Environmental Education/Visitor Services Specialist

~ The ecological monitoring program at Great Basin Institute (GBI) serves as an excellent professional development opportunity for burgeoning natural resource professionals looking for experience in botanical, soil, and rangeland surveys. ~

This program is a component of our well-established Research Associate Program, which focuses on the conservation and management of natural, cultural and recreation resources in the Intermountain West.

As an element of the ecological monitoring program, participants implement the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) strategy, which is targeted at collecting standardized inventory and long-term vegetation data at multiple scales across western BLM districts. In accordance with this strategy and through partnerships with multiple agencies, GBI’s ecological monitoring program is dedicated to providing college graduates and emerging professionals with hands-on survey, inventory, monitoring, and reporting experience in natural resource management.

Position Overview

The Great Basin Institute, in cooperation with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, is recruiting an Environmental Education/Visitor Services Specialist at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (Nye County, NV). The specialist will work collaboratively with Refuge staff to manage and implement a variety of visitor service programs. 

Responsibilities

Programs will mainly revolve around interpretation, education and volunteers. Job duties include, but aren’t limited to:

• Supervise and coordinate volunteer program through volunteer recruitment, training, project coordination, recognition, etc.
• Conduct outreach, staff outreach events, and develop and conduct special events.
• Prepare and conduct teacher training and orientation programs.
• Staff information desks in visitor center or contact stations, and provides roving interpretation.
• Develop and present a variety of interpretive and recreation programs.
• Development of interpretive materials such as brochures, pamphlets, exhibits, website updates and signs.
• Develop and present environmental education programs.
• Perform light cleaning and maintenance to provide a clean and safe visitor facility.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in education or related coursework and commensurate field experience.
• Experience recruiting, training and/or managing volunteers.
• Experience conducting interpretation, highly desirable.
• Experience living or working in, and/or knowledge of Mojave Desert (preferable) or desert ecosystems and natural/cultural resources, desirable.
• Experience developing and implementing environmental education and outreach programs and curricula.
• Experience creating interpretive materials (e.g.: pamphlets, posters) or displays.
• Knowledge of and/or experience developing multi-media programs, desirable.
• Motivated, self-starter who is detail oriented and capable of working with little direct supervision to develop and present programs.
• Flexibility to handle competing and changing priorities.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse public in a variety of forums.
• Ability to speak Spanish conversationally, desirable but not required.
• Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments.
• Possess valid, clean, state-issued driver’s license.

Additional Information

Contract Timeline:

• November/December 2018 for a 1-year duration; potential for extension pending available funding and positive performance review.
• Full time, 40 hours per week; weekend hours will be required.
• Minimal overtime may be required.

Location:

• Ash Meadows NWR, one of the first wetlands in the United States to be designated a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, comprises over 23,000 acres of spring-fed wetlands and alkaline desert in the Mojave Desert of southern Nevada near Death Valley National Park.
• The Refuge was established in 1984 to protect threatened and endangered species and more than two dozen endemic plant and animal species.
• The Refuge also provides habitat for over 100 species of plants and animals that are considered sensitive, or are state protected or priority species.
• The Research Associate must provide his/her own reliable transportation for non-work-related trips since the closest personal amenities and grocery stores are located approximately 30 miles from the Refuge in Pahrump, Nevada.
• The city of Las Vegas is located approximately 90 miles southeast of the Refuge.

Compensation

• Rate of pay: $17.00/hour.
• Medical and dental benefits.
• Housing available at a reduced rate in shared bunkhouse for the first 30 days to help with relocation.