AmeriCorps Community Educator

The Wild Center (TWC) is seeking highly motivated AmeriCorps members for a 1700 hour (11 month) term at a natural history museum in the heart of New York State’s Adirondack region. Members are a key part of TWC’s visitor experience and will receive a broad range of interpretive experiences and opportunities, including development of local natural history knowledge, leadership skills, and best practices in customer service. Members will engage with visitors of all ages and backgrounds on our campus and throughout our community. We are looking for passionate, curious, and motivated people to join our team this year. All AmeriCorps members will share core duties related to visitor experience and community engagement, and will also identify a focus area (Climate Communications, Recreation, or Animal Husbandry) that they will take a deeper dive into.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Facilitate interpretive experiences for visitors (audience size of 1 – 150 people) including live animal programs, technology based Science on a Sphere, and outdoor programs (i.e. naturalist walks, community science programs, nature play activities)
• Participate in outreach to meet our community’s expressed needs, including occasional non-science outreach projects
• Learn to handle live animals such as turtles, birds, and mammals for interpretive experiences.
• Teach school/ afterschool programs in person and virtually, incorporating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) and community science. 
• Help maintain outdoor campus, opening and closing duties, trail sweeps, and gardening tasks.
• Assist with planning and implementing large-scale events such as festivals, conferences, and the Adirondack Youth Climate Summit.

Focus Areas:

During the application process, potential members will express interest in one or more of the following focus areas. Based on interest and skills, successful applicants will be assigned to one focus area. The potential focus areas are:

Outdoor Recreation: This focus area will spend additional time engaging with visitors in seasonal outdoor activities including ice fishing, maple sugar production, interactive exhibit prototype and upkeep, & canoeing.

Climate Communications: This focus area will assist The Wild Center to plan and implement activities related to our award-winning Youth Climate Network including workshops, summits, teen educator program, and social media platforms.

Animal Husbandry: This focus area will assist staff with the daily care and husbandry of The Wild Center’s live animal collection, primarily focused on enclosure cleaning and diet preparation.

Qualifications:

• Ability to commit to the full term 1700 hours, ~11 months of AmeriCorps service. 
• Satisfy the National Service Criminal History Check eligibility criteria.
• Be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States.
• Be at least 18 years of age at the commencement of service.
• Interest in teaching natural history, climate science, and working outdoors throughout the year.
• Flexibility and adaptability – we work in a dynamic team setting with shifting duties.
• Self-motivated – you seek opportunities to learn and grow and can thrive independently.
• Engaging and excited to teach – you will deliver scripted programs on stage with a microphone to large, intergenerational groups of visitors after being trained by Wild Center staff
• Positive attitude and a willingness to work with people – you must enjoy working and communicating with people, including members of our rural Adirondack community.
• Organization and time management skills – you will work on multiple tasks concurrently.
• Maturity and professionalism – you will represent The Wild Center and AmeriCorps New York.
• Detail and safety-oriented – working closely with wildlife requires a keen eye for details and will help you (and our animal ambassadors) thrive.
• Policies – be prepared to adhere to all Wild Center policies including uniform policy, safety procedures and regulations. Covid-19 vaccination is required as a condition of employment.

Experience & Education:

• Have a high school diploma or its equivalent or not have dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant and must agree to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award.
• A college degree is not required to apply for this position. We encourage current college students to apply, as well as non-traditional applicants not pursuing a degree.

Work Schedule:

• 5 days a week including weekends, special events, and occasional early mornings and evenings, with two consecutive days off each week.
• Hours to be completed over the course of up to 11 months, anticipated dates early Fall 2024 – August 2025.
• Members will be required to attend AmeriCorps-specific service days throughout their term.
• Occasional off-site travel required, mileage reimbursement provided for outreach events.

Physical Demands:

• Ability to traverse rolling trails and spend prolonged periods of time outdoors in all seasons and weather conditions, including extremely cold temperatures.
• Daily periods of standing, bending, and crouching. Physical ability to frequently lift, scrub, and climb. Regular exposure to dirt, dust, animal feces, and cleaning chemicals. (Animal Care specific)

Compensation & Benefits:

• Approximately $425/week living allowance paid semi-monthly, based on a 48 week contract period.
• $6,495 Segal Americorps Education award after 1700 hours of service.
• Option for health insurance coverage.
• Shared, fully equipped housing less than 1 mile from The Wild Center, with all utilities included. Housing may be shared with up to 8 other AmeriCorps members.
• May be eligible for federal student loan forbearance during service term.
• Complementary family membership to The Wild Center
• Professional training: team building, teaching skills, project management, science content knowledge, health and safety, accessibility, customer service, group management, and social emotional health.
• Training/certifications: CPR & First Aid, Certified Interpretive Guide, Visual Thinking Strategies.
• Optional water safety and canoe training plus use of canoes, kayaks, and SUP’s outside of work.
• The Wild Center strives to create an environment where our team thrives both personally and professionally. While life on the job can move at a fast pace, we appreciate the times we can slow down. Whether it’s sharing stories over a staff potluck, being wowed by cool science facts, or taking a break during a meeting to view a cute animal – we make time to grow together as a community.