Park Naturalists

Course Advisor; United States; On-site; USD 34,020 - 98,450; Full time

Job summary

Course Advisor provides a detailed overview of the Park Naturalist role in the United States. The position involves planning and conducting educational programs about parks, emergency duties, visitor services, and facility operations. Essential skills include speaking, writing, and critical thinking. The projected job growth is 6.3% annually, with salaries ranging from $34,020 to $98,450, depending on location. Park naturalists can expect to contribute to public education and environmental awareness through diverse programs.

Responsibilities

• Perform emergency duties to protect human life and natural features.
• Construct visitor-center displays.
• Consult with staff for park programs.
• Provide visitor services and information.
• Prepare brochures and write articles.
• Assist with general facilities operations.

Skills

Speaking

Reading Comprehension

Social Perceptiveness

Critical Thinking

Active Listening

Writing

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Office

Microsoft PowerPoint

Web browser software

Data entry software

Email software

Adobe Acrobat

POS software

Mapping software

Adobe PageMaker

Job description

What Do Park Naturalists Do?

Plan, develop, and conduct programs to inform the public about the historical, natural, and scientific features of national, state, or local parks.

Responsibilities

• Perform emergency duties to protect human life, government property, and natural features of the park.
• Construct historical, scientific, and nature visitor‑center displays.
• Consult with park staff to determine subjects and schedules for park programs.
• Provide visitor services, such as explaining regulations, answering visitor requests, needs and complaints, and providing information about the park and surrounding areas.
• Prepare brochures and write newspaper articles.
• Assist with operations of general facilities, such as visitor centers.

Skills Needed to be a Park Naturalist

• Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work‑related documents.
• Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Related Job Titles

• Interpretive Naturalist
• Park Worker
• Parks Worker
• Environmental Educator
• Environmental Education Specialist

Job Opportunities for Park Naturalists

In the United States, there were approximately 22,300 park naturalist positions in 2016. Job growth has been projected at about 6.3% annually, exceeding the national average, and an estimated 1,400 new positions are expected by 2026.

Salary Range

Annual salaries for park naturalists range from about 34,020 to 98,450, with higher wages typically found in Connecticut, Alaska, and New Jersey.

Tools Used by Park Naturalists

• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Web browser software
• Data entry software
• Email software
• Adobe Acrobat
• POS software
• Mapping software
• Adobe PageMaker