RiverLink is a small but effective team of dedicated River Stewards. As we grow we will be adding more full and part time positions. Currently we host 3 AmeriCorps Project Conserve positions that serve for an 11 month term. These positions accept new applications every year around May/June. We also hire some camp counselors for our RiverCamp around April/May. If you’re interested in joining our team, check back on this page for new opportunities!
However you identify or whatever your path here, please apply if you see a position that sparks your passion for the environment. Regardless of background, anyone can make a tangible impact on the river and promote it’s health and beauty to the community. Come join us and help create a thriving watershed where everyone feels welcome.
We are currently hiring for three AmeriCorps Project Conserve positions that will run from Sept 2024-July of 2025. Click the button below to learn more about the compensation and application process for these positions.
AmeriCorps Watershed Coordinator
The Watershed Coordinator works to improve water quality in the French Broad River Watershed through on-the-ground projects and community engagement. This is accomplished through watershed restoration projects (e.g., stream & habitat restoration, watershed planning studies, and green stormwater infrastructure); educating others about watershed health; and collaboratively addressing community concerns about water quality and quantity issues to ensure equitable outcomes. In this position you will have opportunities to assist with outreach and volunteer engagement, project management, and grant writing.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Basic knowledge of watersheds, water quality and quantity issues, and stormwater best management practices.
- Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice.
- Solid written and verbal communication skills.
- Social media skills are required (Instagram and Facebook).
- Ability to work on a team and receive constructive feedback.
- Comfortable speaking in front of small and large groups or motivated to develop this skill.
- The ability to walk over uneven terrain, work outside in a variety of weather conditions, and use standard landscaping and hand tools.
- Valid driver’s license
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
Monday – Friday 9am to 5pm, with occasional evening and weekend events. Typically, there will be one Saturday event per month during the busy season (Sep-Nov and Mar-Jul). Some teleservice is allowed.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require one or two overnight stays.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Conservation Education
Direct Service Activities: Conduct workshops associated with our WaterRICH program, which teaches individuals how to design and construct stormwater control features, such as rain gardens and rain barrels; Assist with the Name that Creek Program by maintaining an online StoryMap, organizing naming campaigns, and submitting all supporting documentation to the USGS; Member will collaborate with RiverLink’s AmeriCorps Education Coordinator, when needed, to conduct youth environmental education programs.
Percentage of Time: 30%
Capacity Building Activities: Create outreach materials and social media content related to water conservation topics; Develop public service-learning opportunities on topics such as water quality, stream restoration, and riparian habitat restoration;
Percentage of Time: 10%
At-Risk Ecosystem Impacts
Direct Service Activities: Work with volunteers to develop and maintain stormwater control measures; Assist with riparian habitat and stream restorations on public and conserved lands; Conduct water quality monitoring, often utilizing citizen scientists to help collect data.
Percentage of Time: 40%
Volunteer Engagement
Direct Service Activities: Work with volunteers on grant funded conservation projects, such as stream restorations, stormwater control measures, and watershed planning studies; Member will collaborate with RiverLink’s AmeriCorps Stewardship Coordinator, when needed, to organize volunteer events.
Percentage of Time: 15%
Capacity Building Activities: Recruit and train volunteers for the Adopt-A-Storm Drain program.
Percentage of Time: 5%
Essential Functions
Equipment / Software Used: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, Canva, ArcGIS is available for use.
Physical Demands: Must be able to work outdoors in variable weather, doing strenuous activity and walking over uneven terrain. Will need to sit for extended periods of time at a computer.
Transportation Needs: Must have a reliable personal vehicle.
Setting/Location of Service Activities: 170 Lyman Street Asheville NC 28801
AmeriCorps Stewardship Coordinator
The Stewardship Coordinator works with RiverLink’s Land Resources Manager on land protection, restoration, and public access projects in the French Broad River watershed. These projects will occur on public lands, and lands that RiverLink owns, has conservation easements on, or is coordinating grant-funded stormwater and stream restoration projects.
These properties are protected and managed for riparian buffers, floodplain, wetland, and steep slope habitats, along with their public and ecological benefit as, parks, greenways, river access points, cultural importance, stream restoration projects and green stormwater infrastructure.
The Stewardship Coordinator will assist with accomplishing stewardship goals by maintaining and monitoring these properties, including: leading volunteer work days, developing and implementing management plans, strategizing for specific projects, monitoring conservation easements, reporting on monitoring visits, creating baseline documentation reports for protected lands, and assisting with other components of protected lands acquisition and management, such as designing and installing signage, constructing recreational amenities and managing vegetation.
