Position Title: Seasonal Summer Children’s Garden Instructor

Department: Education

Reports to: Children’s Garden Co-coordinators

Training: Tuesday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. | June 11–28

Program: Tuesday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m. July 9–August 16 | 28 hours/week

Compensation: $20 per hour

Application Deadline: May 31, 2024

Position Description:

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Children’s Education programs are renowned for teaching hands-on gardening and plant science to young people. Children’s Garden instructors spend the growing season in BBG’s Children’s Garden, teaching children to grow, harvest, and cook their own food, care for the environment, and explore the natural world. Children’s Garden instructors teach age-appropriate gardening lessons to a group of 12 children with the assistance of two to three teen apprentices from our Garden Apprentice Program. Prior to the summer season, instructors will participate in a three-week-long paid training program, covering seasonal content, pedagogy, and horticultural skills.

The Children’s Garden team is looking to fill this role as soon as possible and will prioritize candidates who can commit to all training and program dates.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a group of 12 children ages 6–8 in hands-on gardening instruction in a half-acre food garden.
• Mentor two to three teen apprentices who assist instructors in facilitating their group.
• Develop age and seasonally appropriate lesson plans and lead supplementary enrichment activities, such as seasonal cooking, nature crafts, nature exploration, or science experiments.
• Ensure that assigned garden plots are maintained according to weekly schedule (including planting, weeding, mulching, and watering).
• Assist in teaching other education programs as needed.

Qualifications:

• Formal or non-formal teaching experience; experience with plants, horticulture, and/or botany
• Experience teaching children, ideally in a classroom or outdoor setting
• Some gardening experience preferred; professional horticulture experience not necessary so long as the individual is eager to learn
• Flexibility and willingness to take on a variety of tasks along with ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment
• Experience and comfort working with youth and staff from diverse backgrounds
• High level of responsibility, reliability, and motivation
• Ability to perform physical labor and work outdoors in various weather conditions
• Passion for education, gardening, and fun

Benefits:

• BBG offers certain benefits to part-time employees including:
  • Up to 56 hours of sick leave
  • Short-term disability/New York Paid Family Leave
• As a 501(c)3, BBG is a Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Eligible Employer
• Museum Pass which provides employees the opportunity to enter many museums in New York City for free

To be considered for this position, please submit an application by clicking Apply below. Applications submitted without a résumé and cover letter will not be considered.

No telephone calls for position inquiries, please. Applicants with disabilities who need assistance with the online system, or who may require a reasonable accommodation during the application process, should contact Human Resources at hr@bbg.org.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.