Community Science Educator

Community Science Educator

Audubon Vermont, Huntington, Vermont

Audubon is a growing and diverse community of bird lovers, Chapters, and members working seamlessly across the country, improving the world for birds and people. This is an opportunity to do some creative thinking to keep Vermonters of all ages engaged in environmental education and conservation efforts state-wide. To make the change in the world we need to protect birds and their habitat, we will expand the constituency of people who care and take action for birds, and grow our flock to create substantive conservation impact. This member will focus on educating the public through community science initiatives, service learning opportunities, and hands-on education programs. If you have an interest in community engagement and environmental education, apply today!

This position is part of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board AmeriCorps (VHCB AmeriCorps).  The VHCB AmeriCorps program supports the innovative dual-goal approach to creating stable affordable housing opportunities for Vermont residents while preserving the natural and working landscape.  VHCB AmeriCorps is a national service program that places members with non-profit housing or land and energy conservation organizations around the state.

Audubon is dedicated to protecting birds and other wildlife and the habitat that supports them. Audubon’s mission is engaging people in conservation on a hemispheric scale through science, policy, education, and on-the-ground conservation action. What defines Audubon’s unique value is a powerful grassroots network of nearly 500 local chapters, 23 state offices, 34 Audubon Centers, Important Bird Area Programs in 46 states, and more than 600 staff across the country.

In Vermont, Audubon has five chapters located across the state. These chapters are already engaged in environmental education and community science, but are entirely volunteer-based, and could use occasional support and assistance. Vermont is also the location of the Green Mountain Audubon Center (GMAC) in Huntington, VT, which hosts the state office of Audubon Vermont. The Audubon Center’s 255 acres of conserved land provides a unique setting for natural science education programs serving schools, families, adults, teachers, and the greater community. The Audubon Center’s education programs now reach upwards of 6,000 individuals on an annual basis, both at GMAC and around the state, thanks largely to the increased capacity afforded by AmeriCorps Members and the creative thinking they bring to our program offerings. We would like to continue this positive trend of AmeriCorps Members helping us to expand our reach and grow our program offerings- particularly to underserved communities- while we help members to gain important professional skills by serving as a member of Audubon’s education team.

Essential Functions:

This member will serve directly with our education team to help us achieve our Strategic plan Goals including:

Expand and diversify the constituency for birds. Using education and outreach to youth groups, affinity groups, schools, libraries, and local chapters, member will inspire conservation action for birds, people, and the planet.

• Teach hands-on nature-based programs, programs include but are not limited to Free Nature Playgroup, Audubon Afterschool, and programs with partner organizations that serve underrepresented groups.
• Conduct outreach to expand educational program offerings to middle and high-schoolers, new audiences, and overall reduce barriers to access.
• Member will also travel to events to table for Audubon or lead education programing. Past events have included seasonal celebrations at The Intervale Center, supporting the local chapter to plan and attend the Herrick’s Cove Wildlife Festival, and engaging with 7th – 12th graders at the Youth Environmental Summit.
• Create lesson plans for programs you design and school-break vacation camps.
• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Audubon Center Director, Education Manager, and Professional Educators as well as others in the National Audubon Society who work on network engagement to achieve outreach and education goals.

Inspire impactful change and action.

• Recruit a diverse community of volunteers of all ages to participate in community science initiatives across the state and at the GMAC with a focus on growing consistent participation. Programs include but are not limited to Mid-Winter Eagle Survey, Climate Watch, and the Great Backyard Bird Count.
• Coordinate GMAC’s Adopt-a-Trail program and Phenology Monitoring Walk; includes recruiting new participants, tracking volunteer hours and services, and coordinating opportunities for volunteer recognition.
• Build the Audubon Center’s capacity for hosting service-learning programs for middle and high and maintain our community science initiatives as opportunities to educate the public.
• With the Youth Leadership Coordinator help college students engage in meaningful conservation and community science projects. Strengthen the chapter network by finding ways to connect campus chapters with regional chapters.
• Learn with Audubon Vermont staff members how to create a more inclusive space as we tackle some potentially uncomfortable, self-reflective assignments and conversations with an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion consultant and through the National Audubon Society’s Department of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging.
• Participate in an Independent Service Project under the guidance of VHCB AmeriCorps.
• Participate in all VHCB AmeriCorps Trainings, Service Days, Events, and Program Initiatives.
• Engage in professional and personal development activities and networking opportunities.

Additional Information:

This position requires service in both an office setting and leading education programs outdoors, in all conditions. Outdoor conditions must be safe for students, but can still include rain, snow, below freezing temperatures, sun and heat. Serve side-by-side with Audubon interns, summer camp educators, high school counselors-in-training and Jr conservation technicians. Our education team works from our Center in Huntington. The typical schedule is from 8am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday, but many public programs occur nights and weekends through the year. This position will also include travel around our immediate service area, to connect with groups that are interested in Audubon programming. The member should expect to teach every day. A typical day might look like: setting up and leading a preschool field trip from 8am – 11am, heading to the office to finish a lesson plan for vacation camp, a lunch break on the porch, then a staff meeting with the whole Audubon team where the member provides feedback and shares their opinions. We are looking for a member who can join and contribute to our team!

Position begins September 9th, 2024 and ends August 8th, 2025.

This position is Full Time: Requires 1,720 hours for an average of 40 hours per week for 47 weeks. Member will receive a living allowance of $30,000 (pre-tax) for the service term. Member will receive an education award of $7,395 (pre-tax) upon successful completion of service. 

Other benefits include health insurance, federal school loan forbearance, and various training and networking opportunities.

To Apply: https://vhcb.org/our-programs/vhcb-americorps/positions

For questions about this position or to send additional materials:

Debbie Archer

Education Program Manager

802-434-3068

Pronouns: she, her

Application deadline: August 8th, 2024. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis; open until filled.

Additional information on the AmeriCorps is available at www.americorps.gov.