OCR-2026-2i Communications and Engagement Intern

Open to: General Public Work Week: Up to 35 hours per week (5 days per week) Hourly Rate: Sliding Scale based on Education Level ($19-$24 Per Hour) Opening Date: 7/1/2026 Closing Date: 7/22/2026 Existing Vacancies: 1 Internship Length: 9/21/2026 - 4/30/2027

Program/Location: Department of Environmental Protection Office of the Commissioner Office of Climate Resilience Bureau of Blue Acres 401 East State Street Trenton, NJ 08625

Program Description: Since 1995, the Blue Acres program has worked to better protect public safety and the environment by relocating New Jersey families whose homes are subject to repeated flooding, and acquiring property for use as natural flood storage, parks, and community open space. Under New Jersey’s Chief Resilience Officer, the Blue Acres bureau mitigates flood hazards by planning, administering, and monitoring buyout projects throughout the state. Blue Acres complements its disaster recovery mission with a comprehensive, forward-looking approach to community that uses buyouts as one of many tools to enhance climate resilience.

Project Description: The Blue Acres Communications and Engagement Intern will work closely with the Office of Climate Resilience – Blue Acres staff to advance the program’s communications and community engagement efforts. The ideal candidate will demonstrate the ability to support the development of outreach materials and engagement resources, assist with research activities, help manage program data, and contribute to stakeholder engagement opportunities and events.

Specific to the Position: The intern will support the distribution of outreach materials in flood‑impacted buyout areas, assist in developing program engagement documents and website content, help administer the program’s participant feedback survey, conduct research to inform and enhance community engagement strategies, and create external materials highlighting program accomplishments.

Preferred Area of Study: Seeking students (senior or graduate level) enrolled in accredited undergraduate or graduate programs. Recommended majors include, but are not limited to Environmental Studies, Climate Resilience, Urban Planning, Communications, Journalism, Marketing or similar. Experience or coursework in marketing, graphic design, website administration, community outreach, and tools such as Canva and ArcGIS Story Maps is also a plus.

License: Appointee will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.

Employee Benefits TES / Hourly employee benefits include

• Earned Sick Time* *Pursuant to the State/Department's policy, procedures, and/or guidelines.

SAME applicants: If you are applying under the NJ SAME program, your supporting documents (Schedule A or B letter) must be submitted along with your resume by the closing date indicated above. For more information on the SAME program, please email [email protected] , or call CSC at (609) 292- 4144 and select Option #3.

Veteran's Preference: To qualify for New Jersey Veteran's Preference/status, you must establish Veteran's Preference through the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs. Please submit proof of your Veteran's Preference along with your resume as indicated below. For more information, please visit https://nj.gov/military/veterans/services/civil-service/preference/

Residency: All persons newly hired on or after September 1, 2011 have one year from the date of employment to establish, and then maintain principal residence in the State of New Jersey subject to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 52:14-7 (L.2011, Chapter 70), also known as the "New Jersey First Act".

Authorization to Work: Selected candidates must be authorized to work in the United States per the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services regulations. Note: The State of New Jersey does not provide sponsorship for citizenship to the United States.

Equal Opportunity Employment : The State of New Jersey seeks to increase the richness and diversity of its workforce, and in doing so, become the employer of choice for all people seeking to work in State Government. To evaluate the effectiveness of our efforts to attract and employ a diverse workforce, applicants are asked to voluntarily answer a few brief questions on the NJ Affirmative Action Information Form . All information is considered confidential and will be filed separately with the agency's affirmative action officer. This information will not be part of your application for employment and will not be considered in any hiring decision.

DEP Notices of Vacancy have a 4:00 p.m. deadline on the closing date. When filing for these opportunities, please be sure to have your letter of interest and credentials sent electronically before 4 p.m. on the closing date.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to inclusive hiring and a diverse workforce. We strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. Accommodations under ADA will be provided upon request.