Location: Rhinebeck, NY
Compensation: $15.50/hour
Hours: 32 hours/week, May 12 – August 1 (flexible start/end dates)

About Winnakee Land Trust
Winnakee Land Trust is an accredited non-profit in Rhinebeck, NY, dedicated to conserving the Hudson Valley’s forests, farms, wetlands, watersheds, and wildlife habitats. Our Conservation Programs Team focuses on land acquisition, sustainable forestry, and active land management to preserve the region’s natural beauty for future generations.
We are seeking Stewardship Interns to assist in wildlife monitoring, trail stewardship, conservation easement monitoring, and forestry projects. This is an excellent opportunity for students or early-career professionals interested in conservation, land management, and field research.

Responsibilities

• Assist with turtle trapping and telemetry: Handle turtles and track them in and around wetlands.
• Perform on-the-ground inspection and documentation: Monitor properties protected by conservation easements to ensure compliance.
• Work with volunteers: Assist with trail maintenance, invasive species removal, and kiosk construction.
• Prepare baseline documentation: Document property characteristics for new land and conservation easement acquisition projects.
• Basic mapping, documentation, and file organization: Support stewardship projects with data collection and organization.
• Assist with forestry tasks as needed.
• Assist with occasional organizational events as needed.
• Note: Wildlife monitoring in late spring may require occasional weekend and frequent evening work in early June.

Qualifications
Required:

• Valid driver’s license and access to reliable transportation for travel to project sites.
• Ability to work outdoors independently in variable weather conditions.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Attention to detail and ability to work with sensitive information.

Preferred:

• Experience working in an outdoor setting.
• Familiarity with using a compass, GPS, and maps.
• Knowledge of native and invasive plants.

Physical Demands

• Ability to walk up to 3 miles over rugged terrain.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 25 lbs over a half mile.
• Comfort working in sun, rain, heat, humidity, and other challenging weather conditions.
• Frequent walking, hiking, standing, bending, and kneeling.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement
Winnakee Land Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, national origin, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local laws.
We encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, especially those underrepresented in the conservation field.