Volunteer work days on RiverLink’s protected lands might include removing litter, managing invasive plants, planting native plants, establishing riparian buffers, installing signage, etc. Volunteer work days elsewhere across the French Broad River watershed might include river cleanups (on foot and in boats), installing live stakes, and other projects related to waterways and public lands.
In addition to stewardship of RiverLink’s protected lands, the Stewardship Coordinator will educate community members on best practices for responsible land stewardship. This might include sharing expertise on invasive plants, native plants, riparian buffers, stream restoration and green stormwater infrastructure.
The Stewardship Coordinator will also have opportunities to work with other RiverLink program staff and AmeriCorps members, including the Watershed Coordinator and Education Coordinator, on stormwater and stream restoration projects, teaching endeavors and events.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Passion for clean rivers, healthy riparian habitats, native plants, and outdoor recreation.
- Interest in working collaboratively with a diverse network of staff, partners and community members.
- Motivation to actively address how conservation and environmentalism in the French Broad region have historically and currently excluded and harmed black, indigenous, and other people of color.
- Interest in natural resource management, land protection, water recreation, parks and greenways.
- Knowledge of land trust practices, including: real estate and property information, conservation easements and annual monitoring, baseline document reports and stewardship.
- Knowledge of native plant and animal species present in Western North Carolina.
- Knowledge of exotic invasive plant species and techniques to manage and remove.
- Knowledge of stream restoration techniques and best practices.
- Experience with river access design and implementation.
- Experience with leading volunteers and working with community members.
- Skillful in written and verbal communication. Able to speak to groups of all sizes.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, ArcGIS, and smartphone applications.
- Must have a valid driver’s license.
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
The default schedule is 9AM-5PM Mondays-Fridays. Occasional evening and weekend work needs will only be assigned by consent of the service member. RiverLink offers a workspace in our office, but remote work is offered for much of the work week.
In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team training, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to two overnight stays.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require one or two overnight stays.
Position Responsibilities and Duties:
Conservation Education
Direct Service Activities: Provide conservation/stewardship education to RiverLink’s conservation easement landowners, along with other residents and visitors of the French Broad River watershed. Integrate education into volunteer events in the form of discussing water quality impacts, invasive species identification, stream restoration techniques, and river and land use history. Participate in tabling events such as conferences, festivals, career days, etc.
Percentage of Time: 25%
Capacity Building Activities: Create outreach materials, social media content, and materials for volunteers related to water and land conservation topics. Develop educational content to be delivered during volunteer days and service-learning events on topics such as water quality, stream repair and restoration, riparian habitat restoration, non-native invasive plant ID, and more.
Percentage of Time: 15
At-Risk Ecosystem Impacts and Trails
Direct Service Activities: Lead volunteers in invasive plant removal, riparian habitat restoration, and bank stabilization on RiverLink’s protected properties and public lands. Lead volunteers in removing trash from local waterways. With other RiverLink staff, manage invasive plants and litter on the properties we own, particularly on our publicly accessible park properties.
Percentage of Time: 25
Volunteer Engagement
Direct Service Activities: Plan and lead volunteer events for individuals and groups on public lands, and lands that RiverLink owns, or has conservation easements on. Plan and lead volunteer events for individuals and groups on projects for which RiverLink is implementing grant-funded stormwater and stream restoration projects. Lead information sessions designed to recruit and educate future volunteers. Match volunteer groups with project needs that benefit the French Broad River watershed. Collect volunteer feedback and integrate suggestions to improve volunteer initiatives. Create outreach strategies to promote opportunities for people to engage with RiverLink.
Percentage of Time: 30%
Capacity Building Activities: Recruit partner organizations that will help support our volunteer and stewardship needs into the future.
Percentage of Time: 5%
Essential Functions:
Equipment / Software Used: Computer, smartphone, Avenza, ArcGIS, Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, pickup truck, kayaks, hand tools, safety equipment.
Physical Demands: Must be able to work outdoors in variable weather, doing strenuous activity and walking over uneven terrain. Will need to sit for extended periods of time at a computer.
Transportation Needs: Must have a reliable personal vehicle.
Setting/Location of Service Activities: Our office at 170 Lyman St., Asheville, NC 28801 and throughout the French Broad River watershed.
