Sustainability Intern: Game‑Day Waste Diversion Pilot

Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC; Winston-Salem (NC); On-site; USD 17,000 - 25,000; Part time

Job summary

Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC is offering a student internship to support a fall football season waste diversion pilot at Wake Forest home games. You will help plan recycling visibility, document current practices, and collect basic metrics to inform improvements.

You will engage with PBV and Wake Forest University stakeholders, observe game-day operations, and prepare end-of-semester findings with actionable recommendations for future programs.

Qualifications

• Currently undergraduate or graduate student pursuing a degree in environmental and sustainability studies, environmental science, business, engineering, communications, sports marketing, public policy, or a related field.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently within a limited weekly time commitment.
• Interest in sustainability, recycling, waste reduction, or event-based environmental initiatives.
• Basic proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Availability to support select Wake Forest home football game activities, as agreed in advance.

Responsibilities

• Waste Diversion Pilot Support: Support planning for a small-scale exploratory waste diversion pilot during the fall football season. Assist with identifying opportunities to improve recycling visibility, beverage container recovery, and fan awareness.
• Observation & Data Collection: Observe current game‑day recycling and waste collection practices during select home football games. Help document what works well, where gaps exist, and what may be needed to enhance the program. Collect basic information such as recycling station visibility, participation observations, contamination concerns, and operational barriers to inform future improvements. Take notes on fan behavior, collection bin placement, labeling and structural design effectiveness, collection points, and event flow. Support simple tracking of available waste diversion indicators, where practical and accessible. Summarize observations in a clear and organized format.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Coordinate with PBV, Wake Forest University contacts, and other designated stakeholders as needed. Participate in limited planning or check‑in meetings related to the study and pilot intervention. Engage with university partners, volunteers, or event personnel to better understand current practices and improvement opportunities. Help gather feedback from stakeholders involved in game‑day operations or sustainability efforts.
• Pilot Evaluation & Recommendations: Identify practical recommendations for improving future recycling and waste diversion efforts. Document lessons learned from the exploratory pilot. Highlight potential barriers, resource needs, and opportunities for a larger‑scale program in future football seasons, with takeaways that may be applied to other athletics venues. Prepare a concise end‑of‑semester summary of findings and recommendations for PBV leadership.
• Football Game‑Day Program Execution: Assist with planning and activating recycling initiatives at Wake Forest home football games. Coordinate placement and readiness of recycling collection infrastructure before each game. Conduct pre‑game and post‑game inspections of recycling collection areas. Support game‑day operations to ensure recycling stations remain functional, visible, and properly utilized. Prepare reports and presentations summarizing seasonal program results and environmental impact.

Skills

Communication

Organizational skills

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Independent work

Time management

Education

Undergraduate or graduate student in environmental and sustainability fields

Job description

Pepsi Bottling Ventures LLC is offering a student internship to support a fall football season waste diversion pilot at Wake Forest home games. You will help plan recycling visibility, document current practices, and collect basic metrics to inform improvements.

You will engage with PBV and Wake Forest University stakeholders, observe game-day operations, and prepare end-of-semester findings with actionable recommendations for future programs.