Job Title: Assistant Curator of Education
Full/Part Time: Full Time, 37.5 hrs/week
Closing Date: Friday, October 30, 2020

Department: Education
Employment (Permanent/Seasonal): permanent
Hourly Range: $26,000 – $32,000 per year, based on experience

Schedule: 37.5 hours per week. Includes regular weekend hours and some evenings, early mornings, or holidays required.

Job Description
The Delaware Zoological Society is currently seeking an experienced, enthusiastic, and dynamic individual to join our fast paced team as Assistant Curator of Education (ACOE). This position is responsible for assisting the Curator of Education in the overall supervision and operations for the Education Department of the Brandywine Zoo. Duties include designing, developing, implementing educational programs and management of interpretive staff, interns, and volunteers. Drawing upon a positive outlook and team orientation, the successful candidate will lead our efforts to maintain, improve, and perfect conservation education at the Brandywine Zoo.

The person in this position exercises proficiency in typical software, including MS Office and registration/database management software. The ability to multi-task is essential and excellent independent work skills are required. The position must demonstrate the ability to interact professionally with the public, board of directors, zoo staff and volunteers. The individual must be a good team player and be willing to assist in other departments and other duties, as assigned. The ability to establish working partnerships inside and outside the organization is essential. The position is expected to lead school programming and outreach programming, and lead staff responsible for other Education Department programming, such as guest experiences, nature play and early childhood programming, and most special events and fundraising activities. If you are seeking hands-on experience in informal environmental education, this is a great opportunity for you.

Primary Duties
With the Curator of Education, this position coordinates public programs, events, family/early childhood programming, and outreach and school programs. Develops and disseminates educational messages and programs that satisfy the Zoo’s educational, conservation, and financial goals. Educator duties include working with zoo guests on and off-site by providing natural science-relevant programming. The educator will have a working knowledge of a wide range of wildlife natural history as well as Delaware ecosystems and the flora and fauna within. The educator will teach in a variety of settings including in the classroom, outdoors on zoo grounds, off-site for outreach programming, and public events and is comfortable handling and presenting a variety of live animals for programming including small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

This position requires both outdoor and office tasks, therefore the applicant must be able to work in an outdoor/park environment including walking on trails, over uneven terrain, bending, lifting, digging, and planting. The individual must be able to lift and carry at least 50 pounds and be able to work in sometimes adverse conditions that include rain, heat, insects, etc.

• This position will assist the Curator of Education in designing, developing, and implementing
  training, conservation education programs, education grants, and partnerships.
• This position will create, administer, deliver, and coordinate school and outreach programming.
  This includes, but is not limited to organizing registration, scheduling programs, hiring and training interns, developing curriculum, and maintaining open communication with schools, libraries, and other outreach customers. (60%)
  • Develop STEAM-based, NGSS and Common Core aligning school curriculum programs that may be taught on-site (field trips), off-site (outreach), or virtually.
  • Creation of new virtual synchronous and asynchronous programs for school programs and public programs. This includes developing outlines and curriculum, filming and editing associated supplementary videos, and creating digital or printable student or participant supplementary activities that compliment the program.
  • Oversee Early Childhood Educator to develop in-person and virtual homeschool programs and guest experience and membership-building family programs. Directly supervise part time/seasonal Education Specialists and interns.
  • Training interns and other staff to teach school/outreach programming, scheduling them to deliver programming as necessary.
  • Establishes and monitors revenue and expense budgets for School, Outreach, and Virtual programs, and provides regular reports as required.
• This position will work volunteer manager to facilitate the docent and volunteen programs at the zoo (15%)
  • Work with the Volunteer Manager to train Volunteens and new annual Docent class.
  • Coordinate volunteer and docent needs for programming with Volunteer Manager.
• This position will supervise education staff and interns as they develop and deliver educational content for zoo special events and other programming areas (camps, scouts, guest experience). Working with ambassador animal collection to stay up to date on protocols and trained behaviors, training other staff, interns, and volunteers as necessary for programming or animal needs. Additional duties in supporting program marketing and evaluation goals. (25%)
  • Training new staff and interns in on-site program delivery, including handling and presenting animals for public programs.
  • Works with the Curators, Marketing/Public Relations, and other principals to develop/manage community and educational partnerships.
  • With Curator of Education, conceives, develops and conducts research on, and evaluation of, education programs, including curricula, visitors’ engagement, training resources, and modify to meet identified problems/needs, state/federal requirements, and agency goals/objectives.
  • Work with Education Curator to identify and resolve procedural issues by developing and implementing new protocols. Perform administrative duties required to successfully operate an education department.
• Ensure a healthy learning environment – including maintaining appropriate hygiene and cleanliness standards and safety and security of children.
• The ability to handle for live animals for public presentations, including a strong grasp of operant conditioning training methods, to present ambassador animals for programming needs.

Primary Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have a B.A. or B.S. in Environmental Science, Biology, Wildlife Ecology, or Education, and two years of work-related, outdoor environmental education or zoo experience as an equivalent. A background in K-12 education in either a classroom or an informal environmental education setting is preferred, but not required. Minimum of two years of graduated supervisory experience with increasing responsibilities at an AZA-accredited institution or similar facility or equivalent experience, including demonstrated ability to develop talent, deliver programs, and work with ambassador animals. Demonstrated history of leadership and personnel- and budget-management skills.

The successful candidate will have excellent writing and communication skills, a positive attitude, enjoyment of the outdoors, customer service experience, and an ability to deliver engaging, energetic environmental education programs to both children and adults. Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) or Certified Interpretive Guide Trainer (CIGT) preferred. A pre-requisite to employment will be a criminal background check and other requirements of working with young children per the Beau Biden Act.

Preferred Experience

• Virtual teaching experience – familiarity with online learning platforms (Zoom, WebEx, etc.).
• Experience developing environmental education lesson plans for K-12 education that meet NGSS and Common Core curriculum.
• Video editing and recording experience.

Work Environment
Brandywine Zoo is open to the public 364 days out of the year; therefore, all positions at Brandywine Zoo may require employees to work some weekends, holidays and evenings. The majority of this position’s responsibilities are conducted in an office setting, though some work/programs may require working outside for certain periods of time, in variable weather conditions.

• Must be able to work both weekend days regularly, as well as nights and holidays by assignment

Physical Demands

• Occasional lifting, bending and walking are a normal expectation.
• Must be able to work outside in all weather conditions.
• Must be able to stand and/or sit for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to lift and carry up to 35 pounds.

To Apply:
Submit Cover Letter and Resume to jobs@brandywinezoo.org