Field Instructors – Environmental Education

Description:
Ecology Project International (EPI) is hiring instructors to teach outdoor environmental/conservation education in Costa Rica, Galapagos, and Belize.

About Us:
EPI is an international non-profit organization dedicated to addressing critical conservation issues through field-based partnerships between local experts and high school students. We engage adolescent youth from local communities and visiting youth from other regions in applied conservation as they learn about and help protect threatened species and habitats. Through EPI’s programs in the U.S. and Latin America, teens are inspired and empowered to engage in conservation efforts at home and worldwide.

Our programs are experiential; involving inquiry-based field science through curricula and hands on participation in real conservation/research projects. Programs are offered in a variety of outdoor settings (beach, rainforest, mangroves, temperate forest, island, etc.) and are 4 to 14 days in length.

Responsibilities:
• Provide and lead a positive experience for EPI participants in the field.
• Promote and ensure a safe learning/living environment.
• Plan, lead, and instruct quality experiential environmental education programs to a diversity of high school, middle school or university students in both English and Spanish (except in Belize).
• Plan, lead, and instruct courses based on the group’s expectations.
• Be sensitive to the health and welfare of all participants and meet their developmental needs.
• Understand, model, monitor and enforce EPI policies and protocols.
• Participate in all EPI staff development sessions throughout the season, including staff training, staff meetings, staff retreats, and complete feedback and evaluation forms.
• Oversee and/or lead research activities with accordance to local research protocols.
• Establish and maintain clear communication with teachers, chaperones, participants, partners, co- instructor(s), and EPI staff.
• Effectively manage logistical challenges during emergencies on course.
• Promptly complete and file paperwork associated with each course.
• Mentor EPI interns (if present) in the development of their skills and completion of their expectations.
• Help with course logistics while on courses.
• Help photo-documenting the experience of EPI participants.
• Potentially support ecology club and outreach activities.
• Write a local student yearbook profile for our newsletter.
• Show and maintain a positive attitude.

Qualifications:
Required:
• Desire to promote leaders in conservation through our program;
• More than one year teaching environmental/conservation education;
• More than one year leading outdoor experiences for young adults;
• Experience leading trips in remote areas;
• Spanish and English fluency (for Costa Rica & Galapagos). Basic Creole skills (Belize);
• Physically and mentally fit enough to lead courses up to 14 days/24 hours a day with a co-instructor;
• Bachelor’s degree in environmental education, biology, ecology, natural sciences or related field;
• Field research experience;
• Current Wilderness First Responder & CPR certifications; individuals not certified at the time of applying must complete this certification before staff training.

Preferred:
• Master’s degree in environmental education;
• Experience in inquiry-based learning programs;
• Experience living or studying in Latin American, Pacific Island, or Caribbean settings.

Compensation:
Lodging for non-local instructors, room and board while on course, work related in-country travel, and $65-103/day, chosen course leaders will earn an additional $10/day. Wages are based on EPI experience/past experience. All newly hired instructors will be given the opportunity to submit documentation demonstrating past relevant experience.

Site Specific Information: (For more detailed information on our courses in each field site and organization, please visit our website: http://www.ecologyproject.org)

Costa Rica

Our Costa Rica program has an emphasis on sea turtles and tropical rainforest ecology. During the turtle portion of the program our students visit a turtle station on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica (we work with different field stations) where leatherbacks, green and hawksbill turtles nest.

At these sites students participate in: night turtle census, nest excavations, habitat restoration activities and hikes in the forest. Instructors lead all field activities and facilitate the learning experience based on EPI curricula that promotes knowledge of science, along with developing the skills necessary to become an active leader in conservation efforts worldwide. Throughout the program students participate in different research projects that will promote competencies related to the Next Generation Science Standards.

At the rainforest sites students have opportunities to learn about ongoing research projects and explore the rainforest to learn about ecology and the biodiversity of the sites.

For visiting foreign students the program’s itinerary includes a cultural exchange which is an amazing opportunity to visit a local high school and spend time with Costa Rican students. Or visit a rural community to play a soccer game. There is also an adventure trip included with the possibility of either white-water rafting or a zip-line canopy trip.

