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AmeriCorps - Zoo Academy Lab and Program Evaluation Support Member
Cincinnati, OH
Job Description
Education, Zoo Academy Lab, and Program Impact Member (FULL-TIME)
ABOUT THE CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN AND AMERICORPS
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden offers opportunities for everyone! CZBG and AmeriCorps have partnered to bring a variety of fun, engaging, and conservation-based opportunities to audiences including youth, visitors, animal ambassadors, and more! Together, CZBG and AmeriCorps will provide quality STEM education to economically disadvantaged PreK-12th grade students, will engage Zoo visitors, volunteers, Zooteens, and community members in environmentally conscious practices and behaviors, grow and maintain Zoo and community garden spaces, facilitate data coordination for animal welfare excellence and conservation research, and support a variety of sustainability initiatives.
Our Zoo Unto Others AmeriCorps members serve 3 communities: human, wildlife, and ecological. This position will focus on direct service of teachers and economically disadvantaged students to improve science literacy and academic engagement.
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known for many things - our conservation efforts, our green initiatives, our friendly staff... but did you know that we have a strong set of core values that make us the best team around, and a Top Workplace in Cincinnati? We're more than coworkers... we're family. By building Collaborative Relationships, displaying Positivity & Energy, having Pride, Passion & a Sense of Ownership, supporting Accountability, Mutual Trust & Respect, and embracing Progressive Thinking, we have built a team of dedicated staff that focuses on our visitors, our community, & our future.
This is what we believe and how we act. If this gets you fired up, we look forward to having you join our team!
ABOUT THE EDUCATION AMERICORPS MEMBER POSITION
The incumbent is a full-time AmeriCorps position serving 1,700 hours (40 hours per week) over an 11-month term of service (October 1, 2024 to August 31, 2025). Incumbent will work closely with schools and teachers that utilize the Zoo's school grant, the Living Classroom Education Access Fund (LCEAF) which provides funding to undeserved students to access the Zoo. This service includes all aspects of the LCEAF grant management, guiding teachers through the entire process from signing up for field trips to teacher professional development, program instruction and evaluation. Incumbent will also collaborate with a local public school to offer urban learning garden programs in-school and after-school). They will report directly to and be supervised by the Education Programs Team. Schedules will serve 5 days a week, 8-hour days and assigned Monday-Saturday with some nights and weekends as needed.
RESPONSIBILITIES
LCEAF Programs
- Coordinate and oversee the Living Classroom Education Access Fund (LCEAF) grant application process including communicating with teachers about the application process, approving applications, submitting data from LCEAF student surveys to all LCEAF students, and tracking approved student attendance numbers against targets to allow 15,000 underserved students to participate in Field Trips for free, annually.
- Recruit students from Avondale and the Greater Cincinnati Metropolitan area from LCEAF qualifying schools and organizations to apply for EdZoo2U and Field Trip programs.
- Assisting in delivery of LCEAF programming as needed.
- Create and maintain self-guided activities focused on meeting school standards through in-person field trips.
- Help create education-focused content for both the Teacher Connections Facebook page and for Zoo's blog.
- Zoo Academy (ZA) Program
- Create a school year calendar to be shared with Zoo lab staff that identifies the beginning of each school quarter, the beginning/end of lab cycles, upcoming school staff PD days, holidays, breaks, etc. so that Zoo staff are informed of when students will not be in labs.
- Communicate with the Zoo on a bi-weekly basis of changes in student schedules, upcoming holidays, student photos, and shout outs of students in action.
- Visit lab sites to collect photos and stories of students bi-weekly.
- Coordinate lab placement of students and communicate with Zoo lab staff one month before lab start date.
- Coordinate beginning, mid-year, and end of year celebration of ZA students and staff.
- Coordinate the annual selection and distribution of student uniforms at the beginning of the school year.
- Write up a quarterly report on what they are learning from both students and zoo lab staff, highlights, and their thoughts on how to improve the program.
Program Impact Evaluation
- Help review program goals and objectives against the existing curriculum outcomes for Zoo Troop Toddler Programs.
- Observe, evaluate, and assess program outcomes to measure impact of and goals for the program year.
