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:

1)     Students currently enrolled in a post-secondary educational institution (e.g., undergraduate, graduate, 4-year university, 2-year college, trade school, etc.);

2)     Recent graduates who have completed a post-secondary degree or certificate within the past 24 months, or

3)     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.

COMPENSATION

This internship is 18 hours per week, paid at $20/hour, for a duration of 10 weeks.

TO APPLY

ONDA uses an anonymous applicant screening process to ensure fair and objective applicant evaluation. To help facilitate this review, please submit your application via email, with your email including two separate attachments as follows:

1)     Attachment #1: A single page that includes your name, address, email and phone number. Do not include this identifying information anywhere else in your attachments.

2)     Attachment #2: A cover letter (without your name) describing your qualifications and interest in the internship, resume (without your name), and the contact information for three references.  This information should be combined into a single .doc or .pdf file.

Please submit these application materials to hillisintern@onda.org no later than Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.

ABOUT OREGON NATURAL DESERT ASSOCIATION

For three decades Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) has connected people to their public lands and championed the conservation and stewardship of central and eastern Oregon’s wild lands, waterways and wildlife. ONDA’s mission is to protect, defend and restore Oregon’s high desert. Read more at www.ONDA.org.

ONDA is an Equal Opportunity Employer
ONDA is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and seeks to create an inclusive environment for all volunteers, partners, collaborators and employees. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and cultures. We strongly encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, military, protected veteran status or other status protected by law. Please review our commitment to fostering diversity, equity, inclusion and justice in environmental conservation at https://onda.org/justice/.