Grassroots Organizer- Queen, NY

The New York Public Interest Research Group (NYPIRG) seeks qualified candidates for Project Coordinator positions throughout New York State. Project Coordinators gain valuable, hands-on, leadership and organizing skills and are provided a rewarding, meaningful, exciting work experience and the opportunity to educate college students as well as train the next generation of activists.

Description: NYPIRG’s campus chapters statewide provide much of the organization’s energy, vitality and grassroots power. Each campus chapter consists of full-time staff organizers — known as Project Coordinators — who recruit and train college students in civic action skills including media outreach, event planning, and coalition building. Project Coordinators engage in campus-wide educational efforts on issues from free and fully-funded higher education to climate action/environmental justice to social justice.  In addition, they work with college students to advocate on NYPIRG’s key issue areas on campus and in communities, design and oversee an intensive, for-credit internship with regular workshops and presentations, and work to form coalitions with faculty, administrators, and campus organizations. Project Coordinators facilitate community engagement in these efforts through a combination of in-person and virtual interactions.

Training: Since a key part of NYPIRG's mission is to engage in large-scale public educational efforts and to train student leaders who can meaningfully participate in policy debates at the local, state and federal level, Project Coordinators go through a minimum of two weeks of intensive training each year, with workshops conducted by NYPIRG's issue experts. Project Coordinators also participate in regular regional trainings and statewide conferences. 

Qualifications: Applicants should have exceptional interpersonal communication and public speaking skills, strong writing skills as well as a commitment to social change, a desire to work with college students, and a willingness to be a part of local, statewide and national policy advocacy efforts. Ability to work with a wide-array of personality types and to think on one’s feet is highly desired. Busy days, occasional weekends, and some travel is necessary.  The ideal candidate must be able to complete all physical requirements of the job including carrying or lifting items weighing up to 20 lbs. A bachelor's degree, at a minimum, is required. Experience with student organizations, campaigns, or media is helpful. Proficiency with social media is a must. Fluency in Spanish is highly desired, but not required. The ideal candidate is a versatile, creative, and energetic person capable of handling numerous tasks expeditiously to meet the demands of ever evolving policy debates.

Note: This position will require a minimum of 5 days per week in-person on a college campus, contingent on the status of collegiate learning environments.

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NYPIRG is New York State's largest not-for-profit, non-partisan, student-directed research and advocacy organization. NYPIRG empowers students to shape public policy and create social change through the development of essential skills, while enriching the campus community with a wide range of projects, events, and activities. 

Staff and students alike are afforded the opportunity to make a real impact on important issues facing society today. Since 1973, NYPIRG has helped to pass over 150 pieces of legislation, and has won victories on a wide range of issues, including environmental preservation, consumer protection, public health, government accountability, higher education and mass transit. 

Recent victories include a ban on hydrofracking, the elimination of credit checks in the hiring process, as well as several tuition freezes for state colleges in New York State. 

Notable former NYPIRG project coordinators include college professionals, business executives, attorneys, journalists, local and statewide legislators, and even a United States President!