Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary is a 13,000-acre nonprofit nature preserve and education center in Collier County, Florida. It is considered the “crown jewel” in the network of National Audubon Society nature centers. Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary hosts 100,000 visitors annually and has over 1,100 members. Visitors to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary find a gentle, pristine wilderness that dates back more than 5,000 years. A 2.25-mile boardwalk meanders through pine flatwoods, wet prairie, around a marsh and finally into the largest old growth Bald Cypress forest in North America: the home to hundreds of alligators, otters, deer, turtles, wading birds, songbirds, and raptors. Corkscrew’s mission is to protect the natural resources of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, its surrounding watershed, and the Western Everglades, and influence Everglades restoration; for the benefit of birds, other wildlife, and people; through land management, science, education, restoration, and public policy advocacy.
The Public Programs Education Assistant works with the Director of Public Programs and primarily organizes, conducts and reports on public programs such as tours and presentations that are both off and onsite at Audubon’s Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. This includes a variety of guided nature walks for adult private groups and the public on Corkscrew’s 2.25 mile boardwalk, off-boardwalk programs, and presentations onsite and offsite to the public on a range of environmental topics. Answering phone calls and e-mails, posting to the website, managing online tour scheduling, updating the master calendar, capturing and summarizing post-event evaluations, and a range of additional administrative tasks are also necessary. In addition, s/he will provide support with all-staff programs and projects such as staff meetings and the annual signature event are also required.
This position will recur annually and work November through April, during Corkscrew’s busy tourist season, and work part-time 20 hours per week on a variety of days including weekends at an hourly rate of pay.
- Develop, organize, oversee and conduct a variety of adult and community environmental education programs, tours, and events that are conducted both on and offsite, to educate and inspire and meet Corkscrew’s mission.
- Track attendance, income and evaluation data and support the preparation of monthly and year end reports as necessary.
- Support the scheduling and organization of education groups visiting the Sanctuary, including the ability to knowledgeably educate and guide these groups during structured experiences focused on the Florida environment.
- Answer questions with a high level of customer service responsiveness, that relate to public education and environmental information about the Sanctuary, including in-person within the Blair Audubon Visitor Center, on the phone or in emails.
- Write and/or edit tour and public education materials and publications as necessary.
- Maintain materials and equipment, keeping all items in good working condition.
- Support public education special events and all-staff Sanctuary events as necessary.
- Bachelor’s degree in education or related field and 2-3 years of outdoor or environmental education experience required; an equivalent combination of education and experience will also be considered. Knowledge and experience of Southwest Florida ecosystems preferred.
- Excellent verbal communication skills required, including the ability to speak in front of groups of various sizes, abilities and ages.
- Excellent written communication skills required.
- Demonstrated experience teaching and interpreting also required. Environmental education experience in Southwest Florida preferred.
- Strong knowledge of Florida’s natural history and bird identification skills are preferred.Strong conservation ethic is a must.
- Valid driver’s license required.
- Ability to engage in some physical tasks, such as driving, working in a hot/humid sometimes buggy environment, walking several miles, lifting not more than 25 pounds.