Youth and Family Programs Educator

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is hiring a Youth & Family Programs Educator! 

Are you an experienced educator who is passionate about environmental education for youth and committed to supporting the Gardens’ IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) goals? We’re looking for a Youth & Family Programs Educator excited about inspiring meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature in one of the most beautiful settings in Maine.  

The Youth & Family Programs Educator provides key support to the Youth & Family Programs Manager, leads camp programming, and supports the implementation of all programs for youth and families. They also manage their own portfolio of initiatives, including school partnerships and outreach programs. 

This is a Year-round, Full-time, benefits-eligible position.  

$24.00 – 26.00 hourly, non-exempt 

Applications will be reviewed February 24, 2025 

Primary Functions: 

Student Programs 

• Assist with scheduling, orienting, and hosting visiting school/youth groups.
• Lead classroom lessons, field studies, and guided natural history tours for school/youth groups.
• Help to develop new standards-aligned field trip programs and corresponding learning materials for all grade levels, including programming that has an emphasis on climate change/biodiversity loss.
• Help to develop and lead programs for homeschoolers and their families.
• Explore and develop school-based partnerships and outreach programs for local schools, including possible climate change related youth citizen science programs.
• Support the development of a school garden program for local schools that complements our existing classroom gardening program.
• Create and facilitate Discovery Cart programs that would be pertinent to visiting school groups and train volunteers to run them.

Camp Programs 

• Create and lead nature and garden-based summer camps and school vacation camps for children ages 4-12.
• Oversee summer camp staff and volunteers.
• Work with our Marketing Department to promote camp programming.
• Communicate with camp parents and evaluate camp programming.

Drop-in and Informal Family Programs 

• Create and lead nature and garden-based educational programming for families, children and teens.
• Support the development and implementation of self-guided educational offerings for families such as activity packets.
• Develop and facilitate programming for families.
• Create and facilitate Discovery Cart programs for guests of all ages.
• Carry out daily informal educational activities in the Bibby and Harold Alfond Children’s Garden, such as storytime, puppet shows, and chicken feeding.
• Assist with the daily upkeep and supervision of the Alfond Children’s Garden play areas and structures.
• Assist with the daily care and maintenance of the Learning Garden and greenhouse.
• Help to train and support the Alfond Children’s Garden volunteers.
• Assist with the organization and implementation of family activities such as Cider Saturdays.

Miscellaneous Responsibilities 

• Manage the financial aid requests for all youth and family programs with the exception of our field trip program.
• Assist with the acquisition of youth and family program and Children’s Garden supplies.

Physical Requirements: 

This position has consistent, moderate physical demands. The position frequently involves hands-on garden education as well as preparation, clean-up, and maintenance of learning gardens. The employee should be prepared for active physical work as a regular component of the workday throughout the Gardens’ open season.    

Work Schedule: 

This position typically works 9 am – 5 pm Monday-Friday with an expectation to occasionally work one weekend day during the spring and fall. The employee is expected to contribute to seasonal staffing needs associated with Gardens Aglow to the extent expected of year-round staff. 

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience both developing and delivering standards-aligned programs to Pre-K-12 students.
• Experience working collaboratively with other educators.
• Demonstrated experience developing natural history and/or garden-based nature programs for children and families.
• Must be educated in natural or environmental sciences and have at least five years of professional experience in the field of environmental education OR at least 10 years of relevant professional experience.
• Gardening experience or a willingness to learn.  
• Must be comfortable interacting with guests, staff, board members, and the community; strive to exceed guest and program participant expectations and create an exceptional experience for those visiting the Gardens.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must be enthusiastic about plants, conscientious of the environment, and willing to participate in all organization events.
• Proficient in basic computer software such as Microsoft Office.
• Commitment to working across the organization to support the integration of IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility) principles into the Gardens’ internal operations and its relationships with visitors and guests.