Garden Educator

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Explore Ecology School Gardens Program

Garden Educator Position (GE)

Full Time

A School Garden Educator’s primary role is to engage and educate students while maintaining the school’s garden and outdoor classroom. Main duties include: coordinating with teachers, planning and teaching lessons in outdoor classrooms to K-8th grade students, and planting, harvesting and maintaining organic garden space. The School Garden Educator reports to their assigned Garden Coordinator.

Pay and Benefits

Starting Hourly Pay: $18.00 per hour

Bonus Potential: Annual increase opportunity and bonuses based on performance

Full Time Employees: 30-40 hours per week

Health benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance

2 weeks per year of paid vacation

9 days per year of sick time off

8 Paid Holidays per year

Role and Responsibilities

Lead weekly garden education lessons in your school’s organic garden for K-8th grade students

Maintain and submit weekly reporting

Use a portion of your weekly assigned hours to maintain your school garden(s), growing a diverse mix of seasonal crops and perennials

Continue to build your school’s connection to the garden through garden work parties or campus beautification days, outreach to the PTA or Wellness Committees, recruiting and managing community volunteers to help with the garden, and by distributing produce harvested in the garden to the school community

Communicate regularly with your Garden Coordinator, attend monthly and/or weekly staff meetings focused on team building, staff development, and training

Work Environment

Outdoors and on a school campus

Standing, bending, and stooping, for extended periods of time (up to 8 hours)

Extensive contact with the public and children

Unassisted heavy lifting (up to 40 lbs.)

Scheduling

Shift Work Exclusively.

Full Time: 30-40 hours per week / 5 shifts

Part Time: approximately 15-25 hours per week / 3 shifts

Must be able to work occasional evenings and weekends (Saturday and/or Sunday), as scheduled.

Additional Qualifications and Education Requirements

Degree in relevant subject including but not limited to Environmental Education, Elementary Education, Horticulture, Botany

Experience working with groups of Elementary aged students

Must pass LiveScan (fingerprint background check) and TB test

Spanish Speakers are encouraged to apply

Preferred Skills and Characteristics

A passion to cultivate children’s connection to nature, healthy food, and culture through hands-on garden-based education

Experience teaching and working with elementary-age students

Experience with growing produce

Ability to work independently, setting own schedule, while maintaining clear communication with assigned Garden Coordinator

Strong organizational skills

About Explore Ecology

Explore Ecology is a Santa Barbara based non-profit organization that educates over 38,000 children a year, inspiring them to engage with the natural world, think critically, and experience the value of environmental stewardship. Explore Ecology programs include the Art From Scrap Creative ReUse Store, Environmental Education Program, Watershed Resource Center, and School Gardens Program. While Explore Ecology is based in Santa Barbara, we serve schools throughout Santa Barbara County and encourage applicants from throughout the county!

Explore Ecology actively promotes an environment of respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We support all employees regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, race, ethnic origin, color, religion, national origin, creed, marital status, disabled veteran status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, and/or physical disability that does not inhibit the performance of the specific core tasks of this position.

To view more open positions at Explore Ecology, please visit our website: https://exploreecology.org/get-involved/job-listings/