We’re looking for talented and ambitious interns who are passionate about the environment, technology, and research to join our team. If you’re enthusiastic, inspired, and ready to change the world, apply for an internship now.
Experience a variety of tasks, roles, and responsibilities
SkyTruth regularly relies on paid interns for key elements of our world-changing work. We offer paid internships in geospatial analysis, communications, and nonprofit management.
Depending on your interest and our needs, our internships provide advanced undergraduates or graduate students exposure to a broad spectrum of geospatial tools and technologies (e.g., satellite imagery, geographic information systems), cultivate and sharpen technical and analytical capacity (e.g., scientific programming, cloud computing, statistical analysis, web development), cultivate strong science communication skills, and promote project and organizational management skills by giving students the opportunity to lead projects. You also join a tight-knit, dedicated team of professionals who value one another and work closely together to help save the planet.
I believe SkyTruth is important in achieving my goals because I am gaining valuable skills and knowledge that I know will help me in the future. I love working with Geographic Information Systems and learning to work with Google Earth Engine. Earth Engine requires me to be able to code in the programming language JavaScript and so I’m learning that skill as well. These are skills that will be forever relevant in the future and I am excited to deepen my understanding of them.
SkyTruth Internships
Interested in using your skills to help save the planet?
EXPECTATIONS
We are looking for self-directed individuals with a passion for using science to protect the environment and who are interested in joining the SkyTruth family for a semester, a summer, or more. Interns should have a proven ability to work with people from a variety of backgrounds, a desire to learn new skills and solve complex conservation problems, and superior written and oral communication.
Although we usually prefer interns to join the team in our Shepherdstown office, COVID-19 has complicated the possibility of in-person internships. For the time being, we will only be accepting interns who are willing and able to work remotely with their own computer and broadband access. Interns are expected to work a minimum of 8 hours a week and will earn $16 per hour. SkyTruth is only able to offer paid internships to US-based students and scholars.
Most of our interns develop valuable new skills during their time with SkyTruth, including many of the skills listed below. Those who already have those skills can be particularly desirable candidates.
GEOSPATIAL INTERNS
Preferred qualifications for geospatial interns
Desirable attributes for interns interested in developing their geospatial technical skills to solve environmental problems include:
- GIS experience, strong research, and analytical skills;
- Strong interest in Python for data management, statistical analysis, and visualization;
- Geospatial analysis experience including work in QGIS, ArcGIS, and/or Google Earth Engine;
- Strong interest in Javascript and relevant web mapping platforms/libraries (e.g. Carto, Mapbox, Leaflet, Google Maps, and Google Earth Engine);
- Experience with gathering and analyzing satellite imagery and other remotely-sensed data;
- Superior written and oral communication.
- A background in Environmental Science or Policy, Environmental Justice, Ecology, Energy, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Natural Resources Management, Geography, Engineering, or Computer Science.
Essential duties for geospatial interns
- Download, analyze, and annotate satellite imagery as part of our global environmental monitoring work. Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Sentinel-1 radar imagery of oil pollution from vessels and offshore oil production in the Gulf of Mexico, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) coastal areas, the Caspian Sea, the Strait of Malacca, and the Gulf of Guinea;
- Landsat, Sentinel-2, and Sentinel-3 multispectral imagery related to resource extraction activities like mountaintop removal, hydraulic fracturing, commercial logging, or hardrock mining.
- Assist SkyTruth technical staff with:
- cleaning and investigating large, complex datasets;
- collecting training data for machine learning models;
- designing rich data visualizations to communicate complex ideas to the public.
- Regularly produce posts for SkyTruth’s blog and social media accounts that:
- demonstrate the value of satellite imagery for global environmental monitoring;
- provide specific intervention points for the public to demand policy changes (e.g., tailings pond failures provide arguments against mining elsewhere).
COMMUNICATIONS INTERNS
Preferred qualifications for communications interns
Desirable attributes for interns interested in using communications to help SkyTruth reach new audiences, raise awareness about environmental issues, and highlight how we’re addressing critical challenges facing our planet and people:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills
- Familiarity with environmental science and related issues
- Comfortable learning about and communicating technical work
- Experience generating interest on social media platforms
- Creative storytelling skills
- Ability to work closely with technical staff, ask questions as needed, and translate material into language that engages audiences of all kinds
- Team player with the ability to work independently and manage several projects simultaneously
- Interest in and/or experience with Adobe Creative Suite
- Interest in and/or experience with Mailchimp and WordPress, or other newsletter/CMS platforms
Essential duties for communications interns
- Propose, draft, and edit engaging and accurate blog posts
- Develop and publish content for SkyTruth’s social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn)
- Review technical materials to communicate projects effectively to foundations and the public including connecting with technical staff as needed to enhance understanding
- As appropriate, assist with website management and media events
- Research and develop visual content for social media
- Report on social media posting and performance
- Share knowledge of social and digital media trends with other SkyTruth staff
NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INTERNS
Preferred qualifications for nonprofit management interns
Desirable attributes for interns interested in focusing on nonprofit management to help us run the organization smoothly, develop effective strategic planning, and ensure adequate funding to support key program activities, include:
- Excellent written and oral communication skills;
- Comfort learning about technical work and environmental issues;
- Experience and/or training in grants management and grants research;
- Ability to work independently and to manage several projects simultaneously.
Essential duties for nonprofit management interns
- Assist in tracking grant deadlines for reports and proposals;
- Help with preparation for quarterly meetings and periodic committee meetings;
- Research new funding opportunities;
- Draft and edit correspondence, reports, and other documents;
- Perform various administrative functions.
HOW TO APPLY
Interested applicants should email us at internship@skytruth.org to submit a cover letter and resume, or to ask questions about SkyTruth and the expectations of the internship. Applicants should also include a 1-2 page writing sample on any topic and a map sample (Geospatial Internship only).
You can learn more about what it’s like to be a SkyTruth intern by reading about the experiences of our former interns Alice Foster, Brendan Jarrell, Lucy Meyer, Tatianna Evanisko, and others.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
SkyTruth does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factors. SkyTruth believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates are critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.
How to apply
Interested applicants should contact us if they have questions, or wish to apply by submitting a cover letter, resume, and at least one writing sample.
