Educator

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden (shccbg); New York (NY); On-site; USD 20,457 - 29,136; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous vacation/holiday schedule

Cultural Institutions Retirement System pension plan

Job summary

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden in New York seeks an engaging Educator to deliver inclusive educational programs that connect visitors to its cultural and environmental resources. Required skills include strong communication, adaptability, and the ability to work with diverse audiences.

This part-time role offers an hourly rate of $18. Weekend work required, with generous vacation and participation in pension plans. Snug Harbor promotes diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of its operations.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years of experience delivering educational or interpretive programs.
• Commitment to inclusion and community-centered education.
• Able to learn quickly and execute tasks efficiently.

Responsibilities

• Deliver engaging educational programs in various settings.
• Interact positively with visitors and support a high-quality experience.
• Ensure programs run smoothly and meet learning outcomes.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Ability to engage diverse audiences

Adaptability

Time management

Team collaboration

Job description

Snug Harbor is an expansive cultural park on Staten Island where arts, nature, education, and history converge to offer dynamic programming, events, and festivals to our diverse community. Located less than 1.5 miles from the Staten Island Ferry and easily accessible by public transportation, Snug Harbor welcomes nearly 500,000 visitors each year. Visitors can explore multiple museums, performances, festivals, a farm, and 83 acres of gardens, parkland, woodland, and wetlands.

Founded in 1976 as a nonprofit organization, Snug Harbor is one of the largest adaptive reuse projects in America, transforming a 19th-century charitable rest home for sailors into a vibrant hub of contemporary culture and community connection. Today, Snug Harbor’s mission is dedicated to creating a vibrant culture park in Staten Island offering arts, nature, history, education, and events for all.

THE POSITION:

The Educator delivers engaging, inclusive educational programs that connect visitors and participants to Snug Harbor’s cultural, environmental, and community resources. This role facilitates programs across indoor and outdoor settings, supports site readiness for educational activities, and models professional conduct, safety, and collaboration. Educators play a key role in creating positive learning experiences while supporting interns, volunteers, and program logistics in a public-facing environment.

This is a highly physical, public-facing position that requires adaptability, strong communication skills, and the ability to engage diverse audiences in dynamic settings.

The Educator reports to the Education Supervisor and works closely with the full Community Impact team. This position is not FLSA-exempt. This job description is not designed to cover every job requirement. All field-based staff are expected to be available during peak seasons, events, and cross-department initiatives.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Community Engagement

• Serve as a welcoming, knowledgeable, reliable, and professional representative of Snug Harbor. Communicate Snug Harbor’s mission, values, and goals through all interactions. Support a high-quality visitor experience that reflects Snug Harbor’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion.
• Interact positively and professionally with visitors, answering basic questions or directing inquiries appropriately.
• Foster positive relationships with educators, partners, and patrons that encourage curiosity and connection. Ensure patrons feel supported, informed, and respected during programs and events.
• Deliver inclusive, engaging educational experiences responsive to diverse ages, backgrounds, abilities, and learning styles.

Operations & Fieldwork

• Deliver scheduled educational programs, workshops, tours, and activities for school groups, families, and the general public, adapting programs to varying group sizes, ages, learning styles, weather conditions, and site constraints.
• Lead program logistics, including setup, breakdown, and site readiness across locations. Maintain organized, safe, functional teaching environments that support learning objectives and participant engagement. Ensure programs run smoothly and on schedule, with the intended learning outcomes.

Safety & Compliance

• Follow all workplace safety protocols, site rules, and internal procedures.
• Use required personal protective equipment (PPE) as appropriate.
• Monitor participant behavior and site conditions to support safe, respectful learning environments.
• Identify and report hazards, incidents, or participant concerns promptly to a supervisor.

Training & Workforce Development

• Actively participate in continuous learning, trainings, briefings, and curriculum updates as assigned.
• Model professionalism, reliability, preparedness, and effective facilitation practices.
• Supervise activities involving interns or volunteer assistants during programs, acting as a mentor.
• Supervise service groups, maintaining expectations related to attendance, conduct, and productivity.
• Contribute to a learning-focused environment that supports skill-building and work readiness. Reinforce expectations related to conduct, participation, and respectful engagement.

Coordination & Reporting

• Communicate clearly and consistently with supervisors regarding schedules, needs, and challenges.
• Track hours worked, tasks completed, and participation data as required.
• Act as a client liaison to coordinate payment and track program outcomes.
• Actively participate in briefings or check-ins to align on program goals, logistics, and daily responsibilities.
• Coordinate with fellow educators, management, and field teams during shared programs or events.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This role involves active, physical public-facing work in indoor and outdoor environments. Duties may include standing for extended periods, walking the campus, lifting or transporting program materials, and adapting to varying weather conditions. Evening, weekend, or holiday hours may be required based on program schedules.

REQUIREMENTS

• Commitment to learning Snug Harbor’s programs, focused on environmental education, art‑making, history, and culture.
• 1–3 years of experience delivering educational or interpretive programs in museums, parks, gardens, or cultural organizations.
• Strong communication and facilitation skills with learners of all ages and backgrounds.
• Commitment to inclusion, equity, and community‑centered education.
• Able to adapt to shifting priorities and locations based on daily schedules, weather, and site needs.
  Experience working outdoors with physically demanding work for extended periods of time in all weather conditions (including rain and extreme heat) while maintaining a fast and efficient pace.
• Able to regularly lift 30 lbs. and stand, squat, kneel, and bend for extended periods in all conditions.
• Committed to actively engaging community members in Snug Harbor’s mission areas.
• Able to manage multiple tasks at once while managing time well.
• Able to learn and teach new tasks quickly and execute them immediately.
• Able to follow all safety protocols.
• Exemplary communication skills and workplace professionalism, including appropriate work attire, positive attitude, timeliness, and adaptability.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
• Enthusiastic and committed to being an active and flexible member of a small team.
• English facility required; Spanish facility preferred; Chinese facility preferred.

SALARY

The hourly rate is $18.00. This is a part‑time position. Weekend work will be required for this position. Shifts are dependent on weather and business needs. Snug Harbor offers a generous vacation/holiday schedule and participation in the Cultural Institutions Retirement System pension plan.

Snug Harbor celebrates and commits to fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion. We value and seek the strengths of human variety across communities in programming, with staff, the Board of Directors, volunteers, artists, and visitors. Snug Harbor strives to build a culture of diversity of voice and representation, authentically inclusive spaces, and equity for all.

Snug Harbor is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to the treatment of all employees and applicants for employment without unlawful discrimination as to race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or citizenship status in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay‑off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.