BILINGUAL GARDEN EDUCATOR
Garden Educator (GE)
Full time
A School Garden Educator’s primary role is to engage and educate students while maintaining the school’s garden and outdoor classroom. The position is specifically for teaching at Dual-Language Immersion school sites, where students are learning Spanish as well as English. Main duties include: planning and teaching lessons in outdoor classrooms to TK-6th grade students and planting, harvesting and maintaining the school’s organic garden space. The School Garden Educator reports to the Garden Program Director.
Role and Responsibilities
Lead weekly garden education lessons in your school’s organic garden for TK-6th grade students
Maintain and submit weekly/monthly reporting on lessons and produce harvesting
Use a portion of your weekly assigned hours to maintain your school garden(s), growing a diverse mix of seasonal crops and perennials
Continue to build your school’s connection to the garden through garden work parties or campus beautification day and by distributing produce harvested in the garden to the school community
Communicate regularly with Garden Coordinator/Director, attend monthly and/or weekly staff meetings focused on team building, staff development, and training
Work Environment
Outdoors and on a school campus
Standing, bending, and stooping, for extended periods of time (up to 8 hours)
Extensive contact with the public and children
Unassisted heavy lifting (up to 40 lbs.)
Scheduling
Shift Work Exclusively.
Full Time: 30-40 hours per week / 5 shifts
Must be able to work occasional evenings and weekends (Saturday and/or Sunday), as scheduled.
Additional Qualifications and Education Requirements
Degree in relevant subject including but not limited to Environmental Education, Elementary Education, Horticulture, Botany, Biological Sciences
Experience working with groups of elementary aged students
Must pass LiveScan (fingerprint background check) and TB test
Fully bilingual in Spanish and English
Preferred Skills and Characteristics
A passion to cultivate children’s connection to nature, healthy food, and culture through hands-on garden-based education
Experience teaching and working with elementary-age students
Experience with growing a variety produce
Organic or regenerative farming practices
Ability to work independently, setting own schedule, while maintaining clear communication with assigned Garden Coordinator
Strong organizational skills
Pay and Benefits
Starting Hourly Pay: $19.00 per hour
Bonus Potential: Annual increase opportunity and bonuses based on performance
Full Time Employees: 30-40 hours per week
Health benefits include: Medical, Dental, Vision and Life Insurance
2 weeks per year of paid vacation
9 days per year of sick time off
8 Paid Holidays per year
About Explore Ecology
Explore Ecology is a Santa Barbara based non-profit organization that empowers our community to protect and preserve the planet with innovative environmental education and nature-based learning. Explore Ecology educates over 38,000 children a year, inspiring them to engage with the natural world, think critically, and experience the value of environmental stewardship. Explore Ecology programs include the Art From Scrap Creative ReUse Store and Workshop, Environmental Education, Watershed Resource Center, School Gardens, and the EE Makerspace.
Explore Ecology actively promotes an environment of respect, diversity, equity, and inclusion. We support all employees regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, race, ethnic origin, color, religion, national origin, creed, marital status, disabled veteran status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, and/or physical disability that does not inhibit the performance of the specific core tasks of this position. Underrepresented people are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of a job’s requirements. We believe in hiring people, not checklists, and encourage you to apply even if you do not check all of the boxes.