Materials Research Internship

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The shop at Creative Reuse is our most important program. It’s a source of both materials and inspiration for creativity. We are constantly working to make our shop a welcoming, beautiful, and vital space for artists, teachers, families, and creative folks of all kinds.

This internship will focus on researching specialty, vintage, and rare items so that we may price them accordingly and make them available in our shop or online. We are looking for someone who enjoys digging around the internet for items that are hard to track down. The research will include some price comparisons as well as the history and uses of unique materials.

The Donation Research intern reports to the Shop Manager and interacts with all Creative Reuse team members.

Learning Opportunities:

• Exercise your creativity to provide a unique experience for visitors to Creative Reuse
• Develop research skills
• Learn about a wide variety of rare, vintage, and specialty items
• Learn about nonprofit operations
• Collaborate with a creative, hard-working team
• Gain experience in merchandising and retail operations
• Learn about reclaimed materials and reuse projects
• Meet local artists, educators, and nonprofit leaders

Responsibilities:

• Research rare, vintage, and specialty items
• Provide price comparisons across several online sources
• Research uses, history, and extra information about unique items
• Assist with keeping communal areas tidy
• Assist Shop Manager with office tasks

• Help with special projects as needed (fundraisers, events, etc.)

• Scheme with the Shop Manager regarding the overall vision and awesomeness of the shop

Qualifications

• Passion for the environment, creativity, and community engagement

• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and great multi-tasking abilities

• Must be able to lift 50 pounds, and bend, reach, lift, and stand for extended periods

• Excellent grammar, spelling, and writing abilities

• Familiarity with online research and an interest in rare, vintage, and specialty items

• Cultural competency and ability to work effectively with diverse populations

A perfect candidate for this position is:

• willing to pitch in whenever and however is needed

• professional but also playful

• respectful of deadlines and timelines

• cooperative and collaborative

• a self starter who thrives on working independently

• committed to finishing projects swiftly and with quality

• able to maintain a sense of organizational priorities over personal priorities

• unfailingly dependable and honest

• able to easily produce quirky alliteration, puns, and jokes

• passionate about educating others about reuse and recycling

• committed to recycling, reuse, and other earth-friendly practices

• passionate about learning new skills

• really, really good at talking to all types of people

To apply:

Go to: pccr.org/intern-with-us

Please note:

We accept credit-seeking and non-credit seeking interns throughout the year. Although 120 hours is the standard commitment, we welcome longer internships and may consider shorter ones. Please get in touch with us before applying if you have any questions.

All internships are unpaid, but there are great benefits including pizza parties, shop discounts, and the opportunity to be part of something magical! We are a equal opportunity workplace, and everyone is welcome to apply.

If you have never been to Creative Reuse, we strongly encourage you to visit us before you apply. Find out more about us and our mission, shop, and creative education programs at www.pccr.org

Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse is a growing 501(c)(3) community benefit organization whose mission is to inspire creativity, conservation, and community engagement through reuse.