Education Intern

The National Audubon Society is a nonprofit conservation organization that protects birds and the places they need today and tomorrow. We work throughout the Americas towards a future where birds thrive because Audubon is a powerful, diverse, and ever-growing force for conservation. Audubon has more than 700 staff working across the hemisphere and more than 1.5 million active supporters.
North America has lost three billion birds since 1970, and more than 500 bird species are at risk of extinction across Latin America and the Caribbean. Birds act as early warning systems about the health of our environment, and they tell us that birds – and our planet – are in crisis. Together as one Audubon, we are working to alter the course of climate change and habitat loss, leading to healthier bird populations and reversing current trends in biodiversity loss. We do this by implementing on-the-ground conservation, partnering with local communities, influencing public and corporate policy, and building community.
Audubon is committed to a culture of workplace excellence, where our talented and diverse staff are deeply engaged with a strong sense of belonging. The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon brings new creativity, effectiveness, and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.

The Education Internship is a great opportunity to learn more about environmental education. The intern will be assist in the delivery of education programs and daily operations of the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center. The Education Intern will learn about effective teaching skills, curriculum development, as well as various educational pedagogies.

The position is temporary and paid at a rate of $18.00 per hour, scheduled for approximately 10-20 hours per week. The interns will work with the Education Coordinator at the Nina Mason Pulliam Rio Salado Audubon Center to develop their skills, as well as identify and complete a project based on the intern’s individual interests. This position is eligible for college credit at ASU and GCU.

Compensation:

$18.00 / hour

During the internship you will work with the education staff to:

• Assist in teaching elementary students during outdoor field trips at the Rio Salado Audubon Center and Sanctuary (RSAC);
• Help lead hands-on activities during classroom visits to Phoenix schools;
• Work with high school students for outdoor service learning field trips;
• Conduct community outreach at tabling events around Phoenix;
• Develop activities and curricula for community and family programs;
• Support the operations and maintenance of RSAC spaces and materials.

Schedule:
The programs occur during the school day 8am-12pm, Wednesday- Friday. Interns must be able to commit to at least 2 days per week, Wednesday-Friday, and must be available to teach on those days between 8am and 1pm. Interns are also expected to work at least one Saturday morning per month, either staffing RSAC or delivering programs or outreach.

Projected start date is December 2023 and projected end date is March 31, 2024.

All seasonal interns will gain experience and/or knowledge in:

• Local natural history, teaching and public speaking expertise, program planning experience, and research skills.
• Leading and co-leading small groups of students through seasonal programs.
• Developing lesson plans and curricula for an outdoor setting.
• Connecting kids with nature through inquiry learning, and role-modeling interest and empathy towards all living things.

• Previous experience and background in environmental education, southwestern natural history, and natural resources.
• Experience working with elementary-level students (PreK-6th grade), previous experience teaching or leading groups of people
• Hard working, flexible, and self-motivated;
• Spanish fluency highly desirable
• Must be able to stand on your feet for long periods of time, lift loads up to 15 lbs, and traverse uneven terrain for over 2 miles. Must be able to lead groups in an outdoor setting, including being able to traverse the trails and uneven terrain of the Nature Center and surrounding properties in variable weather conditions.

Audubon Southwest is dedicated to building a culturally diverse organization and strongly encourages applications from people of color and women.

The National Audubon Society is a federal contractor and 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. We are committed to a policy of nondiscrimination, inclusion and equal opportunity and actively seek a diverse pool of candidates in this search.

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 Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

N/A