Program Specialist-Kansas Wetlands Education Center (Due 2/26)
Full-Time
Job description: KWEC is a nature center ten miles northeast of Great Bend, in central Kansas that opened in April 2009. The KWEC is a branch of Fort Hays State University (FHSU) in the Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics. Although KWEC is managed by FHSU, it is located on land owned by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism (KDWPT), and is operated in cooperation with KDWPT. The facility overlooks Cheyenne Bottoms, a 41,000 acre wetland complex, designated a Wetland of International Importance due to its importance as a stopover for migrating birds along the Central Flyway.
The KWEC is dedicated to educating the public about wetland communities, their importance, and the need for conservation and restoration, with emphasis on Cheyenne Bottoms. We accomplish this through interactive exhibits and interpretation, interpretive educational programs, outreach programs, and fostering partnerships with cooperating stakeholders. The KWEC facility includes the Koch Wetlands Exhibit gallery, an auditorium, a classroom with a live animal exhibit, the Wetlands Gift Store, office and lab space for staff and graduate students, a mitigation marsh, a multi-purpose shelter, nature trail, and bunkhouse. The role of the KWEC is to interpret wetlands and educate the public. KWEC website: http://wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu.
ABOUT THE COLLEGE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND MATHEMATICS: The college was formed in 2015 by aggregating the departments of Agriculture, Applied Technology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Geosciences, Mathematics, and Physics, as well as the Sternberg Museum of Natural History and the Kansas Wetlands Education Center. The academic units consist of approximately 70 full-time faculty, 1400 undergraduate majors, and 50 graduate students. STM departments also make significant contributions to the university’s General Education program, coursework support for the other four colleges, and to the Kansas Academy of Mathematics and Science, which is an early-college program for high-achieving high school students. A new 58,000 sq ft Applied Technology and Sculpture building houses new technology student learning spaces, and will complement existing state of the art facilities. Undergraduate students participate in technical, classroom, field, and lab experiences that many universities would reserve for graduate students. The wide range of academic programs are innovative, and college faculty embrace a one-on-one teaching and mentoring philosophy, while providing robust scholarship opportunities for our students.
Job Responsibilities: The Kansas Wetlands Education Center’s (KWEC) Program Specialist is a permanent, full-time, non-tenure track environmental educator position located near Great Bend, KS. Primary responsibilities include developing, promoting, scheduling, coordinating, and presenting environmental education programs at both on and off-site locations. The primary target audiences for these programs are 7th grade through college students, Boy and Girl Scout groups, and general adult groups; however, KWEC educators will occasionally present programs to a wider age range of visitors, including young children, so having an ability to interact with a wide-age audience is required. Being creative in program development and delivery is essential. Programs may include a wide variety of subjects relating to wetlands, wildlife, ecology, conservation, and natural history, and will include both indoor and outdoor presentations. All school programs will reinforce Kansas curriculum standards. The Program Specialist works closely and cooperatively with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks, and Tourism’s Education Specialist, who is based out of the KWEC, and primarily directs pre-school through 6th grade school programs and various other groups for the KWEC. Other duties of the Program Specialist include assisting with care and maintenance of the collection of program and exhibit live animals housed at the KWEC. The Program Specialist will also be required to build, implement, and recruit a volunteer base for the KWEC. The Program Specialist will occasionally lead tours of the wetlands and assist with visitor services and interpreting KWEC exhibits for drop-in visitors. Work schedule flexibility is required, as some programs and events are scheduled during evenings, weekends, and around holidays.
Job qualifications:
- Earned bachelor’s degree in a biological sciences discipline and/or an education discipline
- 2 years of related, professional experience
- Evidence of successfully presenting public programs
- Experience with handling and/or caring for live animal
- Valid driver’s license
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Earned Master’s degree in biological sciences, related science, and/or education discipline
- Teaching experience in formal and informal settings
- Demonstrated expertise in at least one of the following: bird identification, wetland ecology, herpetology, entomology, or mammalogy
- Certification in National Association of Interpreters, Project Wild, Project Wet, Project Learning Tree, Flying Wild, and/or other environmental education or interpretation organizations
- Experience in STEM educational programming
To apply: Applicants should submit a cover letter identifying how the applicant’s credentials fit the job description, resume, names and contact information for three professional references, and a developed lesson plan for a single environmental education program/experience geared toward a Freshman Biology class. Applicant documents should be submitted in one PDF.
If you have questions regarding the position, please contact:
Curtis Wolf, KWEC Director
cjwolf@fhsu.edu
877-243-9268
