Student Work Opportunities in the Water Resources Center, 2025-2026
The Water Resources Center has three student positions open for the fall and spring. If you have questions, reach out to Tara van Niekerk at vanniekerkt24@ecu.edu for any questions you may have.
Youth Programs Facilitator
Open to ECU students who are passionate about making a positive impact in eastern NC communities. No prior science background required; on-the-job training provided. Candidates from all majors welcome, with preference for those with experience in water chemistry, ecology, GIS, environmental justice, community organizing, or environmental issues.
Responsibilities:
- Facilitate youth programs
- Develop tailored science activities for youth
- Organize outdoor experiences and mentorship opportunities
- Collaborate with community partners
- Ensure safety measures
- Provide progress reports to stakeholders
Requirements:
- Must be able to work 10 or more hours during the week throughout the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters
- At least 2 semesters from graduation
- Valid driver’s license
- ECU students only; 18+
Communications Facilitator
Open to ECU students who want to make a difference in communities throughout eastern NC. No specialized background is needed (on-the-job training will be provided) and students of any major are welcome, though some experience with social media, science communication, graphic design, environmental justice, community organizing or environmental issues is helpful.
Responsibilities:
- Develop communication materials for community science activities, including infographics, websites, videos, podcasts and social media
- Translate project updates between university staff and the public in eastern NC
- Coordinate general communication efforts for grant activities, including event planning and marketing
- Support training sessions and community engagement, including a summer science camp for kids
- Assist with additional environmental programming or research tasks as required
Requirements:
- Must be able to work 10 hours per week starting Fall 2025 through to Spring 2026
- At least 2 semesters from graduation
- Valid driver’s license
- ECU students only; 18+
Public Science Facilitator
No prior science background required; on-the-job training provided. All majors welcome. Some experience in water chemistry, ecology, GIS, environmental justice, community organizing or environmental issues preferred.
Responsibilities:
- Training and mentoring community members
- Collaborating on programming and participant recruitment
- Managing environmental data and tools
- Organizing community events and implementing data collection
- Promoting the network and training sessions
- Ensuring youth safety and assisting with summer camps
- Providing regular reports to program leaders and partners
Requirements:
- Must be able to work 10 or more hours during the week throughout the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semester
- At least 2 semesters from graduation
- Valid driver’s license
- ECU students only; 18+