Environmental Educator

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

TITLE/GRADE:                   ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATOR 1 / SG14   

SALARY HIRING RATE:    $49,202 + $3,026 Location Pay                                    

WORK LOCATION:              Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve

                                             83 Nielsen Ave, Staten Island, NY 10309                                                  

REGION:                              New York City Region                                                      

NEGOTIATING UNIT:          PEF NU 05 – Professional, Scientific &Technical                                                    

JURISDICTIONAL CLASS/ITEM #:  Competitive/ Item # 8102                             

TYPE OF APPOINTMENT:                 Permanent (Full-Time)                                                                                                                      

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Under the direction of the Park Manager and Regional Director, the Environmental Educator 1 will oversee Clay Pit Ponds State Park Preserve Nature Interpretative Center. The incumbent will primarily focus on operating the nature center and developing environmental programming, including planning public programs, coordinating & teaching field trips with school groups, and animal care and staff supervision.  This role will also require coordinating and supporting regional environmental educational programs.

The Environmental Educator 1 is responsible for:

• Developing, conducting, publicizing, and evaluating environmental education courses and programing.
  • Preparing lesson plans for a wide range of ages and groups and developing teaching aids.
  • Coordinating field trips with schoolteachers, principals and other group leaders.
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of programs and revising and modifying courses in response to program needs, changes, deficiencies, and needs of particular groups.
• Creating monthly environmental education public programs
  • Facilitating the weekly early childhood education (ages 0-5) Tot Time programs.
  • Leading large events such as Harvest Festival and Egg Hunt.
  • Leading the seasonal maple syruping production and programming.
  • Creating new public programs geared towards a wide range of audiences and contracting for equipment, performers, and presenters for public programs as needed.
• Developing, preparing, and revising exhibits, newsletters, and other materials:
  • Conducting research & developing themes and exhibits.
  • Preparing and writing informational materials and illustrations for publication.
  • Maintaining and modifying exhibits, publications, audiovisual programs, and other material.
• Working with representatives from schools, colleges, organizations, and the public to promote and coordinate the facilities and programs.
• Planning and conducting workshops for teachers and staff about environmental education programs and concepts.
• Acquiring, cataloging, and maintaining specimens and other teaching materials for programs; Managing and administering collections and exhibits.
• Recruiting and leading volunteer events focused on stewardship and park clean-ups.
• Promoting events by creating and distributing flyers, newsletters, social media, and emails; working within a budget; purchasing and organizing materials and maintaining accurate inventory; overseeing the upkeep of the Nature Center.
• Recruiting, training, and supervising seasonal educators and SCA members.
• Working with the stewardship team researching and surveying natural and environmental history, such as deer enclosures and community science data collection and monitoring.
• Performing a variety of administrative activities to support programs.

• Participating in region-wide environmental education and stewardship initiatives, and working closely with volunteers, the community, and vendors to assure the Agency’s mission is always met. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Provisional Appointment

Four years of experience in environmental conservation in a professional or technical capacity or professional teaching of environmental education AND one year of experience teaching about or interpreting the natural world.

SUBSTITUTION: Bachelor's Degree in biology, ecology, environmental education, environmental interpretation, environmental science, natural history, natural sciences, or a closely related field may substitute for four years of general experience.

NOTE: Individuals appointed provisionally must take, pass and be reachable for appointment from an appropriate Civil Service list.

OPERATING NEEDS:

• Daytime, weekend, holiday, and evening work is required. 
• Must have ability to work with groups of all ages; special focus or experience in early childhood education preferred.
• Must have bility and willingness to handle and care for live animals.
• Must  haveand maintain a valid NYS Driver’s License as a term and condition of employment.
• Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates may be required to report to other state parks throughout the region on an as needed basis.

TO APPLY:

If you feel you meet the minimum qualifications and the agency’s operating needs, and are interested in being considered for this vacancy, you can obtain an Employment Application from your local park office, your region’s administrative headquarters or you can download an application from the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation by visiting the website or scanning the QR code below. https://parks.ny.gov/documents/employment/FillableUpdatedParksEmployeeApplicationS1000Part1NYC.pdf.

You can email your application and resume to nycvacancies@parks.ny.gov.  All qualified persons are invited and encouraged to apply. It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications and agency operating needs. 

POSTING DATE: 07/28/2023                                                                                            APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL: 08/12/2023