Zero Waste Internship

About TerraCycle:

Operating in 24 countries, TerraCycle (terracycle.com) is the world leader in the recycling of generally non-recyclable waste, such as pens, toothbrushes, candy wrappers, juice pouches and cigarette butts. We create collection and solution systems for anything that would otherwise be sent to landfill or incineration. TerraCycle has over 50,000 voluntary collection locations in the US, including schools, offices, homes, community groups and other types of organizations. TerraCycle then turns collected waste into a wide variety of products and materials including plastic pallets, composite decking, and railroad ties. Major manufacturers contract with TerraCycle to subsidize the cost of collection and recycling their waste; for example Colgate pays us to collect and recycle toothbrushes, L’Oreal for beauty care products, Kraft for juice pouches and cheese packaging, etc. We have a full marketing and promotion team who engage collectors and promote the programs to generate recognition for the sponsoring brands. Our company is headquartered in Trenton NJ, 10 miles from Princeton and about an hour from New York and Philadelphia.

TerraCycle was founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky (then a 20-year-old Princeton University freshman) whose vision has become one of the fastest-growing green companies in the world. See http://www.shft.com/watching/the-big-shft-tom-szaky-terracycle-ceo/

Zero Waste Internship:

Spend this semester working for the world leader in collection and recycling of post-consumer, non-recyclable waste. The ZeroWaste team is looking for interns to support their efforts in developing and expanding our newest initiative, Consumer Sponsored Recycling. In this new program we allow consumers to go ZeroWaste by purchasing boxes for specific types of waste. We are adding new waste streams all of the time and regularly need to update meta-tags and product descriptions as well as working with the Graphics Department to generate new images. We are also continuously developing our marketing and sales strategies and require help with direct outreach as well other potential sales/marketing efforts. You may be asked to help fulfill orders as well as to help design the functionality and aesthetic of new products. You will work with New Initiatives Manager and may be asked to dedicate time towards other new initiatives as they arise.

Nuts and Bolts:

TerraCycle offers an unpaid educational internship. We provide a bountiful lunch every day and ask that each intern attend regular interdepartmental lectures which cover all aspects of TerraCycle’s operations and business management in general, and regular intern events as well as company parties. Students receive significant executive direction and guidance, including career advice, if requested.

Last year, 65 interns participated, mostly college students, but also some graduate students. The environment is dynamic and highly charged. Due to our eco-focus, some schools, including Princeton University, provide a stipend or possible credit for their students to work at TerraCycle. Please check with your school if they can provide support.

The internship is located at our graffiti-covered headquarters in Trenton, NJ. The preferred duration of the internship is 8-10 weeks between the end of May and beginning of August. Interns will be asked to bring their own laptops to the office.

All interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume with the subject line “Summer 2014 Internship” to Dan Harris at: daniel.harris@terracycle.com

Applications are due by April 15, 2014. Acceptances are offered on a rolling basis. Each department has only a limited number of positions, so early application is advised.