Sustainability Intern

UWSTP University of Wisconsin Stevens Point; United States; On-site; USD 15,000 - 21,000; Part time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is offering a Sustainability Intern position within University Dining. This role supports projects on waste minimization, student engagement, and data collection and analysis in a campus dining operation.

It provides opportunities for independent and collaborative projects aligned with your academic interests. Ideal candidates are students passionate about sustainability and food systems, with strong communication skills and the ability to work 10–12

Qualifications

• Knowledge and interest in sustainability, food systems or student outreach.
• Ability to work 10–12 hours per week, with possible weekend shifts.
• Positive, professional attitude with strong written and oral communication.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines and analyze data.
• Attention to detail and accuracy; able to handle data presentations.
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs and be on feet for extended periods.

Responsibilities

• Host educational tabling events on campus and at dining locations.
• Promote sustainability program at new student orientation.
• Create educational materials and write content for website/social media.
• Support long-term projects like local food reporting, waste auditing, and coordination with farmers markets.
• Analyze composting and recycling activity and report findings and trends.
• Research sustainability initiatives and best practices nationwide.
• Attend mandatory staff meetings and complete trainings.
• Participate in performance evaluations after probation.

Skills

Sustainability interest

Communication skills

Analytical problem solving

Attention to detail

Microsoft Office skills

Data visualization

Independent work mindset

Ability to lift 30 lbs

Tools

Excel

Google Drive

Pivot tables

Job description

Position Title

Sustainability Intern

Job Category

Student

Hourly Job Profile

Student Help

Job Summary

Accepting work-study and regular pay applicants.

Accountability Reports to

University Dining Associate Director

Responsibilities

The Sustainability Intern will provide support on various projects within out sustainable dining program, including initiatives addressing waste minimization, student engagement, and data collection and analysis. This is an excellent opportunity for students to explore the difference faucets of food sustainability within the framework of a university dining operation. There will be opportunities for independent and collaborative projects, with the potential to develop additional projects based on the intern’s personal interests and academic expertise.

Specific Duties

• Host educational tabling events around campus and at dining location, including events promoting local foods, waste minimization, and composting.
• Promote University Dining’s sustainability program at new student orientation.
• Create educational materials for distribution to the student body and write content for the University Dining website and/or social media accounts.
• Support long-term projects, such as local food reporting, waste auditing, food recovery, farmers market coordination, etc.
• Analyze composting and recycling activity in multiple dining locations and report out finds, and trends.
• Research sustainably initiatives and best practices around the country.
• Evaluate the current University Dining sustainability program and make recommendations for improvements.
• Attending mandatory staff meetings.
• Complete University Dining Orientation and all mandatory trainings.
• Being held accountable and abide to the policies outlined in the University Dining Student Employment Handbook.
• Other duties and projects as assigned to address current trends or issues.

Qualifications

• This position is ideal for a student with knowledge and interest in the field of sustainability, food systems, and or student outreach.
• Must be able to work a minimum of 10-12 hours per week; Weekend shifts, once trained, would be permissible.
• A positive, professional, and outgoing attitude with strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and meet project deadlines.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to understand and use Microsoft Office/Excel/Google Drive/pivot tables and creating visual data presentations.
• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs.; Sit, walk, and stand for extended time periods, up to 6 hours.
• All applicants must be at least a part-time student (enrolled in at least 6 undergraduate or 5 graduate credits) and be in good academic standing (cumulative and semester GPAs of 2.0 or higher).
• Applicants must pass a criminal background check (only criminal activity directly pertaining to the position description will be evaluated.)
• Successful applicants must pass all UWSP mandatory trainings along with department specific (food handling) trainings as part of their employment onboarding.
• Upon the completion of the eight-week probationary period, the staff supervisor will conduct a performance evaluation with results impacting the students’ future employment status.

Learning Outcomes

Although your job in University Dining may not be directly related to your future profession, the skills you learn here are transferable and will help you within any career path while also giving you valuable work experience to strengthen your resume.

As a result of their involvement in the University Dining student employment program, student employees will gain experience in: Job Knowledge Personal Development Responsibility/Task Completion Customer Service Community Engagement Inclusivity at Work Work Practices Judgement/Problem Solving Success Attributes

Base Wage

$13.00/hour

Special Notes

Through the discovery and dissemination of knowledge, UW-Stevens Point stimulates intellectual growth, provides a liberal education, and prepares students for a diverse sustainable world. The university is committed to creating a safe, inclusive learning community for all faculty and staff from a variety of backgrounds. Visit https://www.uwsp.edu/join-uw-stevens-point/ for more information about UW-Stevens Point. To learn about the Stevens Point (aka Point) area fun, jobs, housing, education, quality of life, and bragging rights, visit www.stevenspointarea.com. Individuals with disabilities who need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process should contact Human Resources and Aff… The safety and success of students, faculty, and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point is paramount. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires the distribution of an annual security report to all current and prospective students, faculty, and staff. You may obtain the complete report at https://www3.uwsp.edu/protsv/Pages/Clery.aspx The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7). An offer of employment will require a criminal background check and authorization to work within the United States as required by the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer: Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. The Universities of Wisconsin serve approximately 161,000 students. Awarding nearly 37,000 degrees annually, the Universities of Wisconsin is Wisconsin’s talent pipeline, putting graduates in position to increase their earning power, contribute to their communities, and make Wisconsin a better place to live. Nearly 90 percent of in-state Universities of Wisconsin graduates stay in Wisconsin five years after earning a degree – with a median salary of more than $66,000. The Universities of Wisconsin provides a 23:1 return on state investment. The Universities of Wisconsin also contribute to the richness of Wisconsin’s culture and economy with groundbreaking research, new companies and patents, and boundless creative intellectual energy. The Universities of Wisconsin and its employees are purpose-driven, people-focused, and committed to stewardship.