- Collect data, evaluate outcomes, and create summative reports of findings.
General
- Train on and handle Education Animal Ambassadors, employing the highest care and presentation standards as defined in the CZBG animal handling guidelines.
- Prioritize the inclusion of sustainability and conservation messaging in program curriculum. Specifically championing the Zoo's sustainability initiatives and the Build a Better Home for Wildlife (BBHW) messaging and Plant for Pollinators campaign.
- Mentor high school students (Zoo Academy students and Zoo Teens) in conservation and environmental education.
- * Potential to assist with instruction of Public and School Programs containing LCEAF-funded PreK-12 children October - August.
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Skills
- Data and evaluation collection skills
- Strong communication and public speaking skills
- Strong customer service skills
- Excellent organizational skills with ability to meet deadlines and independently manage multiple tasks and timely follow-through.
- Flexibility to adapt to changing needs and to work effectively with minimal supervision.
- Willingness to seek and use available resources to support problem-solving efforts.
- Ability to independently problem solve and think strategically
- Ability to work and build relationships with people from diverse backgroundsAbility to work collaboratively with Education team members
Commitment to Service
- Ability to fulfill an 11 month long , full-time AmeriCorps service commitment
- Dedication to CZBG and AmeriCorps' missions
- Enthusiastic and positive attitude that demonstrates a desire to serve and help others
- Contribute to the overall success of the Zoo's LCEAF program, but also seek out new challenges and learn and grow while in this position over the course of the service year.
Professionalism
- Dedication to CZBG mission, Core Values, and program areas
- Willingness to represent the CZBG to outside groups
- Maturity and good judgment in relating to CZBG peers, partners, and visitors
Project Management
- Ability to work on projects independently
- Ability to organize multiple tasks
- Attention to detail
- Ability to prioritize time and responsibilities
- Demonstrate good time management both in the office and during presentations
Additional Qualifications
- Minimum of a High School Diploma/GED plus related experience is required
- A sincere commitment to wildlife and nature conservation, and desire to share that value with others
- Knowledge of informal science education, wildlife ecology, environmental science, biology, zoology and/or a related natural science
- Knowledge of/ education in/ experience in formal education, or environmental education, conservation education, or a related non-formal education field
- Knowledge of/education in outdoor education and/or urban gardens preferred but not required.
- Experience handling birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates or a strong desire and willingness to learn.
- Desire and interest in working with people of all ages and backgrounds; demonstrated patience, rapport with, and understanding of underserved audiences.
- Ability to use basic and some advanced functions of Windows operating systems, SharePoint, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Publisher, Teams), web-based forms, and virtual learning platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.).
- Ability to work evenings and weekends as needed.
Required
- Valid Driver's License
- High School Diploma or equivalent
- Ability to travel locally when needed
- To serve as an AmeriCorps member, individuals must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States
- Ability to stand, walk, climb and grasp objects
- Must be able to lift & move 25 pounds without mechanical assistance
- Appointment is conditional upon passing a pre-start drug screen, providing a negative TB test, providing proof of full vaccination status as defined by the CDC, and providing information to establish eligibility and complete a National Criminal History Check
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
- Total living allowance of up to $30,000 to be paid bi-weekly over the 11-month service term.
- Eligible to receive an education award of $6,895 upon successful completion of a 1,700-hour service term. *Value dependent on Pell Grant each year.
- Health care and childcare benefit eligible
- AmeriCorps status could qualify you for forbearance and interest payments on qualified student loans during service.
- Extensive training, practice, and skill building in the fields of environmental and informal education, animal handling skills, conservation communication, research, and horticulture for all audiences, as well as seasonal tickets and discounts provided within the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
- Making a difference in the community while being part of a dedicated service team.
We strive to be an organization that is diverse & reflects the fullness of society. With a strongly held value for an organizational culture characterized by inclusion & belonging, we are committed to equity in all we do. We are especially interested in candidates who can contribute to our organization's diversity & who want to walk alongside us in our commitment to inclusion & equity.
The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is an equal opportunity employer
Job Summary
Start Date
As soon as possible
Employment Term and Type
Regular, Full Time
Required Education
High School or Equivalent
Required Experience
Open
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