Natural Scientist Assistant - Education

Pay Range: $18.00/hr.

Job Posting Closing on: Wednesday, March 25, 2026 📅

Workdays & Hours: This is a seasonal position and will work up to 40 hours a week for 8.5 weeks. Weekends, evenings and holidays required.

The City of Fort Worth is one of the fastest growing large cities in the U.S. Our employees serve the needs of over 1,000,000 residents, promoting our values of exceptional customer experience, mutual respect, embracing our diversity, continuous improvement, ethical behavior, and accountability. 🌆

A Natural Scientist Assistant job is available with the City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department at the Nature Center. The Parks & Recreation Department maintains nearly 300 parks and public spaces citywide as well as provides recreational activities and educational programming that makes Fort Worth a great place to live, work and play.

The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge is a 3,650-acre City of Fort Worth natural area which is preserved and protected by dedicated City of Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department employees through education and sound natural resource management. The Parks & Recreation Department maintains more than 200 parks and public spaces citywide as well as providing recreational activities and educational programming that makes Fort Worth a great place to live, work and play.

Minimum Qualifications

• H.S. diploma/GED, and a minimum of 16 credit hours from an accredited college or university with major course work in a natural or physical science, including biology, geology, botany, range management, environmental science, forestry, or a related field or informal organized training (such as the Texas Master Naturalist program)
• No direct experience is required
• Possess a valid Texas driver’s license
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Currently enrolled student or recent graduate from an accredited college or university with major course work in natural or physical sciences, including, but not limited to: biology, geology, botany, range management, wildlife sciences, environmental science, forestry, a related field, or in the field of education focusing on science-based education
• Currently holds a Certification in a Natural Science field or a Teaching certificate with an emphasis in Science or Environmental Science
• Experience developing or conducting educational programs and leading hikes for the public of all ages.
• Working with captive wildlife for educational purposes (handling and husbandry).
  
  

Responsibilities

The Natural Scientist Assistant – Education Naturalist job responsibilities include:

• Assist with the development and implementation of educational and recreational programs centering on natural science topics for groups including, but not limited to: community education programs, summer youth camps, public outreach programs, and nature hikes
• Assist with paddling programs using a canoe or a kayak
• Assist with the care and maintenance of captive education animals. Reviews animal care logs to ensure proper care
• Assist and coordinate overnight camping experiences including hiking, fishing, and paddling
• Assist Naturalist staff to maintain education exhibits
• Assist Education staff greeting visitors, answering phones, and answering visitors’ questions
• Participate in cleaning facilities such as, but not limited to restrooms, hallways, kitchen, etc
• Perform facility opening and closing duties; patrols area to ensure safety procedures are followed
• Adhere to assigned work schedule as outlined in the Department and City attendance policies and procedures; ensures all behaviors comply with the City’s Personnel Rules and Regulations
• Perform related duties and responsibilities as required
  
  

Working Conditions and Physical Demand

Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically require touching, talking, hearing, seeing, grasping, standing, walking and repetitive motions.

Sedentary Work – Depending on assignment, positions in this class typically exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, a negligible amount of force frequently, and/or or constantly having to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Apply Now! Come be part of something special in Fort Worth. 🌟

Conditions of Employment

The City of Fort Worth is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. It is the policy and practice of the City to recruit, hire, train and promote a diverse workforce without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, parental status, military service, or another non-merit factor.

The City of Fort Worth is committed to full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and to perform essential job functions.

Candidates who do not meet the Education requirement, may be considered if they have more relevant work experience than the position requires. Those selected for employment will be required to pass Pre-Employment checks depending on the position requirements. Those could include, but are not limited to: criminal background check, drug screen, education verification, etc. criminal convictions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Employees are paid by direct deposit only.