Urban Ecology Education Coordinator

Sutro Stewards; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 34,000 - 41,000; Part time

Job summary

Sutro Stewards is seeking an Urban Ecology Education Coordinator for a part-time role (10-15 hours/week) in San Francisco. The position creates a workforce pathway from the SFYN program into paid environmental work, with a mid-November start date.

The coordinator will gain hands-on experience across conservation, native plant horticulture, volunteer leadership, and environmental education, working with Sutro Stewards staff and SFYN partners to mentor students and develop curriculum.

Qualifications

• Interest in natural history, environmental education, conservation, or urban ecology.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in working with young people.
• Willingness to work outdoors in a range of weather conditions.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, students, volunteers, and community partners.

Responsibilities

• Support habitat restoration and native plant horticulture during winter planting season.
• Support SFYN program planning, recruitment, and field days.

Skills

Interest in natural history

Environmental education

Conservation experience

Working with youth

Collaborative skills

Job description

Position Type : 10-15 hours/week

Compensation : $25-30/hour

Start Date : Ideally, mid-November

Sutro Stewards is a nonprofit, fiscally sponsored by Livable City, dedicated to building community, connecting people with nature, and protecting and enhancing Mount Sutro, a 75-acre urban nature preserve and ancestral land of the Ramaytush Ohlone in the middle of San Francisco.

Since 2006, we have engaged thousands of volunteers, built and maintained 4.5 miles of multi-use trails, restored more than 5 acres of native plant habitat, and grown thousands of plants annually in our native plant nursery. Our educational and workforce development programs train young people in habitat restoration, native plant horticulture, natural history, and leadership skills.

Sutro Stewards is committed to expanding access to environmental education and cultivating a diverse new generation of climate stewards equipped to care for California’s landscapes and communities.

About the Role

The Urban Ecology Education Coordinator is a part-time position designed to create a workforce development pathway from Sutro Stewards’ San Francisco Youth Naturalist (SFYN) Program into paid environmental work.

This position is designed as an early-career workforce development opportunity and is especially intended for graduates of Sutro Stewards’ San Francisco Youth Naturalist Program but open to all to apply . We are looking for someone with a strong interest in natural history, environmental education, and working with young people who is excited to develop their skills through hands-on mentorship and professional experience.

The position will provide hands-on experience across conservation, native plant horticulture, volunteer leadership, environmental education, and natural history. The Coordinator will work alongside Sutro Stewards staff to seasonally support conservation projects across Nov-March, before transitioning into a central role supporting the development and delivery of the San Francisco Youth Naturalist Program.

This position is intended to build continuity between cohorts of young naturalists. Our long-term vision is to create a sustained pathway through which San Francisco Youth Naturalist graduates can return to Sutro Stewards as paid naturalist teachers, Urban Ecology Interns, or future Urban Ecology Education Coordinators.

Key Responsibilities

1) Conservation and Native Plant Horticulture

During the winter planting season (November - March), the Urban Ecology Education Coordinator will work with the Sutro Stewards Conservation team to support habitat restoration with an emphasis in native plant horticulture and volunteer stewardship on Mount Sutro.

Responsibilities may include:

• Supporting the planting of approximately 1,500 native plants and the ongoing stewardship of more than 5 acres of native plant habitat.
• Assisting with invasive species removal, native habitat restoration, and hands-on conservation projects.
• Supporting the propagation and care of healthy nursery plants through seed sowing, transplanting, watering, pruning, and organic integrated pest management.
• Maintaining nursery health by following best management practices for sanitation, including cleaning, weeding, irrigation repair, light construction, and power washing.
• Participating in seed collection projects, including seed scouting, collection, cleaning, processing, and maintaining up-to-date seed inventories.
• Learning from experienced Sutro Stewards conservation staff while developing skills in native plant identification, nursery management, Mount Sutro ecology, habitat restoration, seed collection, and volunteer leadership.

2) High School Naturalist Program & Environmental Education

Between the months of March - October, the Coordinator will transition into supporting Sutro Stewards’ San Francisco Youth Naturalist Program (SFYN) and broader environmental education work.

The SFYN Program is a 40-hour, UC-accredited naturalist training program serving high school students and young adults from diverse backgrounds, including youth from environmental justice communities and BIPOC and/or LGBTQ+ communities. The program combines naturalist training, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, environmental justice, nature journaling, hands-on stewardship, and immersive field learning.

The Education Coordinator will support the planning, development, and execution of the program, including:

• Supporting annual planning and development of the SFYN curriculum and program schedule.
• Assisting with recruitment, preparation, and onboarding of the next cohort of students.
• Supporting field days, nature-based learning activities, stewardship projects, and other hands‑on educational experiences.
• Helping facilitate activities related to local ecology, natural history, native and invasive plant identification, and urban habitat restoration.
• Supporting guest lecturers, partner organizations, and community educators participating in the program.
• Helping create an inclusive, welcoming, and supportive learning environment for high school students.
• Drawing on their own experience to mentor and connect with students.
• Supporting students with nature journaling, capstone projects, and stewardship interests.
• Assisting with program logistics, communications, materials, and evaluation.
• Helping document program activities and student learning.
• Supporting the continued development of a pathway connecting SFYN graduates to paid environmental education and conservation opportunities.

The Coordinator will work closely with Sutro Stewards staff and SFYN partners, which may include experienced naturalists and educators from organizations such as Nature and the City, Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, and Presidio San Francisco.

Learning and Professional Development

This position is designed as a paid workforce development opportunity. The Coordinator will receive mentorship and practical experience in:

• Environmental education and youth development
• Naturalist interpretation and ecological literacy
• Native and invasive plant identification
• Urban ecology and Mount Sutro natural history
• Habitat restoration
• Volunteer leadership
• Curriculum and program development
• Field-based education
• Environmental justice and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
• Professional communication and collaboration

Through this experience, the Coordinator will build transferable skills and professional connections that can support future employment in environmental education, conservation, restoration, horticulture, and related green careers.

Qualifications

We are especially interested in candidates who are former participants in the San Francisco Youth Naturalist Program and/or have experience with Sutro Stewards programs.

Required or strongly preferred:

• Interest in natural history, environmental education, conservation, or urban ecology.
• Experience or demonstrated interest in working with young people.
• Willingness to work outdoors in a range of weather conditions.
• Ability to work collaboratively with staff, students, volunteers, and community partners.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Interest in learning and sharing knowledge about the ecology of Mount Sutro and the San Francisco Bay Area.
• Commitment to environmental justice, equitable access to nature, and inclusive environmental education.

This position is intended to provide a pathway for emerging environmental professionals to develop skills and experience.

About the Workforce Development Pathway

Sutro Stewards launched its Urban Ecology Internship program in 2021, providing paid, twelve-month internships in native plant horticulture, community-based habitat restoration, and volunteer leadership. Graduating interns have gone on to work with organizations including Point Blue Conservation Science, Friends of the Urban Forest, Literacy for Environmental Justice, and Sutro Stewards.

In Fall 2025, Sutro Stewards launched San Francisco’s first fully subsidized UC-accredited Youth Naturalist Program. The SFYN Program provides comprehensive, hands-on naturalist training while offering four college credits through UC Davis Continuing & Professional Education.

The Urban Ecology Education Coordinator builds a bridge between these programs. By providing a paid position for an SFYN graduate, Sutro Stewards can create continuity between youth education and professional experience, while developing an intergenerational network of urban naturalists and stewards.