Internships
Summer Community Engagement Internship 2025
A part-time opportunity
Internship Description
Friends of Casco Bay is seeking a passionate and dedicated intern to support our community engagement efforts in Summer 2025. This internship is an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in environmental advocacy, outreach, and data collection while helping to foster inclusivity and diverse community participation.
We recognize that interns bring unique strengths, and we aim to shape this internship around their interests and skills.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support our Water Reporter program by planning events, organizing data, and contributing creative ideas. Depending on the intern’s interests, this may include:
- Working with ArcGIS to map Water Reporter data
- Creating instructional video materials
- Exploring Casco Bay to capture observational data
- Assist in our environmental justice initiatives by conducting research and sharing ideas, which may include:
- Working with environmental justice mapping tools
- Storytelling through various art media
- Contribute to communications and outreach through storytelling, designing, organizing, or writing.
- Help organize and support community events.
- Work alongside our Community Organizer and staff to engage volunteers and supporters.
About Friends of Casco Bay
Friends of Casco Bay works to improve and protect the health of Casco Bay, an Estuary of National Significance located in the Gulf of Maine. We collect scientific and observational data about the health of our waters. Based on analysis of the data and community input, we advocate for policies and actions that will reduce pollution and make Casco Bay and its watershed more resilient to the impacts of climate change. We are home to the Casco BAYKEEPER®, our lead advocate who acts as the eyes, ears, and voice of Casco Bay. We are one of the seven founding members of WATERKEEPER® Alliance, a network that includes more than 300 independent organizations working to protect waters around the world. You can read more about us and our work on our website.
We are known as an exceptional place to work. We have ten year-round employees and one seasonal staffer. We balance our ability to leverage collaborative efforts, funds, and volunteers, with the capacity and capabilities of staff—a talented team each dedicated to our mission.
Friends of Casco Bay is an equal employment opportunity employer. We are committed to creating a culture and practices that integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into our work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender identity, age, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, or marital status. Candidates from historically marginalized communities who are on the front lines of harm caused by environmental injustice are encouraged to apply and bring their lived and technical expertise.
Qualifications we’re looking for:
- Reliable, organized, and detail-oriented
- Strong interpersonal skills—comfortable representing Friends of Casco Bay to the public
- Experience with spreadsheets (preferred)
- Interest in environmental justice and passion for clean water and Casco Bay
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team
- Leadership experience
- Familiarity with Airtable and/or ArcGIS (preferred)
- Preference given to rising undergraduate juniors and seniors
Requirements:
- Must be at least 18 years of age
- Must be vaccinated against Covid-19
This internship is a great opportunity for those interested in environmental justice, community engagement, and hands-on experience in nonprofit work.
Compensation
$18 hour, part-time, up to 20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks (Interns are ineligible for benefits)
Schedule
Our internships start in May and end in August with start and end dates set by agreement. Although our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, some event and weekend work may arise; for example, the Intern participates in a public event we schedule for an evening or a weekend.
Location
Hybrid of in-person and remote experiences. Participating and leading in-person community events is required. Our office is on West Commercial Street in Portland.
Application instructions – Priority will be given to applications submitted by Sunday, March 23
- Fill out the form below
- Documents required to apply
- Cover letter expressing your interest in the internship and why you are a good fit
- Resume
- Phone and email for two references
Friends of Casco Bay Internship Application
Please review this application thoroughly and compile all of your materials before starting it. If you have questions, please contact Sara Freshley at sfreshley@cascobay.org.
"*" indicates required fields
Friends of Casco Bay is a science-based, community-oriented, environmental nonprofit organization that has worked for over 30 years to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay. Our work involves water quality monitoring and analysis, advocacy through our Baykeeping program, and community engagement.
Each internship opportunity will vary based on the needs of the organization during the internship time frame. We do not offer internships every semester. Instead we evaluate our needs before each semester and determine if we will be able to offer a well-rounded internship opportunity.
Typically, internships focus on community engagement and/or science. Occasionally, internships may include policy work and legislative experience

We offer internships to enrolled college students interested in pursuing marine science, advocacy, and nonprofit careers.