Join our education team as an Assistant Naturalist and gain experience teaching school, public, and camp programs in the beautiful Lakes Region of New Hampshire. Work with native animal ambassadors; teach aboard a pontoon boat on Squam Lake; explore the fields, ponds, and forest of our 200-acre campus with youth and adults; and be part of our 60th anniversary celebrations in 2026. Help us to achieve our mission of advancing the understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire's natural world.

Summary

Position Purpose and Summary

The Assistant Naturalist works as part of the education team, teaching school, public, and camp programs. Onsite programs are taught in our classrooms, trailside amphitheater, and outdoors utilizing the fields, ponds, and forests of the Science Center campus. Offsite programs are taught at schools, libraries, and at community organizations and events. Our animal ambassadors, primarily non-releasable native wildlife, featured in our education programs and on our live animal exhibit trail, are one of the primary vehicles through which we achieve our mission to advance the understanding of ecology by exploring New Hampshire’s natural world.

Essential Duties

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Teach school programs, including programs at the Science Center, offsite at schools, and virtually.
Develop and teach public programs such as Up Close to Animals, outreach programs, afterschool programs, homeschool programs, and environmental education programs for families.
Plan and lead innovative, engaging, and age-appropriate activities for 3-4 weeks of summer nature day camps targeted for youth ages 5 through 13.
Assist with teaching naturalist sessions with Blue Heron School students as scheduled.
Handle and present live animal ambassadors, following our Animal Ambassador Policy, for educational purposes while ensuring the welfare and safety of animals, participants, and yourself.
Complete a project of your own design and choosing that supports the education department. Project can be focused on things such as developing education programs, ambassador animal care and training, exhibit design, or community science.
Assist in the design, construction, production, maintenance, and refurbishing of educational materials/props.
Assist with special events.
Effectively communicate and coordinate with all members of the Science Center team to ensure success of programming.
Maintain cleanliness and safety of all program and office spaces.
Other duties as assigned.

View the complete job description at https://nhnature.org/who/careers.php

To Apply

Complete the Employment Application available at https://nhnature.org/who/careers.php and submit, along with a cover letter and resume, to Human Resources and Finance Manager Bonnie Baker at bonnie.baker@nhnature.org.

Compensation Information

This is a full-time temporary position from February-November 2026, 40 hours per week, with an hourly rate of $18.00. Schedule is variable, but frequently includes evenings and weekends.

Housing is available at a cost of $563/month. Housing is located two miles from the Science Center in a private one-bedroom cottage. The cottage is located on a property with other units occupied by employees of local nonprofits. The property includes amenities such as pickle ball courts, outdoor fire pit, and lake access. Rent includes utilities and internet. Transportation is required to get to and from the Science Center and to services such as grocery stores.