Job Description

This position is with the North Carolina Zoo, located in Asheboro, NC. The Zoo’s mission is to protect wildlife and wild places and inspires people to join us in conserving the natural world. We do this through our four pillars of animal welfare, conservation, education, and guest engagement. The AmeriCorps member will be helping us achieve our mission through our conservation and education initiatives.

The 2021-2022 AmeriCorps positions will have a start date (for new full-time 11 month members) of September 1st 2021 and an end date of July 31st 2022.

**Please make sure you upload all of the required documents –  Resume, Cover Letter, State or Federal ID, College Transcripts, Birth Certificate (if US Passport not uploaded).** If required documents are not uploaded at time of application, any offer for employment will be withheld until they are provided. All AmeriCorps Members must submit to having a National Sex Offender, State of Residence (if state is different than NC), State of NC, and Federal FBI Background check conducted. Any applicant denying to submit to these checks will be automatically disqualified as per federal regulations.

For the 2021-2022 service year, Resilience Corps NC offers a living stipend of $17,000 for 11 months, health insurance reimbursement for premiums, childcare assistance, and professional development opportunities (individual trainings, enrollment in NC Environmental Education Certificate Program, and conferences in conjunction with the NC Commission on Volunteerism). Participants who complete the program will receive a Segal Education Award of $6,345 from the National Service Trust. 

CTNC is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate because of race, creed, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, sexual preference or familial status.

CTNC seeks to engage applicants from underrepresented communities, particularly of Asian, Black, Hispanic, Multi-Racial, and Native American background, in conservation careers. Connecting more diverse applicants to an employment pathway has led to greater equity, diversity and inclusion of all people in conservation.

Purpose of the Position

The purpose of the position is to help the North Carolina Zoo expand climate education programming into local underserved communities. The AmeriCorps member will find out what these communities need, their environmental concerns, and wants in the way of climate focused education (including in-person and virtual opportunities to connect) and create a new outreach program that focuses on what we learn from the community needs assessment. This position will create at least three educational opportunities that aligns with what was found in the focus groups/ surveys. Some of these opportunities will be designed to align with the Zoo conservation efforts when possible. This position will also create at least three opportunities designed for the target population to experience recreational opportunities in natural areas (e.g., hiking, birding, camping, paddling). In addition, they will work with local partners to create an afterschool program/club for the youth in the communities.

In return the AmeriCorps member will learn more about programming needs in relation to DEAI, gaining valuable evaluation/assessment skills, learning to work with local partners, and becoming a strong interpreter/educator.

Position Responsibilities and Duties

1) Community Outreach – This position will reach out to targeted underserved communities to learn more about their needs, concerns, and wants in relation to climate education and spending time in nature. This will be done through surveys, interviews, and focus groups. They will also learn which organizations are already working in these areas and develop partnerships with them, so we can work together to accomplish our goals. (First 5 months of the position.)

2) Environmental Education – The AmeriCorps member will then design programs and outreach materials for these communities. They will create and host at minimum 6 environmental education/outreach programs for the identified community for the pilot year and work with both the community and partner organizations to build a foundation for the future of the program including the afterschool program/club that would grow to additional communities the following years.

3) Nature Rock’s program management – To better understand the Nature Rock’s model and how it might need to be modified for these new communities the AmeriCorps member would assist with all Nature Rock’s programs throughout the year of their service.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in education, environmental studies, communications, natural sciences, or early childhood education is preferred.
• Or high school diploma/GED and at least three years of education experience working with a variety of audiences in a role such as: camp counselor, schoolteacher, or non-formal educator (e.g. Zoo, Aquarium, Museum, Park, or Nature Center).
• Effective oral and written communication skills are required.
• Spanish language is preferred but not required for the position.

Essential Functions / Physical Demands

Participants should be able towalk and hike in a variety of different terrains, be able and willing to lift25 lbs., and be able and willing to actively participate in outdoorenvironmental education activities and programs in all weather conditions.

Preferred Schedule

8:00 am – 5:00 pm Monday through Friday including holidays. Weekends will be scheduled periodically with appropriate weekdays off to maintain 38 hours a week. Some after hours and evenings will be scheduled with plenty of advance notice and appropriate time off to compensate for the hours worked.

JOB CODE: Zoo 2

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Temporary. Job Tags: accessibility, AmeriCorps, climate education, Diversity, environmental education, Equity, inclusion, and Zoo. Salaries: Less than 20,000.

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