Education Program Coordinator

Job Title: Education Program Coordinator

Reports To: Managing Director of Education & Connection

Salary: Hourly – Full-time – Seasonal, May 2026-July 2026

Salary Range: $20-25 per hour (DOE)

Position Start Date: Remotely as soon as possible, in person May 4, 2026

Deadline to Apply: Open until filled

Swan Valley Connections (SVC) is eager to welcome a full-time, seasonal Education Program Coordinator (EPC) to our team. This position coordinates and teaches SVC’s youth and college education programs. The responsibilities for this position are wide-ranging and will vary depending on daily priorities and organizational needs to achieve the goals of our mission, which is to inspire conservation and expand stewardship in the Swan Valley. SVC strives to connect people to the natural world. We provide a variety of experiential education opportunities, coordinating technical and financial assistance to plan and implement conservation and stewardship projects with private landowners and public management agencies, providing excellent visitor services and public information, and having strong partnerships in the Tribal, private, nonprofit, and governmental sectors. We are a non-advocacy, collaborative, place-based nonprofit organization.

Job Description: 

The EPC fosters a welcoming and inclusive learning environment and is passionate about connecting people to the natural world. The EPC will primarily focus on two of SVC’s education programs: Wildlife in the West (WiW) and the Mission Mountain Youth Crew (MMYC). WiW is a 6-week college field program that explores the relationships between rural communities and endangered species ( learn more about the program at www.swanvalleyconnections.org/wildlife-in-the-west) . The EPC will co-teach this program, providing program support, coordinating guest speakers, and safely leading students in the field, including overnight camping trips. MMYC is a collaboration between the National Forest Foundation, Salish and Kootenai College, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Flathead National Forest, and SVC, with the goal to connect Tribal high school students to ancestral lands and natural resource conservation careers ( learn more about the program at www.nationalforests.org/impact_story/cultivating-leaders-in-the-mission-mountains/). The EPC will coordinate with partners to lead MMYC members and carry out stewardship projects in the Swan Watershed.  The EPC will also provide support to the following programs: Bigfork Elementary School Campout, Wildlife Tracks & Sign weeklong course, and Montana Master Naturalist. The EPC is directly supervised by the Managing Director of Education and Connection. The EPC is based in Condon during the field season. Temporary housing may be available upon request. 

Responsibilities Include:

• Coordinate guest speakers and facilitate discussions with students
• Coordinate and carry out service projects (invasive species removal, wildlife surveys, fence removal, macroinvertebrate surveys, etc.)
• Manage education gear and supplies (clean, organize, purchase gear as needed)
• Teach SVC curriculum. Topics include local natural history and ecology, and natural resource management, policy, and conservation
• Manage risk in the field
• Airport pick up and drop off of students
• Meal planning and grocery shopping

Qualifications

• Passionate about connecting people of all ages to the natural world through experiential learning
• Bachelor’s Degree in outdoor education, environmental studies/science, natural resource management, biology, ecology, or related field
• Knowledge of natural resource policy and conservation in the American West
• Experience managing groups of people of all ages in the outdoors and mitigating risk
• Experience teaching and building curriculum for outdoor education programs
• Experience teaching at the college level
• Ability to provide leadership and structure in backcountry settings and experience camping safely and hiking in remote locations where grizzly bears may be present
• Wilderness First Responder / CPR Certification
• Ability to be adaptable to changing environmental conditions and schedules, fluctuating deadlines, and organizational needs
• Ability to work well with a team and independently
• Open to receiving and giving feedback
• Desire to work with and interact with a variety of people and organizations
• Proficiency in MS Office software and Google Apps (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Calendar)
• Valid Montana driver’s license and clean driving record
• Willingness to travel, camp overnight with students, and work overtime, evenings, and weekends as needed

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Master’s Degree in outdoor education, environmental studies/science, natural resource management, biology, ecology or related field
• CyberTracker Track & Sign certification of level III or higher
• Certified Montana Master Naturalist
• Advanced knowledge of the natural history of the Rocky Mountains

NOTE: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the ongoing needs of the organization.