About Our Organization: Piedmont Wildlife Center is a Durham-based non-profit organization encouraging conservation and inspiring people to build lifelong connections with nature through immersive outdoor education, citizen science, and wildlife stewardship.
Land Acknowledgement: Piedmont Wildlife Center operates out of Leigh Farm Park in Durham County and Blackwood Farm Park in Orange County. Both parks are remnants of 19th-century plantations and are on land that was once part of the shared territory of Saponi, Tuscarora, Occaneechi, Cheraw, Eno, Shakori, Catawba, and Lumbee nations. The county parks departments have preserved multiple historic structures in our locations. In addition, we operate camps at Umstead State Park in Wake County which was once a segregated park and indigenous territory. It is imperative that we discuss this history with our staff and campers, amplify the stories of the indigenous and enslaved peoples who cared for the land and continue learning about and examining the parks’ legacy.
Position Summary: Fellows will assist in facilitating week-long environmental camp programs with themes ranging through a variety of environmental themes. Throughout the 9 week season, Fellows will also complete a Capstone project that is meant to utilize your skills acquired through your background and implement them into our programming. Fellows should be excited to share their passion for environmental education with campers who are developing their own connection to nature and becoming inspired to protect the natural world.
Job Responsibilities:
- Plan and facilitate engaging activities focused on nature connection and environmental education.
- Counselors are responsible for safely leading groups of 12-15 campers ages 5-12 and one Counselor-in-Training age 13-17 through outdoor educational activities while monitoring both individual and group needs and adapting plans to help all individuals successfully engage in programming
- Supervise camper safety and enforce activity policies
- Communicate with co-counselors, program coordinators, and parents about program outcomes and camper behavior.
- 50% in camp 50% on project- everyday
- Presentationeducational presentation on a topic of your choosing to the whole camp group.
- Collect Data using surveys about child engagement, and learning from your presentation/ project
Job Objectives:
- Conduct educational program design and implement in our summer camp programs
- Develop tactics & observe professionals in the field for developing an active learning environment.
- Expand knowledge in local flora and fauna, while exploring different environmental education methods
- Plan and lead educational presentation on topic of choosing
- Propose and complete a Capstone project by the end of the fellowship.
Required Qualifications:
- Ability to challenge yourself, ask questions, communicate your needs, and grow
- Ability to use imagination and be child-appropriate
- Must be open to learn
- Ability to hike at least 2 miles comfortably.
- Comfortable exploring muddy and swampy areas.
- Experience with Google Suite
- Reliable transportation to Wake, Durham, and/or Orange County locations.
- Must be 18 years or older and rising junior or senior working towards a degree in environmental ed, environmental science, conservation, wildlife, geology, or other related field.
- First aid and CPR for adults and pediatric certified
Preferred Qualifications:
- Environmental education experience
- Knowledge of local ecology or tracking and survival skills..
- Relevant outdoor certifications such as Wilderness First Aid/Responder, Certified Interpretive Guide, Leave No Trace Master Educator, and/or NC Environmental Educator.
Application Deadline: March 1, 2025