Job Opportunities in United States

Position Summary
Wellesley Island State Park is the largest park in the Thousand Islands Region. Serving at Minna Anthony Common Nature Center (MACNC) will be a valuable experience involving exceptional biodiversity, diverse park patrons, seasonal school and public programming, and stewardship projects. Members will serve as essential education staff – leading programming, stewarding the nature center, grounds, and exhibits, and connecting with the larger community. They will be a vital team member that contributes to making MACNC a flagship nature center and a treasured resource for the community.


Schedule
January 20, 2025 - November 21, 2025


Key Duties and Responsibilities
SCA Focus Area (40%) - Each member will work independently to fulfill specific responsibilities within a focus area. Members are expected to follow direction and touch base often while also being a self-starter, collaborative, and flexible. This will require self-leadership and at many times self-directed learning. Design and lead programs (30%) - Public Programs: Member will lead and develop programs for the general public. Topics can include natural sciences, ecology, environmental conservation, outdoor recreation, arts and crafts, or historic interpretation. We encourage you to develop programming that merges your own interests with the topics above. - School Programs: Members may lead K-12 field trips and/or virtual field trips. The majority of our classes are K-4. (Pending Covid regulations) - Outdoor Recreation: Members may lead Voyageur Canoe paddling tours, kayaking, snowshoeing, bird watching, or hiking programs. (Pending Covid regulations) - Nature Center tours: Members will connect visitors to the natural and cultural history of the Minna Anthony Common Nature Center. - Pollinator House tours: Members will be able to engage visitors about the importance of native plants and pollinators at our Pollinator House. - Virtual Programs: Members will develop content for social media. - Community Outreach: Members will be scheduled to lead off-site programs in nature centers and locations around the Thousand Islands region. - Impromptu Programs: Members will have the discretion to offer pop-up environmental education or roving interpretation at the Nature Center, trails, throughout Wellesley Island State Park, playgrounds, and locally. This can include wildlife viewing, observations of ephemera, guided hikes, tours, art-making, and tabling. Nature Center Stewardship (20%) - The Nature Center and surrounding trails will be your second home – as a team we all participate in visitor services and daily maintenance/operations of the building and grounds. We are the ones to ensure that the Nature Center and grounds are inviting as well as safe for the public. We strive to create a welcoming and friendly atmosphere by greeting visitors with hospitality and providing knowledgeable interpretative information. Visitor services may include staffing our front desk, answering phones, offering trail suggestion, and providing interpretive tours. This also includes daily cleaning and tidying tasks, resetting exhibits, cleaning and restocking bathrooms, sweeping and mopping floors, washing and de-cobwebbing windows. Groundwork may include hiking trails to report conditions, cutting back hanging limbs, watering and weeding gardens. Administrative assistance (10%) - Members will help Director, Education Coordinator, and Outreach Coordinator on various Nature Center tasks and projects as needed. Environmental Educators serve both outdoors and indoors – hiking trails, guiding tours, and providing educational programming. Educators may also assist with Nature Center building maintenance and outdoor gardening as needed.


Marginal Duties
SCA Focus Areas:
Animal Care and Aquarium Husbandry- This member will be the primary person responsible for feeding and caring for our live animals and maintaining the vivariums they inhabit. The person who takes this focus area will need to enjoy taking care of animals and be comfortable interacting with turtles, fish, frogs, and a chipmunk. They will need to recognize animal diet needs, provide scheduled feeding, and maintain current and accurate records on animal health and behavior. They will be responsible for routine cleaning of all live-animal vivarium exhibits, Wetland Discovery Room visitor area, and animal room. They will get wet and dirty cleaning filters on a regular basis, climbing into 300-gallon aquariums to clean glass and rocks, and will use a sump pump to drain aquariums. We are in a state of continuous improvement, and this member will help develop and install exhibit enhancements. Knowledge gained in this focus area will enable the member to deliver interpretation to visitors in our Wetland Discovery Room and related wildlife-focused programming.


Digital Media and Design- This member will be the primary person responsible for managing and posting daily content to our Facebook and Instagram pages, photographing all programs, making event flyers, and program publicity. This member will print and replenish flyers at the Nature Center and routinely distribute promotional material throughout the Thousand Islands region. They will also assist with our website and quarterly printed newsletter. We are in a state of continuous improvement, and this member will help develop our online presence by creating educational video content. The person who takes this focus area will need to have an interest in visual communication such as graphic design and photography, and be a good writer and storyteller. Strong organizational, research, and team collaboration skills are a plus. This member will serve as photographer-in-residence, documenting Nature Center programming and spending time outside photographing the natural world. Knowledge gained in this focus area will enable the member to deliver interpretation on various naturalist topics and gain skills in virtual education.


Gardening and Land Stewardship- This member will be the primary person responsible for caring for our gardens and grounds. We have 7 native plant gardens and a Pollinator House. During the growing season daily tasks will include turning compost, weeding, watering gardens, deadheading flowers, and filling birdbaths. In the colder months they will be responsible for maintaining our bird feeders in conjunction with birdwatching programming. We are in a state of continuous improvement, and this member will help develop a new compost demonstration site on the Nature Center campus. This member should have an interest in gardening, composting, pollinators, and birds. Knowledge gained in this focus area will enable the member to deliver interpretation to visitors at our Pollinator House and related programming topics such as habitat ecology, botany, ornithology, entomology, and sustainability.


Required Qualifications
Is the member a High School graduate, GED recipient or working towards attaining a high school Diploma or GED? Does member agree to obtain either a high school diploma or a GED before using their education award? Does member adhere to all member eligibility requirements in §2522.200(a)? Valid driver’s license?


Preferred Qualifications
We seek a person with passion and enthusiasm for sharing the natural world with others Computer skills-digital design experience is a plus Comfortable with public speaking Works well in small groups and individually, as well as with remote work Comfortable working outdoors and walking 5 miles or more per day.


Hours
40 per week


Living Accommodations
A three-bedroom house located within Wellesley Island State Park shared with two other SCA New York State Parks Corps members. The accommodations provided have cost-free utilities sans internet.


Compensation
Amount of Living Allowance member will receive: $600/week
Amount of the Segal Ameri Corps Education Award being offered for successful completion of the member’s term of service: $7,395
Healthcare coverage (if applicable): Eligible for free health insurance
Childcare coverage (if applicable): Eligible for childcare assistance through Ameri Corps
Student loan forbearance and interest payments, (if the member qualifies): Eligible for Federal Student Loan forbearance and interest payment deferment through Ameri Corps for qualifying student loans
Members will receive an Ameri Corps orientation which includes training on prohibited and unallowable activities, risk management, reporting requirements, benefits, and more.
Professional, personal, or service-related member development activities and training to be provided for member:
Ameri Corps and SCA Orientation
SCA Risk Management
Sexual Harassment/Drug Abuse in the Workplace
SCA Driver’s Safety Training
Mental Health First Aid Training
Wilderness First Aid & CPR
Environmental Education Curriculum or Saw Training
New York State Outdoor Educator Association Conferences/Events
Leave No Trace Trainer Course
Professional Development & Job Readiness
SCA Conservation Work Skills Training (Conservation Positions)
All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.


Personal Vehicle Information
Required


Additional Benefits
Defensive Drive Training
First Aid/CPR
Interpretive Skills
Wilderness First Aid Training
Health Insurance
Ameri Corps: Eligible/Required


Equal Opportunity Statement
SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members. SCA is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. The Student Conservation Association, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer.


Physical requirements and working conditions specific to the position are available in the full job description.