Educator en Nashville Zoo

Position/Title: Educator I

Department: Education

Supervisor: Family Programs Manager

Nashville Zoo Mission:

Nashville Zoo is dedicated to inspiring a culture of understanding and discovery of our natural world through conservation, innovation, and leadership. With a diverse collection of animals and a commitment to wildlife preservation, we provide engaging experiences for visitors of all ages.

Why Work with Us:

At the Nashville Zoo, we believe in taking care of our team just as well as we care for our animals. Full-time employees enjoy a robust benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and future:

Position Description:

The Educator I is part of a dedicated team who are committed to integrating education into the guest experience and recognize the significance of education in fostering community support for the Zoo. The Educator I is experienced in non-formal education with demonstrated ability to adapt programming to a variety of audiences and program settings.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• • Serves as educator for a wide variety of programming, such early childhood programs, scout workshops, education zoo-wide events. This position also assists with planning a large camp programs for grades kindergarten through 12^th grade and Night Owl overnight experiences.
  • Has a strong knowledge of all program content.
  • Design and facilitate age-appropriate curricula for a wide variety of programming.
  • Assists in the development of new programming and curriculum.
  • Works with a variety of animals during programming, including small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.
  • Assists with administering program evaluations, as well as maintaining accurate statistics for all programming.
  • Engages with guests and program participants on a regular basis, providing excellent service to ensure a positive guest experience.
  • Builds positive relationships within the Education Team and with other Zoo Departments.
  • Supports all Zoo education programs as needed. 
  • Participates in workshops, conferences and continuing education classes.
  • Assists with internal and external online registration systems. 
  • Participates in Nashville Zoo teams and projects. 
  • Effectively handles customer service concerns.   
  • Other duties as assigned. 

Qualifications

Required Skills:

The successful candidate must have:

• Comfort working with ambassador animals
• Desire to work with and speak to the general public
• Demonstrated excellent interpersonal communication skills and be able to collaborate effectively with other zoo departments
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to represent the zoo
• Ability to work well independently without direct supervision
• Excellent multitasking and time management ability
• Ability to respond to emergency situations calmly and follow protocols

Desired Skills:

The following skills and experience are desired and are considered a plus:

• Bachelor’s degree, or working towards, in Biology, Zoology, Environmental Education/Interpretation, Education, or related field
• Familiarity with technology relevant to use in a zoo education setting
• Knowledge and experience with live animal education programming

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to move items up to 25 pounds
• Ability to work outdoors in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit
• Ability to move around zoo grounds for extended periods of time

Pre-employment requirements:

Nashville Zoo is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and maintains a drug-free work environment. All employment is at-will.

• All candidates are required to successfully complete a criminal background check and drug screening prior to hire.
• Pre-employment and annual tuberculosis (TB) screenings are a condition of continued employment.