Outdoor Educator, Shaw Nature Reservce

The Outdoor Educator at Shaw Nature Reserve, Missouri Botanical Garden, is responsible for developing and delivering environmental education programs for schoolchildren and teachers. Duties include planning engaging lessons, creating a positive classroom environment, supporting youth programs, and participating in community outreach events. The position requires collaboration, communication, and adherence to safety standards. It is an on-site role with the necessity to work nights, weekends, and holidays.
Summary: Participates in all aspects of structured environmental education programming at Shaw Nature Reserve including curriculum development, program preparation, and delivery of school programs (pre-K to 12thgrade). Supports youth programs, teacher professional development, volunteer training, school outreach, and site interpretation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
• Plans, prepares and delivers quality, engaging environmental educational programs, both day and overnight, for schoolchildren and teachers. Provides lessons and activities that stimulate curiosity and appreciation of the natural world, exploration, and problem-solving.
• Creates a positive, healthy and safe classroom climate that supports developmentally appropriate socio-emotional growth, culturally-appropriate practices, and inquiry-driven learning.
• Conducts group check-ins and conducts group orientations.
• Assists with creating, maintaining, and organizing instructional supplies that are safe, age-appropriate, and when possible, sustainably-sourced.
• Participates in team planning sessions with staff to ensure well-coordinated and effective delivery of instruction to meet program goals and objectives.
• Supports school events including Missouri Day and Careers without Walls; helps develop new school events.
• Supports public and private events at Shaw Nature Reserve and community outreach, including assisting with tours..
• Assists with the youth programs, including Habitat Helpers and Shaw Institute for Field Training (SIFT) program.
• As schedule allows, performs various tasks throughout Shaw Nature Reserve including basic maintenance and landscaping tasks, professional development sessions for educators and SNR volunteers, and developing interpretive resources.
• Ensures that all applicable safety standards are followed; informs employees/students/volunteers of safety guidelines and safe working practices and routinely monitors to enforce them. Adapts or modifies work methods to reduce hazards. Reports all accidents, injuries, and near-miss accidents immediately.
• Meets expected attendance guidelines.
• Follows and adheres to established policies and procedures, including but not limited to Employee Handbook, Garden Safety Guidelines and Department Policies.
• Behaves and communicates in a manner that promotes and fosters a culture of teamwork and cooperation, within our division and throughout the Garden, with co-workers, supervisors/managers, volunteers, visitors, and employees.
• Must be able to work nights, weekends, and holidays, as necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. May assist in training and leading work of volunteers.

Core Competencies
• Communication: Combines listening skills, verbal and written communication skills and visitor relation skills.
• Collaboration: Incorporates teamwork, mutual respect, active engagement, cooperation and visitor focus.
• Accountability: Initiative to take ownership of responsibilities, the ability to prioritize and the working knowledge and skills to take action.
• Problem Solving: Blends problem solving skills, judgement and decision making skills along with creativity and resourcefulness.
• Stewardship: Merges the practical application of the Garden values and support for a positive organizational climate.

Qualifications/Experience:
• Minimum of two to three years of experience working with school-age children.
• Minimum of one year of experience teaching in outdoor setting.
• Completes tasks with minor guidance to coordinate meeting times, set deadlines, and promptly set up, deliver and complete projects/presentations in timely manner.
• Prior experience working in a cultural institution preferred.
• Ability to travel is required through use of personal vehicle.
• Scheduling flexibility is required to work evenings, weekends, or holidays.
• The Garden is committed to the safety and wellbeing of our employees, volunteers and guests. All staff are strongly encouraged to receive all vaccinations as recommended by your healthcare provider prior to hire date. The Garden reserves the right to require future proof of current vaccination status, based on local health department guidelines. When international travel is necessary for Garden business, staff must be able to obtain required travel clearances, driving permits, and vaccinations for all countries where travel is required.
• The requirements and duties listed are representative and not exhaustive of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required.

Education:
• Bachelor's degree in education, science education, ecology, environmental science preferred.
• An equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience may be considered.

Language Ability: Ability to communicate effectively in English (oral/written).

Reasoning Ability: Completes tasks with minor guidance to coordinate meeting times, set deadlines, and complete projects in a timely manner.

Computer Skills:
• Strong internet research skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (i.e., PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook).

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:
• Valid teaching certification preferred.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain First Aid/CPR certification.
• Must have and maintain valid Driver's license.

Physical Demands:
• Ability to stand and move about SNR facilities or classrooms for extended periods of time,50 - 80% or more of atypical workday is standing on feet (e.g., extensive standing, walking, reaching and stooping).
• Ability to utilize computer keyboard (typing).
• Able to lift up to (30) pounds (i.e., load, unload and move supplies and equipment).
• Must be able to work outdoors with unavoidable variations in temperatures and uncomfortable conditions (i.e., heat, humidity, ticks, chiggers, etc.)

Work Environment:
• Classroom and outdoor teaching settings.
• Local travel required.
• Flexibility in scheduling as needed, for weekend, evening or holiday work.
• Climate controlled buildings.
• Shared office space.
• Work outdoors in temperatures of (100°F or more), humid conditions, as well as temperatures below 0°F, in rain, snow and other inclement weather conditions and some uncomfortable conditions (i.e. wet, mosquitoes) as needed.

Contacts with Individuals/Organizations inside/outside the Garden:
• Shaw Nature Reserve and MBG staff, volunteers, and strategic partners
• Program Participants
• Visitors

Supervisor: Coordinator, School Programs