AmeriCorps – Zoo Program Education Member

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Living stipend

Education award

Health care and childcare benefits

AmeriCorps opportunities

Job summary

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is seeking six Zoo Program Education Members for a full-time AmeriCorps term. The role supports the Living Classroom Education Access Fund and delivers hands-on STEM education to underserved PreK-12 students.

The program includes collaboration with educators, volunteers, and local schools in Cincinnati. Positions run for 1,700 hours over 11 months, with a Monday-Saturday schedule and supervision by Education Program Managers.

Qualifications

• Must have strong writing and communication skills.
• Excellent organizational abilities and ability to manage multiple tasks with deadlines.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends and to travel as needed.

Responsibilities

• Provide STEM education to PreK-12th grade students.
• Engage zoo visitors, volunteers, and community members in conservation practices.
• Develop and maintain curriculum and educational programming.
• Mentor zoo academy students and ZooTeens in conservation and environmental education.
• Collect and analyze data from program participants.

Skills

Strong writing skills

Strong communication/public speaking

Strong customer service

Organizational skills

Resourcefulness

Problem solving

Diversity or inclusive service

Time management

Education

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Windows OS

Microsoft Office

Zoom

Google Meet

Job description

Zoo Program Education Member

Number of positions: 6

The ZOO UNTO OTHERS AmeriCorps Program

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (CZBG) and AmeriCorps have partnered to serve three communities in our region (Human, Wildlife and Ecological Communities) to further our mission and create a world where both people and wildlife can thrive and prosper. To this end, we have created service positions that bring a variety of fun, impactful, and conservation-based service opportunities that positively impact youth, zoo visitors, the animals in our care and our local environment. Examples of the impactful service the program provides are:

• Providing quality STEM education to economically disadvantaged PreK-12th grade students
• Engaging Zoo visitors, volunteers, Zooteens, and community members in conservation practices and behaviors.
• Creating and maintain Zoo and community garden spaces that create wildlife habitat and greenspace for residents.
• Maximizing the wellbeing of the animals in our care
• Creating conservation partnerships that amplify our impact.
• Supporting a variety of sustainability initiatives that reduce our carbon footprint.

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known for many things – our conservation efforts, our green initiatives, our friendly staff… but did you know that we have a strong set of core values that make us the best team around, and a Top Workplace in Cincinnati? We’re more than coworkers… we’re family. By building Collaborative Relationships, displaying Positivity & Energy, having Pride, Passion & a Sense of Ownership, supporting Accountability, Mutual Trust & Respect, and embracing Progressive Thinking, we have built a team of dedicated staff that focuses on our visitors, our community, & our future. This is what we believe and how we act. If this gets you fired up, we look forward to having you join our team!

ABOUT THE EDUCATION AMERICORPS MEMBER POSITION

The incumbent is a full-time AmeriCorps position serving 1,700 hours (40 hours per week) over an 11-month term of service (October 5, 2026 to September 24, 2027). They will report directly to and be supervised by the Education Program Managers. Schedules will serve 5 days a week, 8-hour days and assigned as needed Monday-Saturday. Members serving in the Education Department will work within a variety of programming including: Zoo Troop, camps, schools programming, off grounds outreach in the community, and programs for participants with developmental disabilities.

This position will be in a cohort of six AmeriCorps Members, creatively collaborating to achieve program goals specifically focused on:

• Training on and handling live education animal ambassadors, employing the highest care and presentation standards.
• Providing STEM education to economically disadvantaged PreK-12th grade students to improve science literacy and academic engagement.
• Serving both school and public education audiences through the recruitment, preparation, instruction, development and maintenance of curriculum, and evaluation of educational programming offered through the Living Classroom Education Access Fund (LCEAF).
• Teaching programs with children with varying developmental and physical disabilities.
• Assisting with teacher professional development, program instruction, and evaluation.
• Collaborating with a local public school to offer urban learning garden programs in-school and after-school.
• Supporting community-based conservation service opportunities at the Zoo and at surrounding partner sites.
• Developing and promoting inclusive practices and resources across all Zoo Education programming.
• Mentoring high school students (Zoo Academy students and ZooTeens) in conservation and environmental education.
• Collecting and analyzing data collected from program participants.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Skills

• Strong writing skills
• Strong communication and public speaking skills
• Strong customer service skills
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to meet deadlines and independently manage multiple tasks and timely follow-through, with flexibility to adapt to changing needs and to serve effectively with minimal supervision
• Willingness to seek and use available resources to support problem-solving efforts
• Ability to independently problem solve and think strategically
• Ability to serve and build relationships with people from diverse backgrounds
• Ability to serve collaboratively with Education team members
• Ability to prioritize time and responsibilities, including demonstrating good time management both in the office and during programs

Commitment to Service

• Ability to commit to and fulfill an 12-month, full-time AmeriCorps service commitment
• Dedication to CZBG and AmeriCorps’ missions
• Enthusiastic and positive attitude toward helping others
• Contribute to the overall success of the Zoo’s LCEAF program, but also seek out new challenges and learn and grow while in this position over the course of the service year.

Professionalism

• Dedication to CZBG mission, Core Values, and program areas
• Ability to display maturity and good judgement through appropriate behavior in all service-related settings on and off Zoo grounds with peers, partners, program participants, and visitors

Additional Qualifications

• A sincere commitment to wildlife and nature conservation, and desire to share that value with others
• Knowledge of informal or formal science education, wildlife ecology, environmental science, conservation education, biology, zoology and/or a related field
• Knowledge of/education in outdoor education and/or urban gardens preferred but not required.
• Experience handling birds, small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates or a strong desire and willingness to learn.
• Desire and interest in serving with people of all ages and backgrounds; demonstrated patience, rapport with, and understanding of underserved audiences.
• Ability to use basic and some advanced functions of Windows operating systems, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Power Point, Outlook, Publisher, Teams), web-based forms, and virtual learning platforms (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.).
• Ability to serve evenings and weekends

Required

• Valid Driver’s License
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• Ability to travel locally when needed
• To serve as an AmeriCorps member, individuals must be a citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States
• Ability to stand, walk, climb, and grasp objects
• Must be able to lift & move 25 pounds without mechanical assistance
• Appointment is conditional upon passing a pre-start drug screen, providing a negative TB test, providing proof of full vaccination status as defined by the CDC, and providing information to establish eligibility and complete a National Criminal History Check

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• $30,000 Living stipend to be paid bi-weekly over the 12-month service term.
• Eligible to receive an education award upon successful completion of 1,700-hour service term. *Value dependent on Pell Grant each year.
• Health care and childcare benefit eligible
• AmeriCorps status could qualify you for forbearance and interest payments on qualified student loans during service.
• Extensive training, practice, and skill building in the fields of environmental and informal education, animal handling skills, conservation communication, research, and horticulture for all audiences, as well as seasonal tickets and discounts provided within the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
• Making a difference in the community while being part of a dedicated service team.