This job has expired.
Organization
Job Posted
November 21, 2025
Job status
Remote
No
Careers
Contact Name
Liz Hines
Contact Email
liz.hines@pdza.org
Contact Phone
Deadline to Apply
Location
United States
Hours:
40 hours per week. Hours may include evenings and weekends.
This position is grant funded through September 2027.
Summary
Position Information
Under the direction of the Community Collaboration Manager this position will assist in the implementation of the Empathy Educators: Nurturing Wildlife Advocates grant. This is a grant funded position through September 2027.
This project aims to integrate empathy-for-wildlife practices into the Tacoma School District's elementary science and social-emotional learning curricula, fostering a culture of conservation and empathetic behaviors in students. Through this grant this position will support the evolution of the existing Wildlife Champions program into a sustainable and scalable program for the future. Utilizing a collaborative approach to gather feedback from students, teachers, school and district staff to produce a comprehensive menu that can be used by all Tacoma Public School Elementary schools. To support this comprehensive menu, this position will assist with developing a professional development (PD) course that will equip Tacoma teachers with tools and strategies to use the Wildlife Champions Curriculum in their classrooms and outdoor learning environments with minimal support from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium staff.
Essential Duties
This position is responsible for working with the Community Collaboration Team to:
- Participate in evaluative processes that will include workshops, surveys, focus groups, etc. Help inspire community participation and input in engagement activities.
- Support development of a comprehensive menu for wildlife champions program.
- Help strengthen relationships with community partners by assisting supervisor in growing partnerships, fostering meaningful connections, and addressing barriers.
- Assist with regular planning meetings and working sessions with educators to gather input, pilot lessons, and revise existing Wildlife Champions Curriculum.
- Assist with adapting and integrating existing Wildlife Champions content and Explore the Shore empathy best practices to meet diverse classroom and field trip needs across Tacoma Public Elementary Schools.
- Assist with creating user-friendly instructional materials, alignment guides, and documentation to support teacher implementation of the existing Wildlife Champions, empathy-centered curricula.
- Maintain organized records of input gathered from TPS staff, students and families.
- Combine workshop outcomes into an accessible summary for distribution.
- Assist in preparing reports.
- Support the development of a toolkit on Wildlife Champions to be utilized by others looking to start their own version of the program.
- Build empathy and action for Wild Life externally in the community.
- Assist in creating professional development (PD) courses that empower teachers to teach the Wildlife Champions Lessons, giving them tools and strategies to succeed.
- Share outcomes with Tacoma Public Schools and broader education elementary schools to sustain and grow program impact.
- Operate a motor vehicle to travel between multiple worksites during a work shift and/or transport volunteers or other staff members for community outreach initiatives.
- Perform additional duties as needed to further the mission of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and the success of community outreach initiatives.
Compensation Information
This is a grant funded position through September 2027.
OVERVIEW (more detailed information can be found at Parks Tacoma Benefit Information)
Life Insurance: Provided at no cost to the employee through Unum, amount is equal to annual salary up to $275,000. Benefits will reduce at age 70.
Retirement Plan: All employees are covered under the Public Employees' Retirement System through the Washington State Department of Retirement Services (DRS).
Medical Coverage and Dental Coverage: Parks Tacoma pays 90% of the total cost of medical/dental coverage for employees and their dependents. If you enroll in a medical and/or dental plan and add dependents you will be required to provide documentation to show eligibility. Coverage begins the first of the month following the date of employment. Medical coverage is offered through Kaiser. Dental options include Delta Dental Service and Willamette Dental.
Health Care and Day Care Reimbursement Accounts: A benefit plan that allows you to pay for health care or dependent care expenses with "before tax" dollars.
Deferred Compensation (457 plan): Optional employee paid retirement savings plans are available through Empower, MissionSquare, and WA State Deferred Comp Program.
Paid Holidays for career employees: New Years Day, Martin Luther King's Birthday, President's Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Juneteenth, Labor Day, Veteran's Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Two Floating Holidays are granted after successful completion of the probationary period
Vacation: 8 hours earned monthly.
Sick Leave: 8 hours earned monthly.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) –SupportLinc provides emotional wellbeing and work-life balance resources to keep you at your best. Administered by CuraLinc Healthcare, the program offers guidance to help you address and resolve everyday issues at no cost to you or your family.
Community Center Fitness Pass - All Parks Tacoma employees get a Staff Pass to use at our community centers.The All Center Pass allows access to all four centers – Center at Norpoint, Eastside Community Center, People’s Center and STAR Center.
Did you know… Benefits at Metro Parks Tacoma include more than the great options for medical, dental and vision. There is so much more to our overall compensation package. Here are a few highlights:
- Beyond Medical, Dental and Vision: All medical plans include Naturopathy, Massage therapy and Chiropractic care (some restrictions apply). See the benefits summaries for more information.
- An Ounce of Prevention is Better Than a Pound of Cure: Stay ahead of the game by taking advantage of the quality preventative care our plans have to offer. Preventative care is covered at 100% so you are not charged the deductible or pay co-insurance for preventative care. See the benefits summaries for more information.
- Tax Free Health Accounts: MPT offers Flexible Spending Account options that allow you to set aside money on a pretax basis for out of pocket medical and/or childcare expenses. Sign up at the start of the year with open enrollment. If you have chosen the High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), you will receive a Health Savings Account with an employer provided contribution. Check out the benefits page for more information.
- Be Ready for Retirement: Retirement plan options include the required PERS contributions AND also several Deferred Compensation Plan (457 plan) Options. Retirement savings can help you set yourself up for success now (lowering your federal income tax threshold through savings on a pre-tax basis) and later. Check out the benefits page for more information.
- Everyone Needs a Helping Hand: Employee Assistance Program – this program offers confidential, professional AND FREE 24/7 resources to all Metro Parks Tacoma employees. The program offers resources for things like: counseling, legal and financial services, ID theft victim resources, Daily living information, elder and child care, stress reduction tools, website access, newsletters, webinars and more.
- Preparing for the Unexpected: Life Insurance & Accidental Death/Dismemberment Insurance is paid for by MPT and at no cost career employees . The amount is equal to your annual salary up to $200k. Check out the benefits page for more information.
- Getting Fit: Fitness Center Pass – ALL MPT employees are eligible to use our fitness facilities and even participate in many class at various community centers for FREE!
- Checking Out All That Parks Tacoma Offers the Community: Employees are provided an annual familiarization pass that becomes their passport to explore a variety of opportunities available throughout the District.
- Supporting Work/Life Balance: Alternative Work Arrangements – Some positions have the option to remote work upon meeting requirements. This is a great benefit as it allows MPT to reduce our carbon footprint and employees to achieve better work/life balance.
- Taking a Break: All MPT employees receive sick leave and career employees receive excellent Sick, Vacation and Holiday leave packages.
- Making a Difference: There are multiple ways to make a difference beyond the work you do. Parks Tacoma employees can contribute to the Legacy Campaign through payroll deduction (or one time payment). You can also participate in a Day of Service with permission from your supervisor, be a member of the dragon boat team, donate blood at one of our member blood drives, or volunteer with our partner organizations.
Note: THIS BENEFIT OVERVIEW IS FOR INFORMATION ONLY AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED CONTRACT. ANY PROVISION CONTAINED HEREIN MAY BE MODIFIED AND/OR REVOKED WITHOUT NOTICE.