Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc.
Position Title: Education Specialist
Reports to: Education Manager - Visitor Programs
FLSA Status: Hourly, Non-Exempt
Safety-Sensitive: This is a safety-sensitive position. Candidates, regardless of whether they are a medical marijuana licensee, must receive a negative result on a 10-panel, pre-placement drug screening to include THC, prior to beginning work.
Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. (TZMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission of “Connecting, Caring, Advocating for Wildlife, People, and Wild Places.” A dynamic group of passionate individuals brings the zoo to life each day, 365 days per year, caring for animals, greeting guests, educating the public and managing the facilities. Each member of the team is integral to the success of the zoo as a key asset in the City of Tulsa and the Northeast Oklahoma region, delivering recreational opportunities, providing unplugged family time and conserving animal species for future generations.
Position Summary:
The Education Specialist supports the Education Department through all aspects of interpretive, formal and informal programming including daily husbandry of the education ambassador animals, developing and teaching camps, classes, sleepovers, on-grounds interpretive programs, school and off-site programs and managing the programs and daily operations of the Tulsa Zoo Nature Exchange (NEX) and Nature Experience (NEXP) nature play area.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Other duties may be assigned in keeping with the mission of Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. (TZMI).
- May develop and teach assigned formal education programs at the Tulsa Zoo including school programs, library programs, off-site programming, teacher professional development, etc.
- May develop and teach assigned informal education programs at the Tulsa Zoo including camps, classes, and sleepovers.
- May develop and teach assigned interpretive educational programming throughout the zoo for all age groups.
- Completes animal husbandry routines, including enrichment/training, administering medications, and record-keeping for ambassador animal collection.
- Maintains all supplies and records associated with the animal collection.
- May be responsible for daily operation of the NEX, including opening and closing procedures, interacting with traders, managing inventory and managing the facility.
- May maintain the NEX trader database and recommends upgrades and maintenance as needed.
- Delivers a high level of guest service to traders and their families at the NEX . Provides unique, interactive, and interpretive educational experiences for program participants and zoo visitors.
- Adjusts work schedule as needed to accommodate any programming times that are outside the typical assigned work schedule.
- Ensures participants’ safety through practicing professional classroom and zoo-visit management, enforcing all policies, and maintaining order at all times.
- Assists with the coordination and supervision of volunteers and seasonal, part-time, and contract staff.
- Assists with the training of staff and volunteers as requested.
- Oversees the care and use of the Education Department technology and all formal programming equipment, including the care and upkeep of the outreach van.
- Handles animals in the education ambassador animal collection in both public and non-public situations.
- Oversees the HDC classrooms and their storage areas by maintaining inventory and ensuring orderliness, cleanliness, and safety.
- Provides assistance with the non-living collections as needed.
- Works cooperatively with other TZMI departments.
- Develops and maintains professional relationships with personnel from outside organizations and facilities.
- Stays current with information and skills pertaining to education, the environment, animals, and any other field pertinent to this position.
- Maintain necessary certifications as required (SCUBA, AZA Elephant Management, Nuisance Wildlife Control Operator (NWCO) etc.)
- Maintain necessary testing/vaccinations as required (TB, rabies, etc.).
- Recognizes signs of pest infestation in animal areas and combat pests/nuisance wildlife as directed.
- Maintains area compliance with all local, state, federal and international regulations and standards are met (USDA, AZA, etc.)
- Responds to emergency calls after normal operating hours.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
This position currently has no supervisory responsibilities.
Values:
To perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies as they relate to TZMI core values:
- We are enthusiastically committed to be part of the Tulsa Zoo community.
- We will all work together as one Zoo Team to support the Zoo’s mission.
- We will value and appreciate everyone and create a safe, understanding, and welcoming environment for all.
- We will all be accountable for achieving excellence.
- We will earn the trust of one another, acting honestly and treating each other with respect.
Qualifications:
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.
Education and/or Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in education, biology, zoology, environmental science, or a related field from college or university
- One to three years related experience working in an interpretive education setting
- Equivalent combination of education and experience is acceptable
Language Skills
- 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, employees of TZMI and the general public.
Mathematical Skills
- Ability to add, subtract, multiply and divide using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
- Ability to perform these operations using units of American money.
Computer Skills
- Microsoft Office – including Word, Excel, PowerPoint (or Prezi),
- Past Perfect (or similar museum database system)
- Internet Browser(s)- Explorer, Chrome, Safari, etc.
Other Skills, Abilities or Qualifications
- Must possess a valid driver’s license and be insurable on TZMI’s insurance carrier.
- Ability to work a flexible schedule including evenings, weekends and holidays
- Must have a valid drivers’ license and be insurable by the insurance carrier
- Familiarity with a variety of teaching methods and knowledge of age-appropriate
- cognitive and physical abilities required
- Experience in interpretive education, including program development and
- implementation, preferred
- Working knowledge of the natural world preferred
- Research skills are required
- Experience working with small invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals in
- public and non-public situations preferred
- Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
- Ability to work with both adult and teen volunteers
- Proficient in public speaking and creative thinking
- Capable of self-motivating and working without direct supervision
Physical Demands:
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.
This position involves substantial standing; substantial walking; moderate sitting; substantial reaching with hands and arms; minimal climbing or balancing; substantial stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling; substantial talking or hearing; moderate lifting up to 50 pounds
Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This work environment involves moderate work in outdoor weather conditions; moderate work with loud noise level.
