Seasonal Educator

POSITION TITLE:                 Seasonal Educator

JOB RELATIONSHIPS:

Reports to:                              Education Programs Manager

BASIC FUNCTIONS:            The Seasonal Educator provides tours and other public programming for the Duke Lemur Center during the spring and summer busy season. This is a part-time seasonal position.

PRIMARY JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead tours and other educational programs with groups varying in size from small groups to large crowds; includes General Tours, Field Trips, and Walking with Lemurs tours
• Provide engaging educational experiences for visitors of all ages and educational backgrounds – must work well with children as well as adults
• Ensure guests follow behavioral expectations and guidelines while on programs and/or tours, maintaining guest and animal safety
• Cover gift shop responsibilities including facilitation of point-of-sale transactions, greeting guests at front desk, and phone interactions
• Perform tasks to prepare for tour programming, such as setting up tour path areas, preparing lemur food items, and sanitizing enrichment structures
• Maintain a welcoming, professional, and efficient gift shop and tour environment
• Resolve any potential guest concerns or issues quickly, positively, and effectively, and escalate to full-time education staff for assistance as needed.
• Complete additional responsibilities as assigned by the Education Programs Manager or other full-time Education Staff

Secondary Responsibilities

• Support full-time education staff through coverage of duties such as incoming calls, general emails, voicemails, and handling drop-in guests
• Assist full-time education staff with tour and program review and development
• Restock gift shop merchandise and assist with inventory checks
• Act as an ambassador for the Lemur Center in outreach programs and events, strengthening existing relationships within Duke University and the surrounding community

Exact weekly Seasonal Educator schedules will be determined based on applicant pool and candidate availability, but the total weekly hours will be within the range of 10 – 25. The following are examples of likely shift days and times (applicants with full weekend availability will be prioritized): Mondays 8:30am – 2pm, Wednesdays 8:30am – 2pm, Thursdays 8:30am – 2pm, Thursdays 2pm – 7:30pm, Fridays 8:30am – 2pm, Fridays 2pm – 7:30pm, Saturdays 8:30am – 12:30pm, and Sundays 8:30am – 12:30pm

This is a part-time seasonal position, working an average of 15-20 hours/week. This position typically runs from April – September, though there may be a possibility of starting earlier in March or extending for additional hours during the off-season in October – December. Training schedule prior to May will have flexibility in terms of shifts dates and times. Weekly schedule from May – September will remain consistent.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification, and do not serve as an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities to be performed in this position.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Relevant educational programming experience a strong plus
• Retail experience a plus
• Spanish or other secondary language skills a plus
• Familiarity with Duke/Durham and/or existing professional relationships within that community a plus

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Working in outdoor environments in all-weather situations
• Ability to stand and walk unassisted for up to 3 hours at a time
• Ability to maneuver unassisted in animal areas, including crouching and bending for extended periods
• Ability to sit and work at a computer screen for up to 60 minutes at a time
• Ability to lift at least 20 pounds and maneuver through standing, bending, or reaching positions

REQUIRED SKILLS AND ATTRIBUTES

• Naturally curious and passionate to share the natural world with those around you
• Self-directed, detail-oriented, and a team player
• Ability to work in physically challenging environment including extreme temperatures and field conditions while keeping a positive demeanor
• Excellent verbal communication skills – including, but not limited to: engaging audiences of varying ages and interest levels in complex topics, listening and responding appropriately to questions or concerns