The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is seeking 23 recruits for its 27th year of the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program that channels water quality awareness into stewardship actions.
Applications for the 2026-2027 program may be submitted through July 10, or until all positions are filled. The next cohort of Ambassadors begins in September.
“New Jersey’s Watershed Ambassadors are an important link in helping the public understand how we protect local watersheds and preserve drinking water sources,” said Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak. “From sampling waterways to performing educational demonstrations in communities, participants help bring focus and awareness to our water sources and get in-the-field experiences that may shape their future careers in stewardship.”
Watershed Ambassadors are placed at host sites in 20 Watershed Management Areas from Sussex to Cape May counties to serve local communities. For the incoming cohort, three additional full-time Ambassadors will be recruited as Source Water Protection Ambassadors in northern, central, and southern locations to do outreach and public education campaigns that help protect New Jersey drinking-water sources.
A watershed is an area of land that drains into a common body of water. A wide range of human activities such as lawn care practices, agriculture, and urbanization affect water quality in these watersheds.
“Ambassadors complement the work of the Division of Water Monitoring, Standards and Pesticide Control by delivering educational presentations and engaging the public in various stewardship trainings, which provides communities deeper and more curated engagement opportunities,” said Division Director Vic Poretti. “Ambassadors contribute approximately 600 data sets of waterbody assessments conducted at freshwater streams throughout the state on an annual basis.”
Watershed Ambassadors learn skills in the AmeriCorps NJ program that will be beneficial throughout their careers, and which sometimes draw them back for additional service to New Jersey.
Jamie Lubov, who served in the Mullica Watershed, starts an Environmental Sciences doctoral program at Montclair University this fall following their graduation from the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors program on Wednesday, July 8. “This program connected me with so many environmental specialists throughout the state, and I met my advisor for my Ph.D. through the program,” said Lubov. “Getting more involved in coastal communities was a really rewarding experience.”
In the 2025-2026 program year, the program welcomed back Daniel Magda for a second term as a Team Leader. Daniel served with Raritan Headwaters Association in Far Hills, Somerset County as the Ambassador for the North and South Raritan Watersheds.
“The Watershed Ambassadors Program has allowed me to learn from so many talented environmental professionals,” said Magda. “I have had the opportunity to collaborate on implementing American Eel ladders and perform water quality testing at Budd Lake, as well as partner with a local community college to lead environmental trainings. The NJWAP has truly been an amazing opportunity and experience.”
Ambassadors spend 10 months in the AmeriCorps NJ program, during which they must complete 1,700 hours of service. Compensation includes an annual stipend of up to $25,000. Members may qualify for health insurance benefits while serving as an Ambassador; childcare assistance, SNAP benefits, and deferment of qualified student loans during service; and will receive extensive training throughout the program year. In addition, members are eligible to receive an education award of up to $7,395. Visit the program’s recruitment page to learn more about program eligibility.
Interested applicants may apply to the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program through the national AmeriCorps site: https://my.americorps.gov/mp/login.do. Full-time positions are available.
For more information, visit www.nj.gov/dep/wms/bears/americorps.htm and follow the AmeriCorps NJ Watershed Ambassadors Program on Facebook and Instagram for recruitment updates.
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