The Discovery staff at Brooklyn Botanic Garden provides hands-on nature education for children of all ages and their caregivers, connecting our diverse community with the natural world. Free, drop-in Discovery programs serve up to 28,000 visitors of all ages per year, fostering curiosity and connection to the natural world through Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s (BBG’s) living collections.

The assistant coordinator will lead hands-on education programming for visiting families, schools, and camp groups in a beautiful garden setting in the new Discovery Garden (opening summer 2015). The assistant coordinator also supports the Discovery Garden coordinator and manager in developing engaging program content, managing materials and logistics, and mentoring the adult volunteers and teen apprentices who engage visitors at program stations.

Work Schedule: 28 hours a week (Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday)

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Develop and lead weekly early childhood drop-in programs for caregivers and children ages 2-4.
  • Plan, facilitate, and support daily Discovery programming for families, schools, and camp groups with support from the Discovery Garden coordinator.
  • Ensure that visits to the Discovery Garden are welcoming, fun, and foster hands-on engagement and exploration. Warmly welcome and engage a diverse visitor audience on a daily basis and create an inclusive, fun, empowering culture for visitors of all ages, volunteers, teen apprentices, and staff.
  • Orient, supervise, and coordinate morning and afternoon teams of volunteer docents and teen apprentices who facilitate Discovery weekend programming for families.
  • Develop and lead drop-in family activities for daily programming and special events.
  • Develop programs based on inquiry- and object-based learning that helps visitors and volunteers develop a personal connection with the natural world.
  • Collaborate with the Discovery Garden coordinator to develop program content and develop and co-lead trainings for adult volunteers and teen apprentices.
  • Supervise and mentor teen apprentices and adult volunteers in public speaking and environmental education as they facilitate stations.
  • Manage volunteers’ schedules and needs.
  • Track attendance and evaluate program success. Purchase supplies as necessary.
  • Assist in resetting interactive exhibits and cleaning and tidying—including trash pickup—in the Discovery Garden on a daily basis. Walk through the garden several times daily to ensure that it is clean and safe.
  • Assist with watering and basic horticultural maintenance of BBG’s education greenhouse plant collection.
  • Assist manager and Discovery Garden coordinator with special projects throughout the growing season.

Qualifications:

  • Punctual, reliable, flexible, driven, and a great team player
  • Passion for science and the natural world; knowledge of plant science
  • Bachelor’s degree in education, museum education, early-childhood education, environmental education, science, or related field
  • Two to three years’ career experience and educational background in informal science learning; experience teaching children of all ages
  • Confidence supervising and mentoring adult volunteers
  • Experience and comfort in mentoring youth from diverse backgrounds
  • Willingness to work outdoors every day in various weather conditions and perform physical tasks to maintain exhibit spaces
  • Ability to engage large school and camp groups in an informal learning setting
  • Competency with Microsoft Office applications
  • Ability to work weekends and occasional evenings as required
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to multitask
  • Ability to lift and carry 30 pounds in order to perform program setup, cleanup, and site maintenance

How to apply

Please send a résumé and cover letter indicating the title of the position desired and two references with contact information to:

Human Resources

Brooklyn Botanic Garden

1000 Washington Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11225

Fax: 718-622-7826

Email: personnel@bbg.org

Brooklyn Botanic Garden is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.