Schools Sustainability Associate I (Intern) – Hourly Intermittent
Organization: StopWaste (a.k.a Alameda County Waste Management Authority)
Location: 1537 Webster Street, Oakland, CA 94612
Position Details: Hourly-Intermittent, Non-Exempt. 20-29 hours a week (part time, fixed schedule) up to 960 hours per fiscal year. Start Date: 9/14/26. End Date: no later than 6/19/27
Salary: $25/hr.; No fringe benefits (except for FICA and state-mandated sick leave)
Applications due: Friday, June 26, 2026, at 5:00pm PST
About StopWaste
About StopWaste is a public agency dedicated to advancing environmental sustainability and building healthy, equitable, climate-resilient communities in Alameda County and beyond. We partner with nonprofits, businesses, schools, and local governments to deliver programs that reflect community needs in one of the most diverse regions in the country. Our work advances a circular economy through three programmatic areas:
• Waste prevention and material circularity
• Strengthening community food systems
• Construction innovation and clean energy transition in buildings Equity and environmental stewardship guide all our programs.
The Position
School Sustainability Associates (SSAs) lead educational field trips at StopWaste’ s two Education Centers, support school-based programs, and help elementary, middle, and high school teachers and students take action to reduce waste.
SSAs also contribute to agency initiatives such as school infrastructure, trainings, and community outreach campaigns.
They work at the Education Centers, at schools, at the agency office, and in community settings to implement programs that advance StopWaste’ s goals and support educational equity.
Instructional support may include facilitating student-led waste audits and activities that help schools reduce waste in alignment with local climate action plans and district environmental literacy curricula. SSAs may also provide technical assistance and training, support school infrastructure projects, and assist with outreach campaigns such as StopWaste’ s Stop Food Waste campaign and carbon farming initiatives.
The position receives day-to-day direction from a StopWaste Program Manager and Project Coordinators or their designees, with work assignments at the StopWaste office and the Educational Field Trip Centers in San Leandro and Fremont. Selected candidates must have reliable transportation, be willing to travel regularly to sites throughout the county and provide proof of insurance if using a personal vehicle. Mileage between work sites is reimbursed at the standard IRS rate.
This position is in the Associate/Intern Series. It is part-time position with a generally fixed schedule. This position is normally scheduled to work Monday through Thursday and includes some scheduled Friday, evening, and weekend classes and events.
Visit the StopWaste school programs website at: https://www.stopwaste.org/schools
Examples of Duties
Consistent with the https://www.stopwaste.org/resource/stopwaste-associate-i-and-ii-job-description, duties include:
Education Center Field Trip Instructional and Program Support
• Conduct and teach in-person Education Center field trips for 4th grade through high school classes at both the Davis Street Transfer Station in San Leandro, CA, operated by Waste Management Inc. and the Fremont Transfer Station in Fremont, CA, operated by BLT Enterprises.
• Provide technical assistance for teacher action project
• Assist with field trip administration and Education Center maintenance
In-Classroom Instructional Support
• Facilitate and co-lead classroom presentations and assemblies at school sites including classroom and school-wide waste audits, and student-led action projects that encourage the adoption of sustainable behaviors at school and at home and assigned tasks by Project Leads
Community Outreach
• Represent as a StopWaste ambassador at schools and in the community.
• Support community outreach events like farmer’s markets, school events, festivals, lunch-and-learns, and earth day celebrations through tabling and co-leading workshops as needed.
Administrative
• Assist with teacher registration process including teacher recruitment and marketing of the schools’ programs.
• Document and report on class and school data through data tracking tools and analysis.
• Provide regular communication with administrators, teachers, and families.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
• Knowledge of education and/or experience in teaching environmental content to students in formal and non-formal education settings. Knowledge of waste management hierarchy and the concepts of reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost and/or other sustainability topics.
• Ability to organize thoughts and effectively communicate both orally and in writing. Be self-directed and able to prioritize tasks. Manage personal time and be punctual. Exhibit willingness to learn new skills. Communicate and participate in a team setting. Work in an outdoor industrial setting where there are loud sounds, dust, and various weather conditions.
• Proven ability to work in a team setting and establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, partners, and the public. Provide quality customer service. Computer skills including word processing, spreadsheets, database management and data entry, e-mail, and internet research.
Desirable Qualifications
• Familiarity with communities in Alameda County.
• Familiarity or interest with current waste management and sustainability issues like food waste reduction, carbon farming, and single use packaging litter.
• Interest or experience in government or public sector programs.
• Curriculum development.
• Ability to speak multiple languages or experience working with children who have English as their secondary language.
• Community outreach and public speaking skills.
• Experience with storytelling and social media.
Education and Experience
Any combination of experience and education that would demonstration possession of the required knowledge and abilities for the position. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be a bachelor’s degree with college course work in education, environmental education, environmental science or related field or experience providing environmental education or working with school age students. Training in classroom management tools and techniques is a plus.
Licenses, Certifications, and other Requirements:
• Possession of, or ability to obtain, an appropriate valid California’s driver’s license if required to drive.
• Background check required prior to offer of employment. TB test and CPR/First Aid training required after hire (at Agency expense).
Application Procedure:
Submit the following via email to jobs@stopwaste.org with subject line: StopWaste Schools Associate I
• Cover letter
• StopWaste Job Application (https://apptrkr.com/7208711)
• Resume
Applications may also be delivered in person to the StopWaste office:
StopWaste
Attn: StopWaste Schools Associate I
1537 Webster Street
Oakland, CA 94612
Deadline: June 26th, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. (PST).
Interviews: Week of July 20th, 2026 (in person at the Davis St. Transfer Station in San Leandro)
Applications are reviewed by human staff; we do not use artificial intelligence-powered screening tools in our hiring process.
Nothing contained in this job announcement is intended to create an employment contract, implied or explicit with the Alameda County Waste Management Authority, an Equal Opportunity Employer.