Individual Placement - Public Engagement Coordinator

Position Summary 

As part of the River Cities Team, the Public Engagement Coordinator will work to promote civic engagement in urban conservation projects through participatory design and planning, tactical activation of public space, urban agriculture initiatives, and community science activities. The Public Engagement Coordinator will support the River Cities team across all projects. The position requires a personal vehicle for travel throughout the Hudson Valley. Evening and weekend work will be required on an average of twice per month.

Hosting Organization

Scenic Hudson, Inc.

Location 

Poughkeepsie, NY

• This position may conduct work in an urban setting where emergency services, public transportation, and cell phone reception are readily accessible. Interactions with members of the public are regular and frequent.
• This position may conduct work in a front country setting where emergency services are accessible, but may be delayed by 1-2 hours. Access to public transportation at work site is limited or not possible. Cell phone reception is limited, spotty, or not available.

Schedule 

January 25, 2027 - November 19, 2027

Weekly Schedule

• M-F 9:00AM to 5:00PM
• Hybrid, Minimum two days in the Poughkeepsie office.
• Sometimes earlier mornings or later evenings, planned out in advance. Occasional evening and weekend work outside of 9-5. Average of two weekends per month.

Corps members are expected to serve approximately 40 hours a week for a period of 10 months

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

• Work with regional partners to activate public parks and open spaces through programming and event coordination, and strategic partnerships that promote active use of public spaces
• Coordinate park stewardship programs with local partners, track park usage data, provide synthesis and reporting of the program
• Engage members of the public, local organizations, and coalitions in advocating for public-led conservation in cities
• Help coordinate and implement outreach strategies that drive public engagement in park planning, programming, and Community Science initiatives
• Coordinate the bimonthly Northside Collaborative meeting, a local community development coalition in Poughkeepsie.
• Work with the Director of Urban Conservation on synthesizing and analyzing public engagement data.
• Coordinate public engagement event logistics for key River Cities Program projects with project partners and Scenic Hudson’s Northside Hub Coordinator
• Assist with weekly farm stands, organize events with local partners, and lead outreach efforts at Pershing Community Farm in Poughkeepsie
• Support Community Science initiatives by co-facilitating science-based public programming and events, such as aquatic and terrestrial surveys (bioblitzes) in each city.
• Participate in all required SCA Corps-wide training and service projects, as well as project evaluation and reporting.

Marginal Duties 

• Reporting Requirements: Members are required to submit timesheets on a Weekly/Bi-weekly basis via SCA’s timekeeping system, ADP • Monthly Data Reports: Members are required to submit weekly output reports; training is provided. • Quarterly Narrative Reports: Member narratives are collected on a monthly basis in the members’ output report.

Required Qualifications 

This position is part of a specialized SCA AmeriCorps program and if you are selected, you will be serving as an SCA AmeriCorps member. To be eligible for this position you must meet these basic AmeriCorps Eligibility Requirements:

• Being a citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States
• Being at least 18 years or older
• Having a high school diploma or equivalent or actively working to complete
• Being willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks conducted after position is offered.
• College degree in environmental studies, urban studies, urban planning, education, environmental science or related field. Equivalent knowledge and experience acquired through professional experience accepted.
• Desire to engage with youth and community members in community science and civic engagement projects
• Comfortable working in urban and rural environments
• Enjoy working with multigenerational audiences
• Comfortable interacting with the public in structured and unstructured settings
• Must be well-organized, possess strong interpersonal communication skills, be detail-oriented, and supportive of Scenic Hudson’s mission
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Word, Excel; Google Suite
• Must have access to reliable transportation

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

$1,000/month housing allowance for positions outside of NYC

Member is responsible for securing their own housing within reasonable commuting distance to Poughkeepsie, NY

Compensation  

• Compensation: (weekly living allowance): $500/week
• Minimum AmeriCorps Award: Full-Time Award
• AmeriCorps Hours Requirement: 1700 hours
• Education Award amount upon successful completion of program: $7,395
• Healthcare coverage: Eligible for free health insurance
• Childcare coverage: Eligible for childcare assistance through AmeriCorps
• Student loan forbearance and interest payments (if the member qualifies): Eligible for Federal Student Loan forbearance and interest payment deferment through AmeriCorps for qualifying student loans.

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

Personal Vehicle Information

Driving

Driving a motor vehicle is a requirement for this position.

Additional Benefits 

• Health Insurance

SCA provides the following training opportunities to members:

• Member AmeriCorps and SCA Training: Members will receive an AmeriCorps training on prohibited and unallowable activities, risk management, reporting requirements, benefits, and more
• SCA Risk Management
• Sexual Harassment/Drug Abuse in the Workplace
• Mental Health First Aid Training
• Wilderness First Aid & CPR
• Environmental Education Curriculum
• Environmental Leadership Institute
• New York State Outdoor Educator Association Conferences/Events
• Hudson River Ecology
• Leave No Trace Level 1
• Professional Development & Job Readiness
• Service events including but not limited to: Earth Day/Arbor Day, I Love My Park Day, National Trails Day, Patriots Day of Service and Remembrance, A Day in the Life of the Hudson River
• AmeriCorps: Eligible/Required

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The SCA is an equal opportunity employer. Selection decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and performance, without unlawful discrimination.