POSITION:                    Hillis Intern

REPORTS TO:               Communications Manager

LOCATION:                   Bend, OR

CLASSIFICATION:         FLSA Non-Exempt, Part-time (18 hours per week)

DURATION:                  10 weeks, June through August 2025

POSITION SUMMARY

Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) is a nonprofit conservation organization with a mission to protect, defend and restore Oregon's high desert. With offices in Bend and Portland, Oregon, we represent more than 25,000 members and supporters in the state and across the country. ONDA’s Hillis Internship was launched in 2021 to honor one of those members, Harv Hillis, and his passion for desert conservation and stewardship. The Hillis Internship Program provides early career individuals with valuable learning and professional growth opportunities while contributing to the conservation and restoration of Oregon’s desert landscapes.

The Hillis Internship will provide a broad range of experiences across communications, development, and outreach. The intern will play a key role in the production and promotion of ONDA’s annual Wild Desert Calendar including photo selection, publication support, copy editing, digital and retail promotion, event planning, and more. The intern will also support organizational communications work including social media content creation, editorial writing, website management, and graphic design. There will also be opportunities to participate in public engagement and outreach.

This position will be part of a four-person Development and Communications team and will require collaboration, creativity, and a desire to learn. The intern will have the opportunity to be creative, hands-on, and build skills that will assist them throughout their career.

The preferred start date for this position is the week of Monday, June 2, 2025 with flexibility into mid-June for the right candidate. This position requires that the intern conduct their work in-person at ONDA’s Bend office.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates will have a professional interest in and commitment to working in the conservation field, experience working in an office environment, and/or experience in communications, marketing or outreach. Initial applicant screening will select for those candidates who meet the following minimum qualifications:

• Strong writing and proofreading skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Highly organized with exceptional multi-tasking skills
• Ability to work well both independently and with a team
• Creative, with a willingness to contribute new ideas
• Willingness to learn new technology platforms quickly
• Ability to use Microsoft Office is required. A working knowledge of WordPress, Canva, Asana, Salesforce and Adobe Suite is not required but is considered a plus.
• All candidates must have a valid Oregon driver’s license

ELIGIBILITY

The Hillis Internship is open to early career individuals with a demonstrated interest in ONDA’s conservation mission. Early career individuals are defined as:

• Students currently enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, 4-year university, 2-year college, trade school, etc.);
• Recent graduates who have completed a post-secondary degree or certificate within the past 24 months, or
• Independent students who are pursuing an education or experience – formal or informal, within or without the bounds of a traditional educational institution – in a subject area related to ONDA’s mission and the internship.