Senior Educator

Position Summary

The Senior Educator delivers innovative and meaningful educational experiences that engage students and aquarium guests in STEAM learning and environmental conservation. Mississippi Aquarium’s education programs include but are not limited to field trips, camps, homeschool days, outreach, and field work. This position will serve as a resource to other staff and must have experience in the field. This position will regularly collaborate with other members of the Guest Experience team.

Responsibilities

• Present and facilitate engaging programs, activities, and instruction for students participating in field trip experiences, utilizing the best practices in informal STEAM education and conservation messaging
• Participate in the planning, development, and delivery of onsite and offsite education programs
• Serve as departmental liaison for education interns; mentor undergraduate interns and oversee their projects
• Support data tracking
• Inspire learning and instill a passion for the aquatic world that encourages guests to play an active role in conservation efforts
• Under general supervision, identify and coordinate supplies and organize resources
• Assist in the development and coordination of Mississippi Aquarium’s camps; take lead on delivery, training of counselors, and managing each session.
• Support the assessment of instructional materials for education programs and projects
• Handle and present a variety of animal species (i.e., mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods); maintain current animal certification and proficiency
• Utilize excellent customer service and innovation to address challenges and find solutions
• Work collaboratively to evaluate the programs and progress of participants
• Support other teams within the Mississippi Aquarium to complete special projects and tasks
• Actively attend staff meetings and provide thoughtful, creative, and constructive participation
• Able to work a flexible schedule to satisfy operational needs, which will often include working on weekends, evenings, and holidays.
  
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in biology, psychology, education, or related field
• At least three years of formal or informal teaching experience
• An ability to lead and motivate other educators; manage special projects
• Demonstrated experience working with diverse audiences
• Willingness to work with various animal species and maintain animal handling certifications
• Must be available to work weekends, holidays, and evenings
• Previous experience and a passion for working with children
• Must have strong verbal and writing skills; superior interpersonal and public speaking skills are also necessary to engage with various audiences
• Ability to organize, manage time, set priorities, and meet deadlines
• Must be an innovative thinker who is willing to embrace challenges
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
  
  
  

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Interpretive Guide (National Association for Interpretation)
• Prior experience handling various animal species
• Current knowledge of wildlife conservation, scientific research, education trends, and environmental issues
• At least one year of experience developing and delivering informal science programming (preferably in an AZA-accredited facility)
  
  
  

Other Personal Attributes Include:

• Consistently looking forward, focused, ready to listen
• A heart for service, always willing to provide support to fellow team members
• Make important and tough decisions with resilience and grace
• Communicate a strategy well, oversee execution, and celebrate results
• Highly organized self-starter maintaining high standards
• Have an awareness and interest in the conservation of aquatic environments and their inhabitants
• Innovative, creative thinker; not afraid to propose something new and inspire others to do the same
• Proactive in finding solutions, productive, and efficient
  
  
  

Team Requirements:

• Safety & Security - All Team Members are required to adhere to all Mississippi Aquarium safety and security standards.
• Attendance & Appearance - To maximize the guest’s experience, all Team Members are required to adhere to Mississippi Aquarium standard operating procedures regarding attendance and dress code policies as it relates to individual job functionality.
• Sales & Guest Services - Our forward-thinking business model requires listening to and understanding the needs of our guests both internal and external. To that end, we must always be focused on the guest experience which is the key driver for return guest visitation and increased sales.
• Team Partnership - All Team Members are focused on supporting each other to complete the guest experience. Therefore, supporting, facilitating, and participating in activities that promote team effectiveness is vital to our organization.
  
  
  

Physical Demands & Work Environment:

The physical demands and work environment described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, color and peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is exposed to weather conditions prevalent at the time. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.