Job Opportunities
Educator and Raptor Care Specialist
The Educator and Raptor Care Specialist is a year-round, full-time position that reports directly to the Director of Education. This position requires advanced knowledge and the consistent exercise of discretion and independent judgment, including a solid understanding of the scope of raptor conservation science and education activities at Hawk Mountain and raptor husbandry skills. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must. The position combines education across a wide variety of ages and environmental education-based topics with a background in raptor husbandry, care and handling. The ideal candidate will have experience teaching in both indoor and outdoor classroom settings, an awareness of our local-to-global programs and raptor conservation mission.
Primary duties include, but are not limited to, developing new programming content about Hawk Mountain’s global raptor conservation science for diverse audiences and age groups including our conservation science and education training programs, general public, school programs, and Raptors Up Close programs. The specialist has direct responsibility for part time staff, volunteers, trainees, and interns at Hawk Mountain.
Competencies and Attributes
Educator: A skilled educator from classroom to field inspiring education excellence.
Communication: Highly effective communicator to include verbal, written, multimedia, and social media.
Flexibility: Demonstrated professionalism and ability to seize opportunities while respecting organizational goals as well as its chain of command.
Motivation: A self-starter with a genuine passion for raptor conservation science and natural history while promoting the work of Hawk Mountain to all audiences.
Curricula: Understands how to write lesson plans, curricula, and pedagogy.
Solution-oriented: Projects a positive attitude and helps to solve problems.
Teamwork: Integrates science with education.
Naturalist: Demonstrated ability as a field naturalist who shares a high level of enthusiasm for natural history with patrons, staff and volunteers.
Attendance: Regular and predictable attendance.
Qualifications and Experience
- Experience working with birds of prey preferred including general husbandry, care and maintenance of enclosures, and live raptor programs.
- A charismatic teacher with strong verbal presentation skills who has taught a variety of ages with excellent group management and safety skills to ensure a fun and safe visitor experience.
- Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification or higher a plus.
- A strong understanding of Hawk Mountain and its raptor conservation mission and programs.
- Organized and proficient with administrative tasks related to creating education lesson plans and content, program registration, and coordination.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills including scientific writing, general interest articles, film editing, and social media posts.
- Highly organized and flexible, and grasps the goals of Hawk Mountain’s education program.
- Bachelor’s degree with experience and interest in conservation science, research, and education.
Primary Duties
- Responsible for ongoing programming responsibilities both on and off site.
- Prepare curricula, training materials, and lesson plans.
- Manage, teach, mentor, recruit and/or encourage trainees, volunteers, and others on how to do education programming to Hawk Mountain’s rigorous education standards.
- Prepare and distribute educational materials and/or lesson plans that help to spread our ongoing research and raptor conservation mission and the Sanctuary’s science-education programs.
- Share Hawk Mountain education resources as appropriate at the direction of the conservation science and education directors at key education conferences and as funding allow.
- Develop partnerships to augment Hawk Mountain education programs.
- Setup and break down of classrooms and other teaching spaces and organization of teaching materials physically and virtually. Ability to lift 50 lbs.
- Responsible to be a primary teacher of various programmatic areas as outlined in the education plan.
- Set high standards for raptor care and husbandry and ensure the raptor and animal ambassador program is utilized to engage our various audiences and integrated into our leadership trainee program.
- Disseminate raptor care information among staff and trainees to ensure program continuity.
- Must be able to hike two miles over rocky terrain and work weekends and occasional nights.
- Other duties as assigned.
To apply, send resume and cover letter to Jamie Dawson at [email protected]
Subject line: Educator and Raptor Care Specialist
No phone inquiries. Candidates will be contacted for interviews.
Seasonal Sanctuary Steward/Invasive Species Specialist
Dates of Employment
Mid-May to Mid-August – Position starts May 13th
Compensation:
- $15.00 (hourly wage) - (Up to 40 hours a week)
- Internship credits available to right candidates
Position Summary:
This Stewardship position is chiefly responsible for conducting invasive species control on the sanctuary utilizing manual, mechanical, and chemical methods. Other principal responsibilities will be utilizing GPS to aid in mapping invasive species, conducting restoration efforts through seeding and planting, and a variety of media production to share and educate the public. Other duties when required are as follows: Facilities and trail maintenance, responding to medical and weather emergencies; minimal custodial duties, and anything else that is deemed a priority throughout season.
Position Breakdown:
65% - Conducting removal and eradication of invasive species
20% - Time conducting restoration efforts utilizing native sources
10% - Mapping invasive species/producing media for educating public
5% - Miscellaneous duties
Qualifications:
- Must be 18 years of age or older and possess a valid driver’s license
- Must be able to communicate effectively both verbally and written
- Must be able to perform the physical labor required for all aspects of the position including the ability to carry a 50 lb. backpack in adverse conditions for 5 miles and be able to perform various job responsibilities in inclement weather.
- Must be able to work and collaborate in a team environment
- Preferred degree tract or degree in Environmental Science, Resource Management, Parks and Recreation, or related field.
- Preferred experience with invasive species control such as pulling, mowing, cutting, or spraying.
- Preferred experience in conducting restoration utilizing native species
- Preferred first aid/CPR certifications or at minimum willingness to assist in response to medical emergencies.
- Possess skills to effectively interact and educate the public on Sanctuary Mission
- Possess the ability to perform in an environment of changing workloads and priorities
- A willingness to perform Best Management Practices (BMP) related to invasive species control and become certified as a PA pesticide Technician.
- Proficiency in the operation of hand and power tools, mowers, string trimmers, hand saws, and 4X4 trucks and tractors is a plus
- Basic knowledge of Northeast flora and fauna is a plus
- Experience in media collection is a plus
- Experience with GPS/GIS is a plus
How to Apply:
Email a cover letter and resume/CV to Noah Rauch, Sanctuary Steward, at [email protected].