Visitor Educator

The New England Aquarium is seeking a part-time Visitor Educator to join the Interpretation and Engagement team in Boston, MA. This role involves delivering engaging, mission-based experiences to visitors, facilitating educational presentations, and mentoring volunteers. Candidates should have a high school diploma (Bachelor’s preferred) and experience in marine science or education. The position requires excellent presentation skills and a passion for marine conservation.
The Interpretation and Engagement team is made up of a dynamic group of people from various backgrounds who work together to inspire audiences to use conservation action to address the most challenging problems facing the ocean today. We work to increase visitor satisfaction through personal and positive engagement as well as increase awareness of Aquarium’s mission to protect the blue planet. Our mission-based interpretation focuses on ocean issues such as climate change, overfishing, habitat loss, and ocean health, with the goal of inspiring, informing, and empowering visitors to make changes that support stewardship of the world of water.

The Visitor Educator works with the Interpretation and Engagement Team to deliver engaging, interactive, mission-based experiences. They provide support to a diverse set of volunteers, interns, and peers, to deliver interpretation that adds educational value for New England Aquarium visitors, and empowers them to take action.

This is a part-time regular position with a Sunday (9a – 5p), Monday (9a – 5p), and Tuesday (9a – 5p) onsite schedule. This position is part of the Teamsters Union.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
• Provide high-quality, mission-based experiences to daily visitors.
• Help to develop consistent, informative interpretation and presentations that meet the educational goals of the Interpretation and Engagement team and the New England Aquarium.
• Deliver formal (on microphone) and informal presentations on various conservation topics and exhibits to both small groups and larger audiences.
• Facilitate visitor experience at our touch tanks exhibits, particularly our Shark and Ray Touch Tank.
• Potential to provide mentoring for volunteers, interns, teens, and staff.
• Perform other relevant duties as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Training and Experience
• HS Diploma required; Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred.
• 1-2 years professional work experience within marine science, education, environmental science field(s) required.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• Excellent presentation skills for public audiences, both in one-on-one and group formats.
• Knowledge of exhibit interpretation and/or educational theory and/or human development and/or marine biology or ecology desired.
• Ability to communicate with diverse audiences about topics related to aquarium exhibits, research, and conservation.
• Interest in learning about all facets of marine life
• Strong collaborator, willing to work with a team, able to adapt quickly to changing situations.
• An engaging approach to visitor interactions.
• Ability to work most of the day on your feet while in the public space.

Tagged as: Outdoor Education