.
  • Research state, federal, and utility funding opportunities for EV infrastructure that align with Executive Order 1 and Climate Action Plan.
  • Research available technologies and make recommendations for additional fleet and public charging stations.
  • Benchmark cost and environmental effectiveness of the current EV fleet.
  • Make recommendations for future capital projects to Department of Public Works staff.

Department: Social Services
Project: Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program
Work with the Ulster County Environmental Outreach Manager to expand equitable access by Ulster County residents to the benefits of energy-saving investments as part of the Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program in the Department of Social Services. Tasks may include:

  1. Community Outreach and Education:

    • Engage with the community to raise awareness about the Sustainable Ulster Residential Energy Efficiency Program.

    • Attend informational sessions or workshops to educate the public on the available programs and benefits.

    • Work with local organizations, community centers, and social service agencies to expand outreach to disadvantaged communities.

  2. Application Assistance and Support:

    • Assist residents who receive federal home heating assistance (HEAP) in navigating the application process for no-cost home energy improvements.

    • Provide guidance on required documentation and eligibility criteria.

  3. Data Collection and Analysis:

    • Implement a system for collecting data on program participation and outcomes.

    • Analyze data to identify trends, assess program effectiveness, and make informed recommendations for improvements.

Department: Economic Development

Project: Climate-Smart Small Business Support
Tasks may include:

  • Develop Fact Sheets on federal, state, and utility small business incentives for energy efficiency improvements, EV charging, on-site solar, and all-electric appliances and systems; climate and co-benefits (energy savings, health and comfort); average paybacks on investments.
  • Engage in outreach to small businesses through business organizations (Chamber and local/regional business organizations), as well as direct outreach to small businesses, prioritizing those in federally and state-mapped disadvantaged communities in Ulster County.
  • Preparing messaging materials for Economic Development staff to be used as part of all local business services.
Department: Emergency Management

Project: Community Wildfire Protection Plan

  • Research and create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan with emphasis on Climate Change and Resiliency.
  • Identify areas most vulnerable to wildfire throughout the county.
  • Develop Strategies to reduce risk.
  • Improve citizen and firefighter safety.
  • Engage and educate the community about property preparation.
  • Incorporate WUI (wildfire urban interface) considerations into land management plans.
  • Become part of FireWise USA program.

Project: Climate Change Adaptation Annex
Review and update plan.

Department: Environment
Project: Climate Smart Communities
Help Ulster County achieve Gold-Level New York State (NYS) Climate Smart Communities (CSC) Certification. (Ulster County was the first county in the state to achieve silver-level certification!) Tasks may include:

  • Research and gather documentation on Climate Smart actions that the County has already completed toward gold-level certification.
  • Develop updated content for the County’s CSC webpage.
  • Coordinate across 2024 Climate Corps projects to help align them with CSC Program actions and identify opportunities to complete new CSC actions, where relevant.

Project: Ulster County Community Climate Action Plan (CCAP)
Core skills & interests for this project include: environmental policy and climate action, interdisciplinary collaboration, group facilitation, research, technical report writing, and Microsoft Office Suite (including intermediate/advanced Excel). Bonus skills: public speaking and presentations.

  • Assist with public outreach & engagement to inform the development of the plan. Tasks may include:
  • Provide support in preparing and conducting public meetings
  • Undertake public outreach and surveying at public events and spaces (farmers markets, libraries, summer festivals) through the “Meeting-in-a-Box” tabling tool.
  • Develop public survey questions for climate action initiatives and other climate education materials for public outreach.
  • Synthesize findings from prior research and public engagement activities to help inform climate action priorities and ensure the needs of disadvantaged communities are represented.

Department: Information Services
Project: Greening Office Equipment Life Cycles
Explore viability of auctioning/donating end-of-life (EOL) equipment - specifically high-end networking, server, and storage devices - that have reached manufacturers EOL and are retired from County production service but are still functional.

Project: Climate Initiatives Dashboard

  • Continue refining, sourcing and incorporating additional data into the Climate Initiatives Dashboard to connect residents to grants, subsidies, and other opportunities related to climate initiatives.
  • Collaborate with other interns to identify metrics related to their projects and other County initiatives for inclusion in a data dashboard.
  • Assist with climate-related GIS projects.

Department: Planning
Project: 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan development - Ulster County Transportation Council (UCTC)
Based in the Ulster County Planning Department, the UCTC is the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for Ulster County, which is responsible for administering federal transportation funds in coordination with the NYS Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, and Federal Transit Administration for the purposes of planning and constructing road, bridge, trail, public transit, and other regionally significant transportation projects.

Primary task will include:

Tasks may also include:

  • Conduct transportation-related inventories, such as the regional park and ride lot capacity analysis, sidewalk inventory, and Fatal and Serious Injury dashboard.
  • Assist in the development of a county-wide analysis of speeding patterns on county and local roads.
  • Provide general assistance with updates to the UCTC Wordpress website, developing or refining PowerPoint presentations, staffing public meetings and similar events, and other general transportation planning tasks as needed.

Core skills and interests for this project include: report writing and presentation abilities, proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, collecting and analyzing technical data, performing geographic information systems (GIS) data analysis and mapping, providing project support to senior staff, ability to work independently in remote locations, and have a genuine interest in multi-modal transportation planning activities.

Department: Purchasing
Project: Ulster County Sustainable Purchasing Program
Inform and educate County staff on practical/professional and environmental benefits of sustainable purchasing. Tasks may include:

  • Update the training program, which was rolled out in 2023, including a revised list of approved sustainable products purchased via solicitations.
  • Survey users for feedback to improve sustainability communication process.
  • Research alternate options to replace non-sustainable products.
  • Review nationwide municipal sustainability programs for best practices.
  • Work with the Information Services Department to benchmark results and improve reporting capabilities in the County financial system.
  • Develop format and content with the Purchasing Department and Department of the Environment for Quarterly Sustainability Report.

Department: Tourism
Project: Sustainable Tourism Strategic Plan
Assist the Tourism Department in gathering information needed for a sustainable tourism plan including:

  • Visitor counts at major parks and trailheads in Ulster County over the past three years.
  • Identify key stakeholders and develop a survey assessing their perception of challenges within the tourism industry.
  • Create a PowerPoint explaining Sustainable Tourism and highlighting successful sustainable tourism plans in other municipalities in the United States.

Project: Nature Bus
Support Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) and Department of Tourism to promote and evaluate service provided by Ulster County’s Nature Bus – a free bus service bringing residents to popular outdoor locations. Tasks may include:

  • Work with community partners to encourage use of the service, especially in communities with populations who traditionally do not have access to outdoor activities.
  • Coordinate with Parks and Recreation staff at locations on free programming such as hiker safety basics, guided walks, bird identification, responsible outdoor recreation (Leave No Trace principles and other nature preservation behaviors)
  • Evaluate ridership levels for the three routes.


2023 Climate Corps Graduation





Page last updated: 01 May 2024, 09:42 AM