Healthy Rivers Policy Intern

Western Resource Advocates (WRA) is seeking a bright and inquisitive individual with an interest in exploring local and state-level Western water policy issues and opportunities to join our team in Winter/Spring 2025 as a part-time Healthy Rivers Policy Intern. The Healthy Rivers Policy intern will support a variety of research priorities including researching water allocation policies in the Western US, green industry professional certification, and state water and land use integration policies, among other related tasks. The Healthy Rivers Policy Intern will work closely with WRA’s Healthy Rivers Program team, with opportunities to learn and grow while working with other conservation and policy professionals.

About Western Resource Advocates

WRA fights climate change and its impacts to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West. We respect the different needs of diverse people and partner with them to develop a shared vision for progress—one that advances communities while protecting biodiversity.

Our team of policy experts, scientists, economists, and attorneys has a 30-year history of working where decisions are made, sweating the details, creating evidence-based solutions, and holding decision makers accountable. This on the ground work with policymakers and other advocates advances clean energy, protects air, land, water, and wildlife—and sustains the lives and livelihoods of the West.

Location

This position will be based in the Denver-Boulder Metro area and will be a hybrid remote and one day per week in-office position in our Boulder, CO and/or Denver, CO offices.

Responsibilities and Activities

• Research and develop a policy report on water allocation policies in the West.
• Support WRA’s initiative to expand landscape professional education and certification opportunities through research and stakeholder engagement.
• Conduct additional policy research and write memos or reports on varied subjects associated with WRA’s integrated water and land use policy work, in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona in particular.
• Accompany staff to advocacy meetings, stakeholder engagement activities, and other related activities as appropriate.
• Present findings to WRA staff and partners at other organizations as appropriate.

Qualifications

• Excellent communicator, written and verbal.
• Strong research and analytic skills.
• Motivated to take ownership of projects and demonstrate follow-through to complete tasks.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Interest in exploring conservation and/or policy work.
• Knowledge or experience in Western water policy, science or management, or other closely related conservation areas, is preferred.

Physical Requirements

Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.