Education Intern

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas towards a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation. Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the hemisphere and more than 1.5 million active supporters.

North America has lost three billion birds since 1970, and more than 500 bird species are at risk of extinction across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they tell us that birds – and our planet – are in crisis. Together as one Audubon, we are working to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. We do this by implementing on-the-ground conservation, partnering with local communities, influencing public and corporate policy, and building community.

Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

For those interested in environmental education, Audubon Vermont provides college students and recent graduates with a paid internship. The internship is designed to provide a range of administrative and programmatic experiences with a focus on environmental education. Work on some or all of the following programs:

• Field trips and outreach programs comprise the core of our education programs during the school year, September-June. We work with local schools, day camps, and community organizations to provide outdoor education to their members and students.
  
  • Preschool-age students visit for 1.5-2 hours. Example programs include Let’s Talk Turkeys, Journey from Sap to Syrup, Down by the River, and Critter Construction.
  • Elementary and middle school students visit for 2- or 4-hour trips. Programs include Secret Lives of Trees, All About Birds, Wilderness Skills, Insect Investigations, Aquatic Ecosystems and Watershed Wonders, and Bird-friendly Maple Sugaring.
• Vacation Camps: Audubon Vermont hosts up to 12 days of day camps during school breaks to kids from our local communities. Campers explore, investigate, and discover in our forests, ponds, rivers, wetlands, and fields. Interns work at camps as their schedules allow, assisting staff with everything from lesson planning to teaching.
• Public Programs: We offer programs on various seasonal topics throughout the year for audiences of all ages.

Depending on their schedule, our Education Intern will have the opportunity to host their own program or work with our AmeriCorps members or Staff on community science programs, adult education programs, and programs for kids. These programs include Unschool, Forest Classroom, Forest Playschool, Audubon Afterschool, Pride Hikes, Mushroom Walks, Forest Bathing, etc. Additionally, the intern helps run our Free Nature Playgroup for children ages 0-5 and their caregivers.

This internship is a temporary role and is paid at a rate of $16.00 per hour during the 2023-2024 academic year (October-May). Applicants must be available during the public-school day 8am-2pm, but availability until 5pm allows this position to work with our afterschool programs as well. This position is best suited to a self-driven individual who has experience in education (formal or informal) and working with elementary-aged children and can bring a creative edge to natural history interpretation. This is an on-site role based at Audubon Vermont, Green Mountain Audubon Center, Huntington, VT.

Compensation:

$16.00 / hour

During the internship, you will work with the education staff to:

• Develop and deliver programs in-line with Audubon Vermont operations.
• Create and maintain nature and environmental education materials.
• Design age-appropriate curriculum and interpretive guides.
• Lead programs for people from diverse backgrounds and with lived experiences different from your own.

Interns will gain experience and knowledge in the following:

• Interact with the professional scientists, educators, and advocates at Audubon, as well as other interns and the general public in Vermont.
• Gain practical experience teaching students from preschool through high school while working directly with GMAC’s team of professional Teacher/Naturalists.
• The goals of Audubon Vermont are supporting our education and youth leadership programs.
• Students may earn academic credit for their time, in addition to pay, upon discussion with the education manager.

• Course work that focuses on conservation, environmental education, biology, natural history, or a major in education with an interest in alternative forms of education.
• Reliable transportation to Audubon Vermont. This work will require coming to Audubon Vermont’s office in Huntington, VT, which is a rural location. The nearest bus stop is 10 miles away. If you do not have reliable transportation but believe you are a strong candidate, please apply.
• Experience and ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Desire to teach nature-based programming in an outdoor setting, in all weather.
• Interest in connecting people to nature and developing your own natural history, conservation, and nature mentoring skills.
• Minimum 3 months experience directly working with children (classroom, school, daycare, babysitter, nanny, etc)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous related experience in outdoor education a plus.
• Self-motivated and organized person able to stay on task without direct supervision and to be able to work on multiple projects or education programs.
• Social media communication experience.
• Networking and community engagement.
• Interest in pedagogy, curriculum development, and lesson planning.
• Experience in place-based education.

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE). All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users.  If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

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