MRBO in partner with the Missouri Department of Conservation is hiring a Community Conservation Educator to be based out the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center in Kansas City.

Summary/Objective
The Missouri River Bird Observatory (MRBO) and Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) are offering a joint position as Community Conservation Educator. This position is intended to accelerate conservation education in Kansas City and the surrounding area by providing opportunities for community members to connect with nature, such as wildlife viewing, hiking, plant and insect studies, nature-related artistic endeavors, and more.

Essential Job Duties

• Work with MRBO and the MDC’s Community Conservation Team (and partners to help community members connect with nature where they live. 
• Identify and implement strategies to deliver community conservation to underserved populations and communities. 
• Support community conservation projects and programs within the Kansas City Region community conservation framework. 
• Develop and implement events at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center as well as at various community centers and outdoor locations throughout KC. 
• Expand network and associated programming with traditional and nontraditional partners. 
• Work with schools to create and deliver high-quality conservation education.
• Promote and facilitate schools’ use of MDC- and MRBO-provided instructional units.
• Assist with MRBO’s BirdSafe Kansas City project, and with bird-related educational events in the KC metro area. 
• Represent MRBO and MDC at meetings, conferences, festivals, symposia and workshops as presenter and attendee. 
• Develop and/or assist with the development of educational materials, plans, grant applications, etc.
• Develop, schedule, and conduct curriculum for workshops, training classes, etc.
• Train, mentor, and support educators and other stakeholders in the teaching of ecology and environmental science.
• Perform administrative duties such as generation of regular reports. 
• Answer questions via telephone, e-mail and in-person discussions with internal and external stakeholders and customers professionally.
• Order supplies and track budget expenditures to include a MRBO credit card, ensuring proper documentation and filing of necessary documentation and forms.

Ancillary Job Duties

• Serve on internal and external committees.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s Degree in Conservation Education, Environmental Education, Nature Resource Management, or related field.
• Two (2) years of professional experience in a conservation-related subject area, including developing programs and materials for conservation education. 
• Must maintain a current, valid driver’s license.
• Must be vaccinated against Covid-19.  

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities 

The ideal candidate:

• Is committed to including all people in nature experiences and is motivated to reach underserved communities. 
• Is deeply inspired by environmental education and conservation in Kansas City and surrounds. 
• Leads by example and inspires others with an environmentally conscientious lifestyle.
• Is highly detail-oriented, rational, resilient, and organized in their thinking and planning.
• Has a demonstrated track record in education event coordination, including all aspects of development, planning, and execution.
• Has experience and proficiency in using Microsoft Office applications and cloud sharing services (i.e. Google Drive, DropBox, OneDrive etc.). 
• Has a multitude of experiences giving ecological programs to a variety of audiences.
• Is committed to including all people in nature experiences and is motivated to reach underserved communities. 
• Is professional in their written and verbal communications.  
• Is comfortable working and teaching outdoors and in the field (moderate physical fitness is needed).
• Has ecological understanding from former education and/or experience. 
• Has basic bird identification skills/ ability to lead groups on bird outings.
• Enjoys growing partnerships, networking, and collaboration.
• Grant writing experience is preferred but not required. 

Work Environment

• Work is typically performed in a standard office environment among other educators and nature center staff.
• Frequently work in outdoor weather which may be hot, cold, wet or humid.
  

Disclaimer: This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; an employee may also perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by immediate supervisor and other management as required.  

Location, Hours, Salary and Benefits:

• This position requires the candidate to live in the Kansas City area and be on-site at the Anita B. Gorman Discovery Center several times per week (frequency is seasonal).  Some work-from-home may be allowable. 
• Schedule is extremely variable and based on program needs – weekend and evening work can be frequent at some times of year.  
• Overnight travel is sometimes necessary (approximately once per month) 
• This is a full time, salaried position. Salary starts at $34-36,000 range based on candidate’s experience. 
• Comprehensive health care is available via MRBO, with employer contributing $300/month. 
• Work-related travel expenses (personal vehicle use, lodging, some meals) are reimbursed in full.
• Benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, and flexibility in scheduling. 

How to Apply
To apply for the Community Conservation Educator position, please submit a cover letter, current resume, and contact information for three references by 31 July 2023 by emailing them to dana.ripper@mrbo.org AND ethan.duke@mrbo.org, with a copy to claudine.lamb@mdc.mo.gov.  

Applications will be reviewed as they are received. 

Please Note
MRBO and MDC value diversity of all kinds and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where we all learn from each other. Our commitment to diversity includes the recognition that our conservation mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and culture.