Why we exist
At a time of growing disconnect from our natural surroundings and water crises flaring up around the world, humanity is stronger when it sees the significance of water as a key component of life.
Water Science Policy is a storytelling social enterprise which combines art, science, journalism, policy, language, and culture to ensure access to information on water-related content for all. We are not an advocacy organization, nor a consumer-facing virtual space.
We do this because action can only take place if there is a willingness to act. Willingness to act is determined by the perceived value, respect, and love towards water as the basis for healthy, climate-resilient and thriving economies and ecosystems.
Our origins
Water Science Policy was founded by a graduate cohort of the University of Oxford’s School of Geography and the Environment in 2020. It is a lockdown baby which was conceived by former students who wanted a creative outlet where they could share their university essays which otherwise would have stayed on their laptops. And so, our story starts with a WordPress blog.
We are driven by our insatiable passion and creativity, which is how Water Science Policy came about. Aside from the two co-founders, the diverse team comprises editors, writers, designers, web developers, translators, and communications specialists from around the world. We are also supported by external collaborators which include professional journalists, photographers and data scientists. We are all volunteers, fully relying on our networks and the drive to make water, environmental protection, and social justice stories freely accessible to a larger public.
Our contribution
At Water Science Policy, we reconnect the public, organisations, and leaders to the fundamental importance and beauty of water to inform and trigger water-positive decisions and policymaking in harmony with nature, local communities, and the economy.
We catalyse water-positive action by developing global initiatives, such as arteries.blue and sos.blue, running art contests and exhibitions, and supporting a range of partner organisations in their research, knowledge and communication work.
Our contributors include water professionals, academics, students, interested citizens, journalists, and photographers. We voluntarily translate all our content in up to 15 languages, because water, sanitation and knowledge are fundamental to everyone’s well-being, but most of the related science and development work is communicated in English – opposed to 20% of the global population speaking or reading English.
We also offer different formats, including text, photography, video, and audio as well as custom-built platforms and websites. All this helps us bridge borders, ethnicities, education and language barriers to effectively engage with the public, policymakers, and organisations that share our core values of passion, professionalism, inclusiveness, and universalism.
Role Overview
We are already consistently covering many languages, including Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and many others.
We are looking to further strengthen our existing Chinese, German, Portuguese, and Russian translation efforts. If you want to join a young and global team and are motivated to contribute to an organisation that is still at its earliest stages, this might be for you.
Are you a professional translator, a student or a water professional with (near) native fluency in Chinese, German, Portuguese, or Russian? Are you willing to contribute 2-4h per week to making water content accessible to a truly global audience? Do you want to put your country on the map?
You are in the right place!
Key Responsibilities
Translators are critical members of our team. They are part of an existing pool of volunteer translators and commit to anything from 1-4 translations and/or reviews of translations per month in their native language.
Requirements
- Initiative, passion, and enthusiasm.
- Strong writing skills and a natural ability to switch back and forth between different languages.
- Strong communication, collaboration, and teamwork skills.
- Dependable, well-organised, and able to work independently.
- Near-native fluency in English, Chinese, German, Portuguese, or Russian.
(Note that you do NOT have to have an advanced university degree for this position. If you are a good writer and communicator in the necessary languages and passionate about water, consider applying).
Additional Assets
- Experience working in an international team.
- Experience or strong interest in water science (& policy), international climate and/or environmental issues.
- Access to networks in their community and/or region, and/or has demonstrated skills in building a network.
- Skills in publishing and editing.
- Experience in project management and event facilitation.
Compensation
Water Science Policy is non-profit and can only cover basic operational costs for established team members. This is a part-time position on an entirely voluntary basis. We expect between 2-4 hours per week.
Work Schedule: 2-4 hours/week, whenever and wherever you can accommodate it!
Location: This is a remote position; applicants must have access to a personal computer.
Benefits:
- Involvement in a growing and dynamic network in the international water science community.
- Opportunity for autonomy and creativity: freedom to help shape our growth as key members of the team.
- Potential for extension and further involvement in the organisation in the future. Past translators are now undertaking projects as graphic designers, writers or social media focal – some of them are remunerated on a project basis.
- Access to training opportunities in areas including media and communications, storytelling, and policy.
How to Apply
To apply to be a Volunteer Translator, please send us your CV (max 2 pages) to contact@watersciencepolicy.com. If you have any other questions about the position, contact us at the same email.
