[CLOSED] Garden Naturalist Summer Camp Counselor

Join our team to support the Garden Naturalist Summer Camp at Olbrich Botanical Gardens! Campers will plant and tend to seeds in the Children’s Kitchen Garden, create unique art, and record their discoveries and questions in journals to bring home. There will be a week full of fun including (but certainly not limited to!) nature observations, art, and scientific journaling as we connect to the natural world. The counselor will facilitate learning and exploration, foster an appreciation for the natural world, and supervise children in indoor and outdoor activities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct instruction & facilitation – Assist in the facilitation of day camp activities and lead a small group of campers through daily programming. Coordinate supplies, curricula, and daily activity preparation for the camp program, set up/take down of materials with the help of junior counselors/volunteers, and assist leading campers through outdoor experiences with direction from staff.
• Oversee campers and guide a range of outdoor and indoor activities
• Ensure camper health and safety by following safety and emergency procedures and guidelines
• Supervise campers during meals and snack time
• May perform administrative tasks (i.e. filing, record keeping, etc.) as needed

 This job description describes the general nature and scope of responsibilities for this position. Please note other duties and responsibilities may be assigned or removed at any time.

 Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Interest in garden-based learning and working knowledge of non-formal education practices
• Enthusiasm for sharing the wonders of plants and the natural world with people of all ages
• Working knowledge of gardening, plants, and horticulture
• Interest and experience engaging with youth in meaningful learning experiences, providing instruction in an age-appropriate manner, managing groups of children, and working professionally with participating staff and volunteers
• Strong interpersonal skills; adept in communication, attentive listening, and presentation skills
• Displays emotional intelligence, personal integrity, positive demeanor, and self-awareness
• Good leadership skills; experience leading people to accomplish specific goals
• Commitment to teamwork and exemplary standards and services across all levels of the organization for our patrons and partners
• Able to position oneself to retrieve items from the ground or low shelves and interact with persons under 4 feet in height. Able to move on uneven terrain, work with items overhead, and move items weighing up to 25 pounds
• Ability and willingness to participate in First Aid and CPR/AED training prior to the start of camp
• Ability and willingness to submit personal information for a criminal background check, as well as the ability to successfully pass a criminal background check.

Work schedule: This is a part-time, regular (hourly) limited-term employment position (approximately 35 hours per week) for 4 weeks in June. The work schedule is Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Included in time is a 30 minute, unpaid lunch break). This position is not eligible for telework.

Work Environment: The work environment and job specifications listed below are representative of those that must be met by an employee, with or without accommodations, to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Primarily perform work in a classroom environment and outdoors.
• Oversee and engage with groups of up to 16 children, ages 7 to 12 years.
• Work outdoors in various weather conditions, including in direct sun, and in the tropical conservatory in hot, humid conditions for up to three hours at a time on a regular basis.
• Retrieve items from the ground or low shelves and interact with children/persons under four feet in height.
• Move on uneven terrain, work with items overhead and lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.

To Apply: No telephone inquiries, please. Submit cover letter, resume, and application to:

Sarah Ellis, Youth & Family Programs Manager

sbellis@cityofmadison.com

Olbrich Botanical Gardens

3330 Atwood Avenue

Madison, WI 53704

FAX: 608-246-4719

Deadline: Friday, April 21, 2023

Application Materials:

Resume

Cover Letter                                                                                                                                    

Application Form (PDF)

https://www.olbrich.org/about/jobs.cfm