JOB TITLE: Sustainability + Planning Intern
TIME COMMITMENT: 10-20 hrs/week
HOURLY WAGE: $18.00 - $22.00/hour
LOCATION: Pacoima, CA
MISSION STATEMENT & ENTITY INITIATIVES:
The Tataviam Land Conservancy is a Tribally-operated California nonprofit organization whose mission is to restore the unceded ancestral homelands of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians (FTBMI or Tribe) by implementing protective land management strategies, traditional ecological knowledge, and innovative cultural and educational programming.
The spirit of the Tataviam Land Conservancy was ignited by Fernandeño Tataviam leaders in the 18th century who took settling developers to court to protect their ancestral lands. In 2018, over two centuries later, the conservancy was established to safeguard and acquire Tataveaveat (“Tataviam Country”) homelands and restore unrestricted access back to the Tribe.
SUMMARY OF POSITION:
The Sustainability and Planning Internship was designed by the Tataviam Land Conservancy as an opportunity for CSUN students to learn about the organization's land acquisition and planning efforts, work with the Fernandeño Tataviam Tribal Government to understand Tribal needs and priorities, and help operationalize projects to address them.
In this position, you will be assigned projects by the TLC Programs Manager related to land use planning and management, sustainability, and education.
SPECIFIC DUTIES
- Shadow TLC’s Program Manager and Policy, Research, and Planning Specialist to gain exposure to all facets of Tribal land acquisition and management work (i.e. site visits to potential properties, environmental and legal land assessments, native plant nursery management, wildfire mitigation, land stewardship, land development, and policy work)
- Participate in meetings involving the FTBMI Tribal Government, legal counsel, nonprofit partners, and funders to plan, develop, and make decisions for TLC projects
- Support land planning and visioning efforts through sustainability-focused research, conceptual designs, and/or pitches depending on topics of interest and skills (e.g. GIS, Adobe Creative Cloud, etc.)
- Attend relevant Tribal events and/or community engagement events, support tabling and outreach activities as needed
- Take and maintain detailed and organized notes at meetings and provide relevant information to team members as needed
- Provide administrative support, such as scheduling meetings, creating agendas, tracking deadlines, and updating Sharepoint folders
- Assist grant management as needed through seeking, writing, reporting, and/or inputting information into tracking software
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Willingness to work with, respect, and learn from the FTBMI Tribal Community
- Demonstrate strong personal interests in the acquisition and stewardship of traditional tribal lands and natural resources
- Robust written and verbal communication skills
- Fluency in computer applications, data storage, and record-keeping
- Familiarity with Microsoft Suite, such as Outlook, Word, Sharepoint, and Teams
DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- In pursuit of a Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, environmental studies, geography, business administration, urban planning, Native American studies, or similar field
- Experience working with Native organizations, Indigenous people, or non-profit organizations
- A plus, if knowledge of use with Geographic Information System (GIS)
- A plus, if knowledge of use with Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar design software
WORKING CONDITIONS: While the intention is to have this position in office four days a week, hybrid options may be offered on a case-by-case basis. An official schedule will be created based on the intern’s availability. Some evening and weekend events will be required along with in-person site visits to remote locations.
APPLICATION: To be considered, please email your resume to [email protected].
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in this job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by incumbents within this job. It is not designed to be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and working conditions required of this job. The Executive Committee and the Board have the sole discretion to add or modify duties of the job and to designate other functions as essential at any time. This job description is not an employment agreement or contract.
For more information about the Tataviam Land Conservancy, visit us at www.tataviam.land. TLC is an equal-opportunity employer.
Pay: $18.00 - $22.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
