Environmental Educator 1 (NY HELPS)

The Environmental Educator 1 position at New York State Parks involves overseeing educational programs and events, developing environmental programming, coordinating school field trips, and managing public programs. Responsibilities include lesson planning, evaluating programs, managing volunteers, and promoting events. The role requires collaboration with schools and community organizations and participation in regional initiatives. This is an on-site position located in Jamesville, NY.
Duties Description

Under the direction of the Environmental Educator 2, SG-18, the Environmental Educator 1, SG-14 will oversee educational programs and events. The incumbent will primarily focus on developing environmental programming and events including planning public programs, coordinating and teaching school field trips, running pop-up programs and supervising staff. This role will also coordinate and support regional environmental educational programs and coordinate with park operations. The Environmental Educator 1 is responsible for:
• Developing, conducting, publicizing, and evaluating environmental education field trips.
• Preparing lesson plans for a wide range of ages and groups and developing teaching aids.
• Coordinating field trips with school teachers, 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 regularly scheduled environmental education public programs.
• Facilitating early childhood and family programming.
• Planning and leading large-scale events or festivals.
• Creating new public programs geared towards a wide range of audiences and contracting for equipment, performers, and presenters for public programs as needed.
• Working with representatives from schools, colleges, organizations, and the public to promote and coordinate the facilities and programs.
• 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-up.
• Promoting events by creating and distributing flyers, newsletters, and emails.
• Creating regular social media posts highlighting environmental education events as well as other recreational events happening in the park and nature content.
• Working within a budget; purchasing and organizing materials and maintaining accurate inventory.
• Recruiting, training, and supervising seasonal educators and Student Conservation Association (SCA) members as needed.
• Working with the stewardship team researching and surveying natural and environmental history; collecting and monitoring community science data.
• Performing a variety of administrative activities to support programs and/or park operations.
• Support education programs at other parks, including supporting Ladders to the Outdoors summer camps at Green Lakes State Park.
• 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

Permanent Competitive Appointment: To be considered for permanent appointment, candidates must be reachable on the current Civil Service eligible list or be eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

For Permanent Non-Competitive NY HELPS Appointment

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).***

Qualifications

To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:

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: An associate degree in a related field can substitute for two years of specialized experience; a bachelor’s degree in a related field can substitute for four years of experience; a master’s degree in a related field can substitute for five years of experience.

Additional Comments

OPERATING NEEDS:
• Daytime, weekend, holiday, and evening work is required.
• Must have ability to work with a range of groups; specialization or experience in early childhood education a plus.
• Must have the ability and willingness to handle and care for live animals.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Incumbent will be required to report to other state parks throughout the region on an as-needed basis.

Benefits

Generous benefits package, worth approximately 65% of salary, including:

Paid Time Off
• 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
• PEF: Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.

Health Care Benefits
• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.

Additional Benefits
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Paid Parental Leave

To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx.
• For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Closing Date/Time: 05/19/25