Employment Opportunities

Yosemite Institute Field Educator

Summary

Yosemite Institute (YI), a campus of Yosemite National Institutes, one of the nation’s leading non-profit environmental education organizations, is seeking qualified candidates for the positions of field educator for our school year programs.

YI enjoys a long history and a solid reputation of being one the of the leading field science schools in California. Our field educators are one key to that success. The work at YI is extremely rewarding on many levels. Often, our educators reflect on their experience at YI as one of the pinnacles of their work experience.

While rewarding, the work at YI is also very demanding. Our program operates in the vast classroom of Yosemite National Park. Instruction takes place in remote and rugged areas with complex logistics in all kinds of weather. In this setting you are expected to manage and teach small field groups of 10 to 15 students of varying ages, backgrounds, and interests. The content you are expected to master is vast and varies from week to week. Field Educators design and deliver the curriculum presented each week, integrating the classroom teacher’s goals, the California state learning standards, and Yosemite National Institute’s educational framework. Leading groups on backpacking and overnight trips takes place several times a semester. In addition, you are a member of a large educational team, living in close proximity with coworkers. You will manifest professionalism in all that you do. A flexible positive attitude is a must. We are looking for tomorrow’s leaders in the field of science education. Please read an introductory letter from our education team about our program.

Typical day and week
A field educator is typically on site from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. One or two evenings per week, educators present evening programs that may consist of night hikes, slide or PowerPoint presentations, campfires, or large group activities. These evening programs typically run from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The only meal or residential responsibility an educator has is the daily managing of lunches with their small group of students while out in the field.

Our students range in age from kindergarten through adults. The majority are 7th and 8th graders. Each week educators develop daily activities, lessons, and hikes that bring together the students’ and schools’ objectives with Yosemite National Institute’s Core Educational Framework. Programs vary greatly, from schools seeking serious academic instruction to those requiring an emphasis on cooperative learning or broader environmental ethics. Most groups opt to participate in a service-learning stewardship project.

Qualifications
Successful candidates are enthusiastic, self-directed, innovative team players who have:

Compensation

Full time compensation ranges from $76-$98 per day, plus additional compensation for evening and weekend work. Housing, consisting of individual rooms within a shared house, partial board, medical/dental benefits, a retirement plan, vacation benefits, and paid training are included. We follow a traditional school year calendar, with program starting in late August and ending early June. Summer programming constitutes a possibility of year round employment.

Application Process

We accept applications on an on-going basis. We are currently accepting applications for positions that start August 2008. The application deadline for these positions is February 1, 2008. Applicants should make it clear in their applications which positions they wish to be considered for.

A completed application consists of the following:

Note: Certifications are not required to apply for a position. However, current Wilderness First Responder (80-hour course) and CPR certification are required prior to hire date if an applicant is offered a position.

Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a high priority at Yosemite Institute.

Because of our work with children, all applicants that reach the interview stage must authorize a background check.

We strongly encourage completed application materials to be sent electronically to YIeducatorposition@yni.org. For those applicants with limited computer access, mail completed applications to:

Adam Burns, Mentor Teacher
Yosemite Institute
P.O. Box 487
Yosemite, CA 95389

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