What are the responsibilities and job description for the Seasonal Naturalist position at Mountain Air Country Club?
About the Company:
Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains at an elevation of 4,600’, just northeast of Asheville, NC, our member-owned country club offers the very best in aviation, recreation, and club living. Mountain Air Country Club's staff culture is team-oriented and dedicated to advancement, excellence, and excellent customer service. All positions offer a quality work environment, employee meals during busy season, 401k matching, a season-ending bonus, and more.
About the Role:
The Seasonal Naturalist is a critical member of Mountain Air’s Nature Team, coordinating, marketing, and leading a wide variety of educational nature programs. The person in this important position helps to create remarkable, personalized nature experiences for the Mountain Air community from May – October. The 25-40 hour/week schedule parallels seasonal vacation activity; when other people play, we work. Expect to be busiest on weekends and holidays. Full-time commitment preferred; schedule adjustments considered on a case-by-case basis. Must be able to work on Sundays.
Schedule:
Weekend and holiday shifts are required; occasional evening shifts are likely. 25-40 hours per week, 4-5 days per week. 7-9 hours per shift, depending on the program schedule and individual circumstances.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or associate degree in natural science, education, or a related field, or commensurate experience in a science communication role
- Knowledge of southern Appalachian flora and fauna
- Nature enthusiast
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Ability to deliver high service standards in a hospitality setting
- Eager teacher and learner with boundless curiosity
- Energetic, engaging, and enthusiastic disposition
Preferred Qualifications:
- At least two years of experience working with groups of children and/or adults.
- Gardening or agriculture experience.
- Outdoor recreation experience: camping, hiking, paddling, fishing, etc.
- Professional experience in a customer service setting
- Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional 10-hour days, early mornings, and/or late nights
- Childcare or teaching experience
- Basic first aid/CPR certification
Responsibilities:
- Lead interpretive walks and hands-on nature programs for community members.
- Enhance community engagement with nature and garden activities through social media, website presence, and e-newsletters.
- Share indoor responsibilities in the Outdoor Discovery Center (ODC) including administrative and interpretive tasks.
- Coordinate and participate in daily upkeep of the ODC, including caring for resident animals, tending to the pollinator garden, and updating educational exhibits.
- Create and sustain a welcoming, compelling indoor environment for ODC visitors.
- Provide customized expert wildlife and forestry consultation to the Mountain Air community, including but not limited to flora and fauna identification and interpretation, and management of nuisance wildlife issues.
- Maintain inventory and merchandise systems through a computer-based point-of-sale system.
- Aid in the coordination of Mountain Air’s emergency response procedures.
- Represent Mountain Air positively and professionally to the Yancey County community, professional organizations, members, guests, and other employees.
- Safely drive a 14-passenger van and meet Mountain Air vehicle insurance eligibility requirements.
- Responding to member and guest questions about Mountain Air trails, flora, and fauna.
- Presenting live animals and other ODC exhibits and activities to children and adults.
- Assisting with maintenance of community garden.
- Describing trails and rivers on and off Mountain Air property to members and guests.
Skills:
- Excitement about nature-based apps such as iNaturalist, eBird, and Seek, used to promote community science projects and collect data.
- Proficiency with various software packages and platforms such as Publisher, Excel, Word, Instagram, and Facebook.
- Careful and effective spoken and written language habits.
- No hesitation handling pet reptiles (resident corn snake and 2 turtles).
- Strong organizational skills.
- Wholehearted advocate for outdoor recreation.
- Ability to work consistently well with no supervision.
- Comfortable working in a country club/private resort environment.
- Enthusiastic team player.
- Ability to hike at least 3 miles on rough trails.
- Confidence when talking with small groups of adults and children.
- Excellent judgment, decisiveness, and creativity when handling new or unexpected situations.