Environmental Education Specialist

San Diego, CA, United States

Job Description: Environmental Education Specialist

Location: San Diego, CA

Schedule: Full-time, evenings & weekends required

Reports to: Director of Youth Programs

Compensation: $19 - $22 per hour

Classification: Full-time Non-exempt

Benefits:

Eligible for health benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.

Vacation and sick pay, and 19 paid company holidays and office closure days

Employer-sponsored 403(b) retirement plan

Cell phone stipend

Monthly and quarterly all staff professional development and team building opportunities

Beautiful garden work environment

Culture of learning, care, and community

Scope of Work: As part of the education team, the Environmental Education Specialist is responsible for delivering garden and environmental science lessons for youth programs including children's field trips and high school internships. The Specialist is accountable to prepare and conduct hands-on lessons, update and develop curriculum as needed, and collaborate across multiple teams to support Olivewood's mission and programs. As an organization rooted in community, this role requires active participation in anti-racist work and a commitment to diversity and inclusion.

Duties and Responsibilities (this does not include all tasks associated with position)

Program Delivery:

Collaborate with the Youth Programs Team to develop and lead high quality garden-based education programs for youth

Support the development and updating of garden and environmental science lesson plans according to Next Generation Standards and Common Core curriculum for elementary school programming

Develop and update hands-on urban agriculture, environmental science, and community-based leadership lesson plans for high school youth

Coordinate and lead the garden/environmental education lesson for children's field trips including a three-part series for National School District 4th graders

Coordinate and lead garden-focused high school internship program(s), including Sustainable Urban Agriculture and Garden 2 Kitchen Internship programs

Develop and implement supplemental programs for youth including Garden Explorers program and Summer Day Camp

Prepare materials for lessons

Support interns and volunteers in the day-to-day operation of an interactive teaching garden

Coordinate with Garden Support Specialist and Nutrition Education Specialist to coordinate planting and harvesting in line with educational activities

Review goals, objectives, and indicators for garden education programs

Enter evaluation data for analysis

Review and analyze evaluation data to improve program curriculum

Prepare reports as needed for funding and marketing efforts

Provide additional programmatic support in any of our departments as needed

Communication and Outreach

Participate in Olivewood program team and staff meetings and activities

Collaborate with community partners

Engage the use of marketing platforms and social media to create promotional material for youth programs

Represent Olivewood Gardens in the community at professional and community events

Provide support for annual Seedling Soiree fundraiser, community Day of Play, and other events and programs as needed.

Minimum Qualifications:

Minimum two years' experience and/or training in garden education, gardening or farming, environmental education, teaching children or equivalent combination of education and experience in an outdoor or classroom setting

Proven ability to successfully design and deliver educational programs for children, including elementary and high school-aged youth

Organized and detail-oriented with demonstrated ability to complete tasks on deadline

Possess project management/organizational skills, including use of calendars and spreadsheets

Strong group facilitation skills including the ability to educate a diversity of audiences and ages

Commitment to healthy eating, garden education and nutrition education

Savvy in Microsoft Suite and Google Workspace

Must have basic knowledge of gardening safety

Proven experience working with people of different cultures and backgrounds

English/conversational Spanish preferred

Acceptable DMV record and valid driver's license required

Upon hire must pass background check

Ability to communicate professionally in front of groups of children and adults

Interpersonal Skills:

Strong interpersonal and teamwork skills

Works cooperatively in group situations and work actively to resolve conflicts

Comfortable working with supervisor, staff, interns, and volunteers

Flexible in fast-paced and unpredictable environments. Able to weigh multiple factors to act quickly, decisively, and diplomatically.

Proven experience working with people of different cultures and backgrounds

Language Ability:

Must be fluent in English and have at least conversational level of Spanish

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.

Ability to speak effectively before groups.

Reasoning Ability:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.

Ability to deal with problems involving several variables in standardized situations.

Computer Skills:

To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel), Google Workspace and basic social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram). Experience in Canva or other design platforms and virtual meeting platforms is a plus.

Certificates and Licenses:

Acceptable DMV record and valid driver's license required

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Ability to work with frequent interruption and to simultaneously supervise a variety of tasks

Ability to stand, stoop, reach and bend. Mobility of arms to reach, dexterity of hands to grasp and manipulate large and small objects

Ability to read small print

Ability to stand for long period and walk long distances

Ability to lift, push and/or pull objects, which may approximate 40 pounds

Ability to work with and in the proximity of, equipment with moving mechanical parts

Ability to work outdoors and tolerate varying weather conditions

Frequent walking over uneven and unpaved areas, and/or standing is required

Employee must talk and hear

About Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center: The mission of Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center is to inspire youth and adults to be healthy and active citizens through organic gardening, environmental stewardship and nutrition education. Once the home of the Walton family, the teaching gardens on the property have been cultivated for over 20 years. Now the site of our nutrition and garden education center, the unique 8-acre property is located in National City. Since 2010 Olivewood has received over 140,000 visits from children and family members from throughout San Diego County who are learning about food, health, and the natural environment.

Olivewood Gardens and Learning Center provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, age, medical condition, sexual orientation, marital status, citizenship, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, genetic information, veteran status, military status, caregiver status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Don't meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At Olivewood, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experiences don't align perfectly with every qualification listed, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this position.

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