Young Naturalist Summer Educator

Job Title:  Young Naturalist Summer Educator                                                                                                                          

Reports to: Patricia Himes

Work Status: Seasonal                                               

Updated: May 20, 2025                                              

Hourly wage: $18.50 / hour

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

PPC Mission Statement

We improve quality of life by enhancing and stewarding Pittsburgh’s parks in partnership with the community.

Position Summary

This position supports and works alongside a full-time naturalist educator to deliver the Young Naturalist Program, a paid 5-week summer intensive that offers high school students hands-on opportunities in park stewardship, ecological restoration and career exploration.

Position Duties

The Young Naturalist Summer Educator will:

• Create a welcoming and friendly environment for high school students to express themselves, explore the outdoors, and enjoy new outdoor recreation experiences


• help students discover their interests & passions, recognize their skills, and discover potential career pathways that align with these


• listen to students’ needs and help ensure they are met within reason – we gather “gots and needs” from every day of the program and use these to help adjust our activities throughout the summer


• collaborate with Young Naturalists Coordinator to deliver 5 weeks of a high quality, hands-on, student-centered & nature-centered learning experience


• facilitate small group learning experiences with a student-centered inquiry-based approach


• help lead stewardship projects and help coach students through developing plans for selected student-led stewardship projects


• assist with daily tasks such as replenishing first aid supplies, replenishing drinking water in the gatehouse, organizing materials, collecting trash/recycling/compost from the island/gatehouse, cleaning the gatehouse at the end of the day, reviewing gots & needs, etc.

Position Schedule

Start date:  June 9th

Position ends: August 8th

Program Planning – Weeks of June 10th and June 16th

• Schedule is flexible with seasonal naturalist educator working up to a maximum of 20 hours per week carrying out preparation tasks such as curriculum development, gathering supplies, testing equipment and meeting with the program lead.

Orientation – June 24th, 12pm-8pm

• Assist with set up and tear down of space, ordering and setting up pizza dinner, assembly of gear packages for each student, and completion of paperwork

Preparation Week – June 23, 25, 26 and 27

• Work four days, up to 8 hours each, preparing materials for the retreat, getting the gatehouse ready for the summer, finishing stewardship project plans

Young Naturalist Retreat – June 30 through July 3

• Attend the program retreat at Powdermill Nature Reserve supporting a variety of field experiences, teambuilding activities and the overall supervision of the participants. Due to the nature of the retreat, work days will be longer than 8 hours. This pay period may include some overtime compensation.

Program Work Schedule -- July 7 through August 1

• Schedule is Monday-Friday 8am-4pm except for Wednesday July 9 (6:45am-2:45pm).

Program Wrap Up & Reflection – August 4th through August 8th.

• Assist in putting away materials, clearing program areas, debriefing with staff and supporting the review of survey materials and reflections. Total hours for this week are not to exceed 20 hours.

Requirements

• Valid Driver’s license


• First Aid/CPR certification


• PA Criminal Record Check, PA Child Abuse History and FBI Fingerprint Clearances


• Experience working high school students in nature-based, outdoor settings


• Availability to work the hours as outlined above

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential duties of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties. 

The physical ability to walk, stand, stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, pull, push, feel, grasp, lift, talk, see, hear and perform repetitive hand/arm motions. The ability to remain in a sitting or standing position for extended periods of time. The incumbent may be required to traverse on rough, uneven terrain, as well as wet and slippery surfaces.

The Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.