Bridgeport/West Haven WildLife Guard Crew Leader

Malaysianwildlife; Bridgeport (CT); On-site; USD 10,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking enthusiastic Crew Leaders for a seasonal position focused on mentoring local high school students in wildlife conservation. This role includes developing engaging public outreach programs, tracking metrics, and leading volunteer events in beautiful coastal parks. With a commitment to fostering a love for nature and conservation, this opportunity offers a chance to make a real impact while gaining valuable experience in environmental education. If you are passionate about wildlife and enjoy working with youth, this position is perfect for you!

Qualifications

• Candidates should be responsible and mature, with a passion for mentoring.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite is required for this role.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and inspire students while facilitating team-building activities.
• Develop and implement public outreach programs like nature walks.
• Track program metrics and write weekly reports on activities.

Skills

Mentoring

Team Building

Public Outreach

Data Entry

Microsoft Office Suite

First Aid/CPR Certification

Education

Degree in Biology or Wildlife Management

Tools

Online Databases

Job description

Position Summary

Bridgeport, CT is known as the Park City for its many public parks. Pleasure Beach, Seaside Park, and Beardsley Park are vital to birds. Pleasure Beach is a nesting site for the federally threatened Piping Plover and the state threatened Least Tern. Beardsley Park provides important migratory songbird stopover habitat and Seaside Park provides resting and foraging opportunities to migrating waterbirds. To ensure that these birds have the opportunity to nest successfully, Audubon Connecticut, in partnership with the cities of Bridgeport and West Haven, created the WildLife Guards Program. The program trains, mentors, and employs crews of local high school students to monitor nesting shorebirds, restore habitat, and engage visitors about the parks and their wildlife.

This is a seasonal, full-time position (30-hrs/week) starting June 16th and going through August 22nd. Note: Audubon staff will provide two weeks of paid training to crew leaders at the beginning of the WildLife Guards program.

This is a remote position based in Connecticut. Desired candidates should be based in or within a reasonable distance to the Connecticut coastline.

Compensation: $18.50 / hour

Essential Functions

• Mentoring, motivating, and inspiring the students working as part of the employment program.
• Facilitating team building and helping students work through challenging situations.
• Developing and implementing public outreach programs (e.g., nature walks, scavenger hunts).
• Creating a schedule of activities (e.g., outreach programs, bird monitoring) to be performed weekly by students.
• Tracking program metrics (e.g., number of people engaged, materials distributed, pledges to protect birds signed).
• Working with students to update and provide content for applicable Audubon CT social media.
• Collecting and entering data into online databases.
• Writing weekly reports detailing management activities at each site.
• Coordinating monitoring efforts with other Audubon CT staff and partners.
• Organizing and leading volunteer events.
• Additional duties may be assigned to support other aspects of the youth employment program.

Qualifications and Experience

• Desirable candidates will be available from June 16th through August 22nd, 2025.
• Crew Leaders must be responsible, mature, and able to serve as mentors to the students.
• Coursework in the active pursuit of a degree in biology, wildlife management, or related field preferred.
• Experience supervising high school aged students preferred.
• Experience leading environmental education and public outreach highly desirable.
• Good planning skills and a flexible approach to work desired.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite software required.
• Weekend work will be required.
• Must be physically fit, able to walk in a variety of coastal terrain and able to lift/carry at least 30lbs.
• Crew Leaders are required to successfully complete an Audubon provided Basic First Aid/CPR certification course during the first week of training.
• Interest in conservation and commitment to the mission of the National Audubon Society.

EEO Statement

The National Audubon Society is 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.

Accessibility Statement

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 [e-mail]. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.