Naturalist Position Opening at Conservancy of SWFL - Naples, FL

The Naturalist – Nature Center assists with the daily husbandry and care of the Conservancy’s wildlife ambassadors and educates visitors at the Conservancy Nature Center. This position reports to the Animal Care Coordinator and supports the daily care of the Conservancy’s wildlife ambassador collection including animal husbandry; maintenance of LSS (life support systems), aquaria, and vivaria; and medical care in partnership with the staff veterinarian. The Naturalist – Nature Center also plans and delivers visitor education programs and special education events at the Nature Center to educate audiences of all ages about Southwest Florida’s environment, conservation, and the mission of the Conservancy.

https://www.conservancy.org/about/work-here/current-openings
 
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provides care and maintenance under the Animal Care Coordinator of live animal exhibits and enclosures including marine aquaria, reptile and amphibian vivaria, and avian enclosures.
• Interprets Southwest Florida’s natural environment and the Conservancy Nature Center to visitors of diverse ages and backgrounds.
• Develops, enhances, and delivers Nature Center visitor programs to educate the public on the environment of Southwest Florida and build environmental literacy – encouraging visitors to take action to protect the environment.
• Supports the design, construction, and maintenance of LSS / aquaria and exhibits.
• Supports with coordinating education special events (Earth Day, Endangered Species Day, Kids Free Saturday, etc.).
• Develops and delivers special projects and new programs, as directed by manager or supervisor.
• Delivers excellent customer service, internally and externally.
• Assists with the supervision and training of Conservancy Nature Center volunteers and interns.
• Maintains detailed records of living collections.
• Oversees successful enrichment program for the Wildlife Ambassador Collection.
• Assists with the collection of education and exhibit animals - e.g. marine organisms for education/aquaria and their daily care.
• Understands emergency protocols for live animals and animal exhibits/ helps execute these procedures when necessary.
• Assists with related daily administrative duties.

 
Experience Required:
 
QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelors’ degree in ecology, science, education, or related field.
• Minimum two years of related science/ecology, education, or animal husbandry background and experience.
• Friendly, energetic, and outgoing personality, with the proven ability to provide exceptional customer service.
• Knowledge and experience in the care and husbandry of aquaria and vivaria; aquatic, marine and terrestrial life; fish, invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, birds, etc.
• Experience with the husbandry and handling of sea turtles, conditional reptiles, Class II, and Class III wildlife including alligators, indigo snakes, and Burmese pythons preferred.
• Science/ecology background and experience, with teaching experience preferred.
• Excellent public speaking skills.
• Ability to maintain and troubleshoot LSS and aquarium systems.
• Experience working with and supervising volunteers and interns highly desirable.
• Strong organization, communication, time management, and leadership skills.
• Enthusiastic desire to work with children and adults.
• Strong commitment to the conservation of Florida’s natural environment.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member.
• Ability to conceptualize, design, and implement programs, projects, and activities related to the mission of the organization.
• Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with individuals of diverse interests and backgrounds.
• Knowledge or willingness to learn about local ecosystems and natural history of Southwest Florida.
• Strong commitment to the conservation of biodiversity, environmental quality, and natural resources.
• Proficient with all Microsoft Office programs.
• The above statements describe the general qualifications required to perform the job and the general nature and level of work performed - not a complete list of duties - additional responsibilities may be assigned by management.

 
EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university; two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

 
SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of organization.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry and trigonometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
• Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists. Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.

 
OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Willingness to work outside usual 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. hours to conduct programs in the evenings, weekends or holidays in sometimes hot, humid and buggy conditions. CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:
• Current Certification in CPR, First Aid, and Life Saving, or ability to obtain.
• Valid driver license and good driving record.
• Scuba certification

 
PHYSICAL, DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
 
Physical demands: While performing the duties of this Job the employee is occasionally required to sit, climb or balance and taste or smell. The employee is regularly required to stand, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, stoop, kneel, crouch and crawl. The employee is frequently required to walk, reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 25 pounds and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. Special vision abilities required by this job include close and color vision, peripheral and depth perception.
 
Work Environment: The employee occasionally works in high, precarious places, is exposed to fumes or airborne particle; toxic or caustic chemicals and outdoor weather conditions. The employee is regularly exposed to wet or humid conditions (non-weather) with a risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
 
How to Apply
To Apply: Please send your resume to hr@conservancy.org and identify that you are interested in applying for the Naturalist- Nature Center position. You will then receive the application and other materials to submit upon completion.
Conservancy of Southwest Florida
1495 Smith Preserve Way
Naples, FL 34102
Phone: 239-262-0304

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