Environmental Educator

Science Adventure School is an adventure-based, outdoor science school dedicated to empowering and educating West Virginia’s youth. We integrate adventure sports-driven STEM curriculum with a hands-on, engaging environmental curriculum at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, Jackson's Mill 4-H camp and WVU's Outdoor Education Center. We are a mission driven organization that works primarily with rural, low-income, public-school students and their teachers to offer high quality, life changing outdoor experience that they normally would not have access to.

Job Summary

The Science Adventure School is a 4-day, 3-night program serving 6th grade students in West Virginia. Our goal is to integrate high quality, engaging, adventure sports-driven science and environmental curriculum with experiential education and student development. Outdoor Education Guides will play a crucial role in meeting that goal by guiding student groups for the duration of the week and facilitating activities and experiences. This position is by application only.

Job Duration: August 13th – November 10th, 2023

Environmental Educators will be expected to:

• Facilitate indoor and outdoor environmental education lessons for 6th grade students.
• Facilitate group and project-based learning initiatives
• Use and maintain scientific equipment and sensors
• Promote student’s science and ecological literacy
• Facilitate student’s ability to observe, ask questions, collect data, and communicate findings
• Maintain excellent group management
• Build a safe and strong learning culture
• Maintain a positive attitude, professional language, appearance, and behavior, willingness to take initiative.
• Spend Tuesdays with a pair of Outdoor Education Guides and their group facilitating experiential education activities.
• Assist with other camp duties as needed.

The applicant must, at a minimum, have the following experience/qualification:

• Post-secondary education and/or equivalent knowledge in an environmental education or science field
• At least one-year experience teaching in a formal or non-formal setting.
• Basic knowledge of science-related topics
• Awareness and knowledge of the the natural environment and a passion for conservation
• Ability to pass a federal background check
• Be comfortable living in and physically able to work outside in the field regardless of weather for long periods of time and have sufficient camping skills

Time Commitment

The Science Adventure School will begin staff training in early August. We expect that you will be available to work with us through the beginning of November with minimal time off throughout that time, except for a mandatory week off near the middle of the programming season. Additional unpaid days off can be accommodated, if requested in advance.
Staff will be expected to work Monday-Friday with weekends off. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will be “on-duty” nights where staff are expected to remain on-site at camp to assist with evening programming. Although sufficient breaks will be scheduled throughout the week, expect to be working long days with students Tuesday morning through Friday afternoon. Hours vary, but while students are on-site, days frequently start around 7:00AM and end around 10:00PM.

We have a small number of “limited hour” positions available, where staff would only be expected to work Wednesday and Thursday. Please ask in your interview if this is of interest.