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Join the New Jersey Watershed Ambassador Program Today!

 

Program Overview

The NJWAP is a 10-month, full-time AmeriCorps program focused on promoting watershed stewardship through education, community engagement, and stream monitoring. Individual AmeriCorps members are assigned to each of New Jersey's 20 watershed management areas (WMAs) to serve as "Watershed Ambassadors" to their watershed communities. In addition to the 20 Watershed Ambassadors, 3 Source Water Protection (SWP) Ambassadors are each assigned to the Northern, Central, and Southern regions of NJ. While Watershed Ambassadors have a focus on water quality through non-point and point-source pollution, SWP Ambassadors have a focus on source water, water conservation, and groundwater.

This program is a full-time commitment of 35-40 hours a week, for a total of 1700 hours over a ten-month span (September-July). While outside activities like graduate school and other jobs are allowed, members are asked to make the NJWAP their priority while they are serving. All offers are contingent upon the Program receiving funding for the 2025-2026 grant cycle. Applications are due July 28th!

Candidates are eligible if they:

• Hold a bachelor's degree (any major)

• Are passionate about the environment and community service

• Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation (travel is throughout NJ, but never in other states)

• Are a U.S. Citizen or can provide required documentation of permanent residence

• Can commit to 35–40 hours/week (1700 hour term) from September to July

Why become an Ambassador?

✅Gain experience in the environmental field

✅Develop public speaking and presentation skills

✅Learn fieldwork and citizen science methods

✅Enhance abilities to manage programs and events

✅Build a professional network

✅Increase knowledge of local and state government

✅Make lasting friendships and more!

Program Benefits

• $25,000 living stipend evenly distributed bi-weekly over the 10 months of service

• Health Coverage

• Childcare assistance if eligible

• Segal Education Award upon completion of 1700 hours (up to $6,895). You can use the award to repay qualified student loans and to pay current educational expenses at eligible institutions of higher education and training programs.

Program Terms

• Permits working at another job during off hours

• Permits attendance at school during off hours

• AmeriCorps apparel provided and required to be worn during service outreach events

How to Apply

Application for the Watershed Ambassador Position: https://bit.ly/3G5H4y3

Application for the Source Water Protection Ambassador Position: https://bit.ly/3G7n2Di

All interested applicants should create an account on the “My AmeriCorps” website before they apply: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/recruit/registration.do. Once you have created an application, you will be able to use it to apply to our program specifically.

Applicants should include why they want to apply to our program specifically in their Motivational Statement, as well as which WMA they are interested in. Please treat the Motivational Statement as your Cover Letter. Placements are first-come, first-served, so early application is encouraged!

Interested applicants can reach out to Michelle Hatfield (michelle.hatfield@dep.nj.gov) with questions or concerns.

All offers are contingent upon the Program receiving funding for the 2025-2026 grant cycle.

Applications are due July 28th!

Learn More at Our Open House!  We will go over program requirements, what an average day as an Ambassador is like, how to apply, and other relevant details. We will also have testimonials from current Ambassadors and alum. Open to graduates and students interested in future terms. We urge applicants to apply for the program if interested, and not wait for the open house, since we review applications in the order they are received.

👉Register here: https://forms.gle/v6Bk9Sw2kCwq6nEs9

• Virtual: July 18, 2025, 1 PM - 2 PM on Microsoft Teams

• In-Person: July 21, 2025, 12 PM - 1 PM at The Watershed Institute in Pennington

Where do Members Serve?

Ambassadors are hosted at different Host Agency Locations across the state, listed below. Ambassadors will most frequently commute to their Host Agency location, but there will also be travel to other locations throughout their WMA or region. We expect that when an applicant applies to our program they have considered which Host Agency would be their preference.

WMA 1: Upper Delaware Watersheds-Musconetcong Watershed Association, Asbury

WMA 2: Wallkill Watersheds-Sussex County Municipal Utilities Authority, Lafayette

WMA 3: Pompton, Wanaque, Ramapo & Pequannock Watersheds-Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Passaic County, Wayne

WMA 4: Lower Passaic & Saddle Watersheds-Liberty State Park, Jersey City

WMA 5: Hackensack & Pascack Watersheds-Hackensack Riverkeeper Inc., Hackensack

WMA 6: Upper Passaic, Whippany & Rockaway Watersheds, TBD

WMA 7: Arthur Kill Watersheds, TBD

WMA 8: North & South Raritan Watersheds-Raritan Headwaters Association, Bedminster

WMA 9: Lower Raritan, South & Lawrence Rivers Watersheds-Duke Farms, Hillsborough

WMA 10: Millstone Watersheds-The Watershed Institute, Pennington

WMA 11: Central Delaware Watersheds, TBD

WMA 12: Monmouth Watersheds-Monmouth County Division of Planning, Freehold

WMA 13: Barnegat Bay Watersheds-Barnegat Bay Partnership, Toms River

WMA 14: Mullica Watersheds-Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve, Tuckerton

WMA 15: Great Egg Harbor Watersheds-Atlantic County Utilities Authority, Egg Harbor Township

WMA 16: Cape May Watersheds-Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Cape May County, Cape May Court House

WMA 17: Maurice, Salem & Cohansey Watersheds-The Authority of Cumberland County, Millville

WMA 18: Lower Delaware Watersheds, TBD

WMA 19: Rancocas Watersheds-Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Southampton

WMA 20: Crosswicks, Doctors and Assiscunk Watersheds, TBD

SWP Northern Region NJ-DEP Northern Water Enforcement Office, Cedar Knolls

SWP Central Region-New Jersey Water Supply Authority, Clinton

SWP Southern Region-NJ DEP Southern Water Enforcement Office, Camden