In addition to the typical program courses instructor will visit local schools to run short activities with students, promote outreach activities for local participants and may lead short educational trips for adults or companies.

Costa Rica Specific Qualifications:
Required:
• Experience living or studying in Latin American settings;
• Available to work from mid-February through end of July.
• Ability to work very long days at turtle sites while leading nightly sea turtle census. Must be able to function with sleep based on non-typical patterns.
Preferred:
• Knowledge and familiarity with Costa Rica, especially the Caribbean slope;
• Research experience with sea turtles and/or rainforest ecology;
• Rafting or canopy experience.

Costa Rica Dates: The program season is from early March through end July 2015. Selected instructors will participate in a 12 day required unpaid training (room/board provided) to be held mid-February in Costa Rica. They will also be required to participate in two staff retreats and a closing event at the end of the season.

Galapagos

Our Galápagos program has an emphasis on The Giant Tortoise and the ecology, biodiversity and conservation of the Galápagos archipelago ecosystem. During the giant tortoise research, students visit the highlands of Santa Cruz Island to look for tortoises in the wild and collect important data that the Galápagos National Park (GNP) needs in order to estimate population numbers and trends. In the highlands the local students also complete seed dispersal analysis by looking for seeds in the tortoise’s dung and help the native ecosystem by controlling invasive plants species in a fragile area of the island. Another portion of the program takes place in Puerto Ayora town where our students visit the Charles Darwin Station and do volunteer work like feed tortoises or clean pens, additionally students learn how to collect data from juvenile Giant tortoises. International groups go on island exploration tours to learn about the biodiversity, geology, and ecology of different islands. We also have a cultural exchange component lead by an EPI’s ecology club Mola Mola for international students. Most of the research activities are develop with the support of the GNP rangers and Charles Darwin Foundation scientists.

For additional information about our Galápagos program email: juan@ecologyproject.org

Galapagos Specific Responsibilities:
• Support the Mola Mola Ecology Club activities.

Galapagos Specific Qualifications:
Required:
• Available to work from mid-February through end of July.
Preferred:
• Knowledge and familiarity with Ecuador, especially the Galápagos Islands;
• Research experience with Tortoises or reptiles
• Snorkeling experience

Galapagos Dates: The program season is from mid-March through the end July 2014. Selected instructors will participate in a 5-7 day required unpaid training (room/board provided) to be held at the beginning of March in Galápagos. They will also be required to participate in staff retreats and a closing event at the end of the season.

Belize

Our Belize Marine Ecology Program focuses in the second largest barrier Reef ecology the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. Students participate in two main research projects while they spend 5 days at the field station located in the Turneffe Atoll, Bottlenose dolphin behavior and lionfish population assessment. Together with the project, students have an opportunity to have encounters with other interesting fauna like crocodiles and manatees.

The remaining 4 days of the course duration for visiting students, will be spent at Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve. Bird watching, hiking to waterfalls, wildlife observation and a local school visit are some of the activities that the students will experience while on mainland Belize.

EPI curriculum promotes knowledge of science, along with developing the skills necessary to become an active leader in conservation efforts worldwide. Throughout the program students participate in different research projects that will promote competencies related to the Next Generation Science Standards.

In addition to the typical program courses instructor will visit local schools to run short activities with students, promote outreach activities for local participants and may lead short educational trips for adults or companies.

Belize Specific Qualifications:
Required:
• Proficient swimmer.
• Availability from early February to late July.
Preferred:
• Experience living/working in Caribbean countries.
• Basic Creole language skills.
• Marine Mammal/photo id research.

Belize Dates: The program season is from mid-February through the end of July 2015. Instructors will participate on a 7 to 9 day unpaid training (room/board provided) to be held on early February in Belize City. They will also be required to participate in staff retreats and a closing event at the end of the season.

To apply for an instructor position visit https://ecologyproject.submittable.com/submit and follow the directions to complete the on-line application process. All applicants must apply on-line.

Please remember:
When applying indicate which program you are most interested in instructing for, but candidates will be considered for all three sites.

Successful instructors may be offered longer contracts including the opportunity to instruct at multiple program sites.