Volunteer Microplastics Website Content Writer

Who We Are

Seaside Sustainability is a nonprofit organization based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. Seaside Sustainability's mission is to protect and restore our oceans by educating people of all ages about the critical issues that threaten our environment; promoting best practices for sustainability; and inspiring meaningful advocacy and hands-on action. Seaside works with schools, cities and towns, environmental groups, technology companies, and individuals. Together, we strive to ensure the healthy future of oceans, rivers, wetlands, and estuaries around the world.

Department Summary

The Microplastics Institute, a Seaside Sustainability initiative, is an integrated research, education, and community engagement organization dedicated to advancing the understanding, monitoring, and prevention of microplastic pollution and its implications for ecosystems and human health. Microplastics are increasingly recognized as a widespread environmental contaminant, with particles detected across aquatic, terrestrial, and atmospheric environments. As scientific understanding continues to develop, there is a growing need to better understand where microplastics occur, how they move through the environment, how people and ecosystems may encounter them, and what these exposure pathways may mean for environmental and human health.

The Institute brings together scientific research, environmental monitoring, education, community participation, workforce development, and professional services within a single coordinated framework. Rather than treating these areas as separate efforts, the Institute connects them so that research informs education, education builds scientific capacity, community participation expands environmental monitoring, and professional services help sustain the infrastructure needed to support long-term environmental science. This integrated model is designed to make meaningful participation in environmental science accessible to students, educators, volunteers, researchers, organizations, businesses, and communities.

There are three sub-teams: Education, Research, and Development. As a volunteer, you will be working in the Development Subteam.

Development Subteam (Volunteers)

As a Microplastics Institute Development Volunteer, you will be crucial in advancing our marine conservation and sustainability mission through educational initiatives and community outreach. This volunteership provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in marine science research, curriculum development, and environmental education while contributing to impactful projects that inspire stewardship of coastal ecosystems.

Who You Are

The Microplastics Web Content Writer will craft engaging, clear, and accessible written content for the Microplastics Institute website. This includes translating complex scientific language into language that can resonate with a broad range of audiences (students, educators, researchers, community partners, etc). Working closely with the Institute’s Education and Research departments, the web content writer will help visitors easily understand the science behind microplastics research and guide them towards meaningful participation in the Institute’s programs.

Responsibilities

• Write and edit content for program pages, clearly conveying the who, what, where, when, and why of each program
• Refine and finalize existing draft content, including content for the Microplastics homepage, divisions pages, and sponsors/partnerships page
• Simplify scientific and technical content on microplastics research into accessible, accurate language for student and educator audiences
• Craft clear calls to action that move readers from interest to participation
• Develop FAQs and participation instructions for prospective volunteers and program participants
• Finalize copy for the Contact Us form and other website forms/email sign-up confirmations
• Collaborate with Research and Education teams to verify scientific accuracy prior to publishing content

Qualifications and Skills

• 2+ years of professional writing or copywriting experience, ideally in web content
• Basic familiarity with content management systems (e.g. WordPress) for formatting and publishing content
• Strong editing skills and attention to consistency across a multi-page site
• Preferred experience translating technical or scientific information into educational content for general or student audiences
• Preferred knowledge of SEO best practices and web accessibility standards

Work Environment

• This is a remote position, and all volunteers work from their individual home offices across the globe.
• Volunteers must have access to a computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection to perform duties, attend meetings, and communicate effectively.

Duration

• Duration: 1-2 months (flexible)
• 5-10 hours per week (flexible)