Education Assistant

The Education Assistant represents Seabird Restoration Program (SRP) to the general public as a narrator aboard seasonal puffin and wildlife-watching cruises, and as a greeter and museum interpreter at the Project Puffin Visitor Center in Rockland, Maine (PPVC). Education Assistants bring the story of SRP’s 45-year history to children, adults, and families, and help people to understand the necessity for this applied conservation work, as well as to inspire them to become personally involved in conservation action as donors and citizen activists.  

After a three-day orientation session at the Hog Island Audubon Camp in Bremen (Maine), the Education Assistant will be assigned to an island research station for approximately two to three weeks at the start of the field season to participate in all aspects of research, monitoring and management. This provides hands-on experience and understanding of the mission and methods of the Seabird Restoration Program necessary for the educational component of this position. Island work may include (but is not limited to): bird counts and weather data collection, 3-hr observation stints from small, unheated blinds, bird handling, measuring and banding of birds, data entry and assisting with habitat management projects. During that time, the intern will live on a seabird island with 2-5 other researchers and participate in these various aspects of research and seabird management activities. Personal tents (2-person size, not provided) are used for housing on the seabird islands. Wood platforms for tents are provided. A warm sleeping bag and a ground pad are also required, but not furnished. Primitive camping conditions include no running water, composting toilets, etc.  Solar panels provide limited electricity. Drinking water, food and propane for cooking are brought via boat and carried by hand to the field camps.

The remainder of the employment period focuses on public education aboard two commercial puffin-watching cruises, and at the PPVC in Rockland. Tours run daily; and though working hours are limited to 40, weekend work is often required. Weather permitting; there are twelve trips each week, shared between education personnel once the two assistants are trained. The Education Coordinator will train the Education Assistants,  who will take on different parts of the narration and work toward developing a strong grasp of the materials. When prepared, the assistant will narrate the entire trip by themselves.

Shared housing (private bedroom, shared kitchen, bath and dayroom) is located at Audubon's Todd Wildlife Sanctuary, located at 12 Audubon Road, in Bremen, Maine. This is also the location of the SRP seasonal office and residences. Due to program requirements and the early start of the workday, housing at the Sanctuary is required. 

In mid-June, the Education Assistant will begin to take on responsibilities at the PPVC in Rockland on a two-days-per-week basis under the direction of the center's Manager. They become familiar with the exhibits, store inventory and point-of-sale system, and how to greet guests, etc.

S/he will also aid in logistical work in support of the field program. These duties, which typically are necessary on a daily basis, include: driving and picking people up at various project locations; assisting with food shopping and packing food for the offshore island field sites; cleaning and restocking informational brochures in the sanctuary's public greeting area; maintaining and cleaning the housing's "common space," and the occasional writing of online project updates, etc.

This full-time seasonal position runs from May 24 through August 24, 2018. Food, housing, and worker’s compensation are provided by Audubon. Two positions are available.