Natural Resources Officer (Intern) at MAZIDO

POSITION OVERVIEW

• We seek an enthusiastic, passionate, and energetic Natural Resources Officer (Intern) to support environmental conservation and community landscape management programs in Taita Taveta County. The internship gives a recent graduate practical, hands-on exposure to community-based natural resource management (CBNRM), ecosystem restoration, catchment protection, and climate change interventions in a dynamic NGO environment.
• We seek someone who loves the outdoors, enjoys engaging with local farming and pastoralist communities, possesses good computer skills, adapts rapidly to field challenges, and brings a proactive, problem-solving mindset.

KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist in organizing and facilitating community awareness meetings, farmer field days, and environmental training workshops with local conservation committees, women's groups, and youth.
• Support community tree nursery establishment, seed collection, tree seedling distribution, and monitoring tree survival and growth rates across restoration sites.
• Assist in promoting and demonstrating sustainable land management, including terracing, contour farming, water harvesting, and catchment protection.
• Support baseline surveys, GPS coordinate mapping of project sites, and monitoring data collection using mobile tools such as KoboToolbox, ODK, or Google Forms.
• Draft brief field activity notes, take quality photos of field interventions, collect community testimonies/success stories, and compile attendance sheets.
• Work proactively with field teams to address community queries, monitor challenges such as pests and weather delays, and suggest practical on-the-ground adjustments.

CANDIDATE PROFILE & REQUIREMENTS

• Graduated not more than two years ago (Class of 2024, 2025, or 2026) with a Bachelor\'s Degree in Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, Agroforestry, Forestry, Range Management, Climate Change, or a related environmental discipline.
• Comfortable using MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Google Workspace for reporting and recordkeeping.
• Quick to learn mobile data collection apps (KoboToolbox, GPS tools), project frameworks, and organizational procedures.
• Practical, adaptable, and resourceful during community field activities.
• Strong oral and written English and Kiswahili communication skills, and ability to respectfully communicate with diverse rural community members.
• Open to fresh graduates; prior field attachment, academic research, or volunteer participation in community conservation is an added advantage.

DESIRED PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Willingness to travel frequently to rural field sites within Taita Taveta County.
• Passion for conservation and community development, honesty and accountability.
• Collaborative spirit, respect toward community elders and diverse groups, and active participation.