Seasonal Educator and Camp Instructor (April-November)

OXBOW’S MISSION

Our mission is to inspire people to eat healthy, sustainably grown food and to steward our natural resources for future generations.

WHAT WE DO

Oxbow Farm & Conservation Center is located on 230 acres of forest and grassland bordered by Western Washington’s Snoqualmie River. We use this mixed landscape to:

Produce food. We cultivate 12 acres of certified organic mixed vegetable crops, herbs, and flowers using agro-ecological principles and engage in research to inform conservation agriculture practices. We grow food for local grocery stores, restaurants, hunger relief, a CSA program, and an on-site seasonal Farm Stand.

Grow native plants. We operate a native plant nursery that uses sustainable growing methods to produce plants for habitat restoration projects and urban landscapes. We share our knowledge to encourage increased production and use of natives in the Pacific Northwest, and beyond.

Connect children to nature. We offer education programs for children pre-K through high school to build environmental literacy and provide students with opportunities to learn about the links between agriculture, conservation, and the environment.

Restore and sustain habitat. We carry out ecological restoration projects and partner with scientists, regional planners, and other environmental organizations to learn how humans can benefit from the land while protecting biodiversity.

Cultivate community. We offer people of all ages opportunities to put their values into action as we promote climate resilience and encourage healthy food systems. We foster community through volunteer opportunities, Membership, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, workshops & tours, and special events.

POSITION OVERVIEW

Oxbow Education (“Ox Ed”) provides year-round farm-based educational programming for kids, typically for pre – k up through middle school audiences. We are seeking a Seasonal Educator and Camp Instructor to assist with farm-based education program delivery and farming tasks for our program season. This position would be a great fit for an energetic person who wishes to learn more about farm-based Environmental Education and organic farming. This is a Seasonal position from mid-April to mid-November with some PTO benefits.

Camp instructors must be available to work ALL training and camp weeks, as outlined below. Between camp weeks you will be leading summer field trips, working on farm projects in our Kids’ Farm, leading programs other weekend public event days as needed, and planning for upcoming camp sessions.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Environmental Education (65%, including Summer Camp)

• Participate in delivering environmental/farm education programs to all age groups, including Farm Adventures (field trips)
• Assist in preparing for Oxbow’s 5-weeks of summer camp and act as Summer Camp Instructor for all five weeks
• Contribute to the success of Oxbow’s five week-long summer camps sessions, including coordinating farm projects, storytelling, and supporting & training summer camp staff as needed
• Contribute to trainings of volunteers
• Support education programming off-site at partner schools or tabling events as needed

Farming and Gardening (20%)

• Assist with planting, sowing, weeding, mulching, harvesting, seed-saving and general maintenance and upkeep of Ox Ed infrastructure and two-acre Kids’ Farm and Living Playground.

Public Engagement (10%)

• Deliver environmental/farm education programs to all age groups at weekend Kids’ Farm tours, seasonal festivals and special events
• Support venue & public engagement activities with set-up, break down and general customer service

Other duties (5%)

• Communicate about Oxbow’s programs and memberships to the public in an effort to support our mission
• Perform other tasks as assigned in support of all Oxbow program and business areas, including but not limited to the production farm, conservation and restoration activities, and general operations

QUALIFICATIONS

• Some college or comparable experience in the area of child-care, agriculture, environmental education, or environmental studies
• Proven knack for working with kids of all ages, primarily youngsters
• Exceptionally positive attitude
• Comfortable speaking in front of large groups including an attention to inclusive and equitable communication for groups of all backgrounds
• Experience farming or gardening is a plus
• Positive leadership skills
• Clear, consistent communication
• Ability to work independently and within a team
• Ability to take direction, ask for help/clarity when necessary, and accept constructive feedback on work and technique
• Ability to stay organized while juggling multiple time-sensitive projects 
• Consistent attention to detail
• Ability to perform work in inclement weather, standing, sitting, bending over or kneeling, to lift heavy & awkward objects, up to 50 lbs., and to perform physical work such as digging and planting
• Flexible, creative, and able to perform well in diverse conditions and under pressure
• A musical inclination; video or photo editing skills; theatrical experience or any other sort of artistic expertise is a plus! Please make note of any skills you have in your cover letter.

Additional desired qualities include: environmentally conscious, familiarity with PNW ecology, detail oriented, self-motivated, energetic, and professional.

The Oxbow Education team is part of a larger non-profit organization. A commitment to Oxbow’s overall mission and working as part of a team is critical.

Required Summer Camp Dates 2021:

Staff training:   June 9 - 18, exclusive of Sat/Sun

Session 1:           June 21-25

Session 2:           July 5-9

Session 3:           July 19-23

Session 4:           July 26-30

Session 5:           Aug 9-13

COMPENSATION

This is a seasonal position, paying $15 per hour, with some paid time-off and access to food from the fields.