Waste Management Graduate Intern

New York City Housing Authority 

Waste Management Department – Summer/Fall Internship (College Aide) 

The New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is the nation’s largest public housing authority, with an operating budget of $3.3 billion and over 11,000 employees who manage and maintain 311 developments that house over 400,000 residents. NYCHA also operates the country’s largest Section 8 program, which provides rental assistance to over 200,000 additional families. 

The Waste Management Department leads the creation of long-term action plans for each New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) development, as an integral part of the Office of Operations Support Services.  Our mission is to improve the lives of our residents by identifying areas of improvement to optimize the management of daily waste operations at each public housing development. 

Title: Waste Management Graduate Intern (2 positions) 

Terms:  

Rate: $22/hr. This job is for Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and Spring 2026 with required breaks between each of the three terms as detailed in the start and end dates below. 

Location: This is an in-person job. Additionally, please note that during the summer, at least two days of the week will be spent visiting NYCHA developments across all five boroughs via walking and commuting. The remaining days will be spent in the Queens office (24‑02 49th Ave). During the fall and spring, all days will usually be in the Queens office. Occasional visits to developments may be conducted. 

Summer 2025: Earliest start date: May 27, 2025. Latest end date: August 29, 2025. Work days: Monday through Friday. Maximum work hours: 35 hours per week. 9am to 5pm each day with an unpaid lunch hour.  

Fall 2025: Earliest start date: September 2, 2025. Latest end date: December 24, 2025. Work days: Three days per week to be determined by discussion between candidate and managers, taking school schedule into account. Maximum work hours: 20 hours per week. Typically, two days of 9am to 5pm with an unpaid lunch hour and one day of 9am to 4pm with an unpaid lunch hour. 

Spring 2026: Earliest start date: January 2, 2026. Latest end date: May 22, 2026. Work days: Three days per week to be determined by discussion between candidate and managers, taking school schedule into account. Maximum work hours: 20 hours per week. Typically, two days of 9am to 5pm with an unpaid lunch hour and one day of 9am to 4pm with an unpaid lunch hour. 

About our projects:  

Our group is seeking motivated and experienced graduate students to assist the Waste Management Department with multiple projects: 

• A long-term project to build individualized and tailored Individual Waste Management Action Plans for each of our developments. This production of materials is group-oriented, at the intersection of management, urban design, operations, sustainability, geographic information systems, geospatial analysis, and data analysis. The work will include exposure to the inner workings of the Authority and engagement with Property Managers, Property Superintendents, and their respective subordinates. Specifically, department members will attend weekly meetings with property management to verify assets, equipment, staff allocations, and work order data in collaboration with different departments within the NYCHA organization. Field visits to developments with senior staff may be required for a minimum of two days per week. 
• Ad-hoc projects and programs currently ongoing within the department under the direction of the Managers and Senior Operations Analysts. Students will provide administrative support to other members of the team as needed. Active projects and programs include: 
• Site Visits: Going to developments, preparing reference documents, performing data analysis, and creating reports both before and after field visits to developments to assess waste management operations and ensure compliance to active programs and initiatives. 
• Newsletters: Write quarterly memos about updates from multiple NYCHA departments. 
• Waste Asset Catalog: Compile up-to-date product information for property management staff to purchase for daily operations. 
• Rear Loader Division: Analysis support for NYCHA-owned garbage trucks collecting from select locations to supplement Department of Sanitation service. 
• Scorecard Division: Analysis or field support for our inspection division as needed for HUD monitor compliance 
• Compliance or assistance for ongoing operations, which may include sustainability programs. 

While assignment to specific projects is at the department’s discretion and need, the intern’s preference for type of work or subject matter will be taken into consideration. 

About you: 

The interns and aides will need to have the ability to liaise with internal and external senior leaders and build positive relationships across all levels of staff. This includes the ability to diagnose problems accurately; evaluate and develop alternative courses of action; and recommend and/or implement creative and effective solutions. Previous experience or demonstrated interest in housing policy, real estate, architecture, urban planning, geographic information systems, geospatial analysis, New York City, and/or other relevant issues is a plus. 

What you will do: 

• Visit and interview staff at NYCHA developments to gather insight on waste processes at each development. Take pictures of waste assets to document their locations and conditions. Summarize each interview in a one- to two-page, single-spaced report that includes action items that should be addressed. Submit each report to the Project Manager by the end of the week. 
• Scan any paper notes and maps collected during development visits and upload them to Microsoft SharePoint by the end of the week. 
• Add and update points of waste assets and issues to the ArcGIS Field Maps mobile app. 
• Analyze data in Microsoft Excel and ArcGIS Online, and on occasion in ArcGIS Pro, to provide insight to interrelated waste management operations and assess project and program effectiveness. Present findings in PowerPoint. 
• Liaise as needed with developments and other departments to continue the creation of Individual Waste Management Action Plans for each development. 
• Correspond via e-mails, phone calls, and video calls. Write generalized findings one-pagers. 
• Develop refuse flow maps to visualize the complex waste systems at each development. 
• Support ad-hoc projects as needed. 

Key competencies: 

Required skills: 

• Knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. 
• Knowledge of ArcGIS Online and the ArcGIS Field Maps mobile phone app. 
• An interest in housing, waste management, sustainability, or other related topics. 
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and the ability to convey complex information in a clear and compelling way.  
• High ethical standards and an unwillingness to compromise on enforcing those standards. 
• Ability to prioritize and successfully carry out multiple assignments simultaneously, adapting quickly as projects take new direction. 
• Ability to liaise with internal and external senior leaders and build positive relationships across all levels of staff. 
• Can quickly get up to speed on new projects and ask questions. 
• Ability to diagnose problems accurately; evaluate and develop alternative courses of action; and recommend and/or implement creative and effective solutions. 

Additional preferred skills: 

• Microsoft Power Automate and SharePoint Lists. 
• ArcGIS Pro and Python Jupyter Notebooks within ArcGIS Pro. 
• R/RStudio. 
• Interest in graphic design. 

To apply: 

Email a single merged PDF of the following information to waste.mgmt@nycha.nyc.gov with the subject line “Waste Management Graduate Intern 2025”: 

• One-page cover letter. Describe in your cover letter examples of your familiarity with the required skills. Please also describe examples of your familiarity with any of the additional preferred skills that are relevant to you. It is okay to discuss the same content that is on your resume. Lastly, specify the days and hours you are available to work during the summer, fall, and spring. 
• One-page resume. 
• One- to two-page writing sample solely written by you (as in, no group projects). 
• One-page map or presentation solely created by you (as in, no group projects). 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

About the hiring process  

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information. Selected candidates will be subject to the City hiring process, which includes a standard drug screening prior to hiring.