The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition works to promote bicycling for everyday transportation and to promote safe, just, and livable streets. Our member-based grassroots organization is considered one of the largest, most active and effective advocacy groups in the country. For more than 50 years, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition has a proven track record of winning better bicycling improvements.
The SF Bicycle Coalition’s Bike It Forward program has been working with community groups around San Francisco to organize bicycle distributions, rides, and set up pop-up mechanic stations in areas that lack these resources. Our bike distributions are a great model of a cooperative, community-driven collaboration. We reclaim unclaimed and abandoned bikes from the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART), and individual donations which are then repaired with the help of our volunteers. Neighborhood residents sign up in advance with our partner organizations to participate and receive a bike, helmet, locks and lights. Individuals in need can sign up directly on our website. Recipients leave with a lock, lights, helmet, and an affordable, healthy and fun way to explore the city or get to work!
Commitment to Equity and Justice
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition acknowledges the harms biking culture and unequal access to transportation have inflicted upon underserved communities — especially people of color, folks with disabilities, people from working-class backgrounds, women, and those with LGBTQ+ identities. We believe that these communities must be centered as leaders in the work we do; therefore, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities.
Position description
The Bike It Forward Intern will have an inside view of the SF Bicycle Coalition, a vibrant, growing nonprofit advocacy organization, and gain first-hand experience in community organizing, leadership development, as well as bicycle mechanics. This internship will focus on the logistical and bike repair aspects of the Bike It Forward program, including executing distribution events. Remote internships are not eligible for this position. San Francisco residents are encouraged to apply.
You’ll learn skills in:
- Bicycle repair
- Repair shop inventory and organization
- Outreach and community-building
Responsibilities and duties include (but are not limited to):
- Assist the Bike It Forward staff with bike repairs;
- Track incoming/outgoing stock of bicycles, parts, and accessories;
- Assist the Bike It Forward staff with on-site logistics at bicycle distributions across San Francisco;
- Collaborate with our Marketing Communications team on creating video and photo content for future social media use.
Required skills or abilities:
- An interest in learning bicycle mechanic skills
- A positive, “can do” attitude
- A desire to work with a strong team;
- Ability to get around the city to perform outreach (preferably by bike);
- Comfort riding a bicycle in a city;
- Passion for making new connections and working in neighborhoods that are under-resourced
It would be awesome if you also had these skills:
- Basic bike mechanic skills
- Proficiency in Spanish or Cantonese
- Google Suite experience
- Interest in, or experience with, photo and video for the purpose of social media
Required dates for this internship include:
- Fall 2022 intern orientation (September 20, 2022 10AM – 2PM)
- Winterfest (November 6th, 2022, tbd)
Internship Length:
- Tuesday, September 13th, 2022 – Thursday, December 15th, 2022
Compensation:
- $16.99 per hour with a 10 – 15 hour/week minimum commitment
- One year’s free membership to the SF Bicycle Coalition;
- First hand experience in one of the country’s oldest and largest bicycle advocacy organizations
- Ongoing professional development opportunities, including:
- Networking with SF Bicycle Coalition staff and professionals in a variety of fields, including but not limited to urban planning, transportation and nonprofits;
- Presentations and training aimed at development of professional workforce skills.
This paid internship offers a flexible schedule with a 10-15 hours/week minimum commitment. This is a Monday through Thursday internship, with occasional evenings and weekends. Interns are expected to make a three-month commitment, which may be extended. This internship is majority in-person.
This unpaid internship offers a flexible schedule with a 15-20 hour/week commitment. This is chiefly a Monday through Friday internship, with about one weekend day per month. Interns are expected to make a three-month commitment, which may be extended. While the position is not paid, we are happy to work with any academic requirements the intern may have to help them earn course credit for their efforts.
To Apply:
To apply, please submit a resume and a PDF with your answers to the below four questions. A formal cover letter is not necessary. Please make your answers roughly one paragraph each:
- What makes you excited to intern at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition?
- How would this internship contribute to your long term personal and professional goals?
- What impact do you think bikes can have on urban poverty?
- Please discuss any community outreach and/or volunteer recruitment experience.
Applications will be considered on a rolling basis until the position is filled. People of color and women are strongly encouraged to apply. The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political orientation.
