Naturalist/Outdoor Educator (part time, year round)

Common Ground is a nonprofit organization that includes a high school, farm, and Environmental Education Center. This position works for the Environmental Education Center, connecting children to farm, forest, nature, and outdoor recreation.

Job Title: Environmental Educator: Teacher

this position is eligible to work in any of our programs for children. For spring 2026, the primary need is with our SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS, and for summer the position will work WEEKEND PRGRAMS and/or SUMMER CAMP.

Work Schedule for April - June: Weekday mornings, 9:30 AM - 12 PM. Some afternoon shifts available. All staff must be available a minimum of three mornings per week. Actual schedule will vary. New schedule to be made for summer 2026 based on applicant preference and program need.

About the work:

Our SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS welcome classes of children from local schools to Common Ground to connect with nature! We serve preK through 8th grade. Trip topics include hikes, farm to table pizza making, campfire cooking, farm tours, wetland science, nature based play, sheep and wool, maple sugaring, and other seasonal specialty topics. An outline and learning concepts are provided for each trip and field trip teachers also draw on their own knowledge of the natural world to enrich the participant experience.

SUMMER CAMP welcomes children for full days of play, imagination, learning, and adventure in nature.

Position requirements and responsibilities:

• Significant experience with planning and leading nature based lessons and activities for groups of children
• Significant experience meeting social and emotional needs of children, including positive behavior management, setting group routines and group culture, and modifying to meet the needs of individual children.
• Enthusiasm for both teacher led learning and for supervising play, imagination, and child-led activities, understanding that both of these are important parts of the program.
• Use excellent communication skills, including speaking with children, adults, and coworkers.
• Use strong critical thinking and problem solving skills and sound judgment as part of routine daily work.
• Willingness to be flexible and work with the day’s teaching team to adapt plans to the ages, weather conditions, and other needs of the day
• Commitment to working joyfully and inclusively with children and adults of all identities, with much of our work serving a racially and economically diverse urban community.
• Commitment to child centered teaching and behavior management, with the ability and desire to consider and seek to meet the needs of individual children.
• Work in a setting with farm animals as well as native wildlife including insects, reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds.
• Engage in the physical requirements of this role, including being physically active for the majority of a scheduled work shift, safely navigating outdoor terrain that includes uneven and unpaved surfaces, sitting on the ground, carrying a backpack with teaching supplies, and teaching outside in weather conditions including heat, rain, cold, and snow.
• Verifiable record of consistent attendance and punctuality at previous workplaces

Additional responsibilities:

This position is part of the Community Programs Team and is supervised by the Director of Community Programs. Additional position responsibilities include:

• Participation in ongoing staff development and meetings as scheduled for the Environmental Education team (as possible within personal availability for meetings that may sometimes be outside of routine work hours)
• Ongoing commitment to anti-bias and anti-racist work, including participation in professional development and implementation of any new curriculum, policies, or ways of working together and with our community.
• Work to support the overall operations of the non-profit programs as needed and available. This may include animal care, maintenance of program teaching and play areas, garden care, and working in additional programs for children and families.

Benefits:

• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• PTO

Job Type: Part-time

Pay: $21.63 per hour

Benefits:

• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance

Work Location: In person

Salary : $22