Eco-Leadership Teacher Naturalist, Greenwich, Connecticut

Employer National Audubon Society
Created 04/10/2024
Reference 239387566
Country United States
State Connecticut
City Greenwich
Zip 06830
Salary -

Greenwich, CT
Full time
Posted 10 Days Ago
JR87

Position Summary


The Greenwich Audubon Center has been connecting people with nature since 1943. Creating life-changing experiences that enable community members and their families to appreciate, understand, and protect the natural world is at the very core of our mission. The Greenwich Audubon Center is a nature center and wildlife sanctuary owned and operated by the National Audubon Society. The nature center is located in the southwest corner of Connecticut, in the town of Greenwich. The Greenwich Audubon Center has over 15 miles of scenic hiking trails and includes 650 acres of mixed forest, meadows, wetlands, ponds, and streams. The mission of the National Audubon Society is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of the Earth's biological diversity and humanity. The Greenwich Audubon Center strives to meet this mission through education, conservation, and environmental research to encourage the responsible usage and stewardship of natural lands.

Each summer, the Greenwich Audubon Center provides one individual with an opportunity to assist in developing and leading our Eco Leadership Corps, a paid internship program for high school students seeking a position in environmental fields and related disciplines. Our summer Eco Leaders focus on singular projects while concurrently developing lesson plans for our summer nature camp attendees. This summer, Eco Leaders will be conducting a large-scale renovation of our nature play trail, designing lessons for summer campers across 4 weeks of camp, and participating in multiple professional development sessions.

The individual chosen for the Eco Leaders Corps Teacher Naturalist position will support high school students in the research and development of lesson plans while also providing both positive and constructive feedback in all project areas. They will act as liaisons between full-time Greenwich Audubon Staff and the interns. The Eco Leadership Corps Teacher Naturalists must be comfortable leading interns during their land stewardship project, which will involve spending up to five hours each day outdoors, and is expected to motivate and encourage Eco Leaders while also participating themselves.


At the conclusion of the summer, the Eco Leaders will create a capstone presentation for the Greenwich Audubon community. The Teacher Naturalist is expected to guide the interns through the process of creating and presenting this capstone project. In addition, the Eco Leader Teacher Naturalist will be expected to record the day-to-day activities and keep notes of progress for each intern. By the end of the program, the individual in this role must produce a binder of each lesson designed, an overview of each week including what went well and what could have been improved, as well as an overview of the land stewardship project.

This position begins on June 24, 2024, with interns starting on June 24. Summer Nature Day Camp begins on July 8th and ends on August 23. The daily work hours are 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Each Tuesday, all seasonal summer staff will be required to attend a staff meeting from 3:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (day subject to change). This position is located on-site at The Greenwich Audubon Center in Greenwich, CT.

Attend half of a week-long training led by Greenwich Audubon staff for working with youth in camp and internship settings.
  • Develop and implement four weeks of ecology/nature-based curriculum.
  • Maintain the safety and well-being of all youth participants.
  • Develop a respectful and collegial team environment with fellow staff.
  • Co-lead a land stewardship project in conjunction with our land steward and camp director. Must be able to lift 50 lbs and be comfortable working outdoors in potentially challenging conditions.
  • Guide interns through researching and developing conservation-focused lessons for elementary school children.
  • Guide interns through creating a capstone presentation that clearly communicates the lessons learned over the course of the summer.
  • Must be comfortable leading hikes through our property and teaching high school students about various aspects of our local ecology.

  • Compensation:
    $18.00 - $20.00 per hour

    Essential Functions


  • Attend half of a week-long training led by Greenwich Audubon staff for working with youth in camp and internship settings.

  • Develop and implement four weeks of ecology/nature-based curriculum.

  • Maintain the safety and well-being of all youth participants.

  • Develop a respectful and collegial team environment with fellow staff.

  • Co-lead a land stewardship project in conjunction with our land steward and camp director. Must be able to lift 50 lbs and be comfortable working outdoors in potentially challenging conditions.

  • Guide interns through researching and developing conservation-focused lessons for elementary school children.

  • Guide interns through creating a capstone presentation that clearly communicates the lessons learned over the course of the summer.

  • Must be comfortable leading hikes through our property and teaching high school students about various aspects of our local ecology.


  • Qualifications and Experience


  • College coursework in biology, ecology, or related field is preferred.
  • Knowledge of local ecology and natural history.
  • Ability to teach natural history concepts and the desire to work outdoors and lead hikes.
  • Experience working with children preferred.
  • Strong oral communication skills, especially when speaking with camp parents and/or guardians.
  • Ability to work well as part of a team.
  • Must be able to commit to the entire period of work.
  • Must have current immunizations/medical forms; CPR and First Aid certification are a plus.
  • Must have a valid U.S. driver’s license.

  • EEO Statement

    The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.
    Accessibility Statement

    The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org . This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

    The National Audubon Society protects birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow, throughout the Americas using science, advocacy, education, and on-the-ground conservation.

    Audubon’s state programs, nature centers, chapters, and partners have an unparalleled wingspan that reaches millions of people each year to inform, inspire, and unite diverse communities in conservation action.

    Since 1905, Audubon’s vision has been a world in which people and wildlife thrive. Audubon is a nonprofit conservation organization.





    PI239387566

    Date expired 04/30/2024

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