AmeriCorps Education Coordinator
RiverLink’s Education Coordinator works with school groups and the general public to lead hands-on experiential activities at no cost throughout the watershed. These programs expand students’ knowledge of aquatic ecosystems through outdoor exploration, interactive models, educational games, and more. All lessons integrate NC Essential Standards, STEAM education methods, and inquiry/place based learning.
The Education Coordinator fosters appreciation for the river as a source of creative inspiration, and a space to play and explore. They host an art and poetry contest where students will submit work inspired by their time on the river. They will also lead 5 weeks of summer camp, where they’ll guide 3rd-8th graders as they discover the beauty of the watershed. This position will also help with various outreach duties such as managing social media and tabling at community events.
Qualifications – Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
- Comfort speaking to large and small groups, particularly children.
- An understanding of equity and how it applies to the environmental and education sectors.
- Can form deep and genuine relationships with community members and organizations, prioritizing groups that have traditionally been excluded from environmental spaces.
- Active listening skills and the ability to have open, honest, and empathetic communication with program participants and staff.
- Can manage time effectively and maintain a detailed personal schedule to help meet deadlines.
- Willingness to pursue further watershed education to enhance their ability to lead lessons.
- Some prior knowledge of aquatic ecosystems, outdoor education methods, and historical/indigenous knowledge about the river is beneficial but not required.
- Has a valid driver’s license and is comfortable driving a 15-passenger van.
- Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years of age, be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States, and consent to a criminal history check.
Preferred Service Hours / Weekly Schedule:
This position typically works from 9am-5pm Mondays-Fridays with some weekends. Since there is a lot of work with schools, a good amount of days can start as early as 7AM.
Position Responsibilities and Duties
Conservation Education
Direct Service Activities: 65%
- Host educational programs with over 4,000 students throughout the school year focused on the physical, biological, & chemical aspects of stream ecology.
- Create new, and continue existing methods to engage students through the use of scientific equipment, interactive learning strategies, & thoughtful reflection.
- Coordinate with organizational partners and government agencies to facilitate larger scale educational programming.
- Oversee the Voices of the River: Art and Poetry Contest.
- Create outreach materials and market the contest to schools, parents, and media outlets.
- Recruit local judges and create a rubric for judging submissions.
- Collect prize donations from local businesses.
- Plan a public gallery event to display all submissions.
- Represent RiverLink at a variety of events, community groups, and workshops.
- Support the Education & Outreach Coordinator with afterschool programming when time allows.
- Serve as lead counselor for French Broad RiverCamp.
- Drive a 15 passenger van to key sites throughout the watershed.
- Conduct forested and urban stream studies with campers.
- Plan creative and reflective activities for campers to do between scheduled activities.
- Join campers on recreational river activities such as tubing and rafting.
- Tour local water infrastructure such as treatment plants, reservoirs, and stormwater features.
- Work with the Watershed Resources Coordinator to support community education opportunities.
Capacity Building Activities: 15%
- Update lessons plans and SOP’s to reflect current activities and curriculum standards.
- Collaborate with the education team to develop new lessons focused on History and Culture, and plants.
- Create and implement new qualitative feedback methods for lessons.
- Identify and help write grants for the Voices of the River Contest.
Volunteer Engagement
- Participate in 1 volunteer educator training per quarter to recruit members of the public to assist with educational activities.
- Work with the Stewardship Coordinator to host school groups for service projects, and incorporate education into public volunteer opportunities.
- Create an evaluation system for volunteer educators to determine their effectiveness during lessons.
PLEASE NOTE: In addition to fulfilling host site service responsibilities, all Project Conserve members are required to fully participate in team trainings, service projects and statewide AmeriCorps events. Project Conserve team events will occur approximately twice per month in locations throughout the service area and may require up to three overnight stays.
Essential Functions
Equipment / Software Used: Computer, Stream simulation table, water quality testing kits, biomonitoring sampling equipment, marketing/design software, SalsaLabs (a mass email and database software.)
Physical Demands: Creek walking, ability to lift a canoe with a partner, drive a 15 passenger van, paddling experience helpful but not required.
Transportation Needs: Must have a reliable vehicle.
Setting/Location of Service Activities: Buncombe and Henderson counties with some activities in Transylvania, Madison, Avery, and Yancy counties as well.
RiverLink provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or status as a Vietnam-era or special disabled veteran in accordance with applicable federal laws. RiverLink also complies with applicable state and local laws, if any, governing non-discrimination in employment. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.