Part Time Nature Center Educator Assistant- Quest at Latta Nature Preserve

About the role

Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation is looking for a passionate Part Time Nature Center Educator Assistant to join the team at Quest at Latta Nature Preserve. This position will assist with environmental education programs and/or outdoor recreation programs for our guests. The selected candidate will have the autonomy to design and execute programs that speak to their unique skills and interests and will also assist with standardized programs like field trips and summer day camp, provide customer service and carry out other generalized nature center operation duties. The ideal candidate would be self-motivated and passionate about parks, recreation, and nature. This position will work approximately 19 hours per week, which includes 2-3 weekend days per month and occasional evenings.

Responsibilities

• Conduct and/or assist with developing environmental and historic education and interpretive programs for all ages and diverse audiences, including facility tours, curricular school programs, summer camp programs, public lectures, special events, outreach programs, live animal programs and field experiences in a variety of outdoor environments both on and off-site.
• Maintain program props, interpretive displays, native plant gardens, and demonstration compost areas
• Assist with planning and implementation of teacher workshops and special events
• Assist with development of educational exhibits, interpretive brochures, and other educational materials
• May assist with the care and feeding of exhibit animals
• Assist with operation of the nature center, or historic site, gift shop, program registration, and facility maintenance
• May assist with Outdoor Recreation programming as needed
• Maintain general housekeeping in work area
• May coordinate volunteer efforts
• Work as part of an overall team of program staff at all nature centers and historic sites within Mecklenburg County
• Follow the work plan as prepared by the supervisor
• Respond to emergency situations

Minimum Qualifications

• Experience: None required
• Education: Requires enrollment in, or completion of, a bachelor’s degree in natural/environmental sciences, biology, botany, ecology, environmental education, education, social studies/civics or related field
• Combination of relevant experience and relevant education accepted?: Yes
• Licenses/Certifications: May require a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver’s License and County Driving Privileges
• Computer Skills: General knowledge of applicable computer programs

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Educational programming and instruction in assigned area
• Skills:
  • Managing multiple tasks concurrently
  • Developing and enforcing classroom rules and safety procedures
  • Organizing and presenting demonstrations in area of specialization
• Abilities:
  • Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, units or organizations to help achieve business goals
  • Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
  • Customer Service: Effectively meeting customer needs; building productive customer relationships; taking responsibility for customer satisfaction and loyalty
  • Energy: Consistently maintaining high levels of activity or productivity; operating with vigor, effectiveness, and determination over extended periods of time
  • Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
  • Initiating Action: Taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive
  • Time Management: Effectively managing one’s time and resources to ensure that work is completed efficiently

Work Environment

Works outdoors exposed to varying weather conditions