Environmental Educator 1 - Hempstead Lake State Park (NY HELPS)

Duties Description

Under the direction of the Environmental Educator 2, the Environmental Educator 1 will develop environmental programming & public events for school groups and public audiences. In addition, they will provide impromptu pop-up programs at park facilities and supervise seasonal staff. This role will also require coordinating and supporting environmental educational programs at other parks in the region.

Duties will include, but are not limited to:
• Prepare lesson plans/activities for a wide range of ages and groups and develop teaching aids.
• Coordinate/schedule with school and camp staff for visits and/or field trips to the parks.
• All administrative aspects of the program, including hiring paperwork, reporting hours for payroll, and purchasing supplies.
• Development of social media postings to highlight various activities/events and augment in-person education.
• Work with representatives from schools, colleges, organizations, and the public to promote environmental education at park facilities.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and revise and modify content in response to program needs, changes, deficiencies, and needs of particular groups.
• Upkeep of grounds and facilities in coordination with the maintenance staff, as related to educational programs (i.e., pollinator gardens).
• Other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.

The qualifications are:
Four years of experience in environmental conservation in a professional or technical capacity or professional teaching of environmental education AND one year of experience teaching about or interpreting the natural world.

Substitution: Bachelor's degree in biology, ecology, environmental education, environmental interpretation, environmental science, natural history, natural sciences, or a closely related field may substitute for four years of the general experience.

Candidates may also be qualified for permanent competitive appointment if eligible for reassignment or transfer in accordance with Civil Service Law.

Additional Comments

:
**For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title maybe filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply. At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

*If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.

Additional Comments

OPERATING NEEDS:
• Must have and maintain a valid NYS Driver’s License as a term and condition of employment.
• Daytime, weekend, holiday, and evening work is required.
• Must have ability to work with groups of all ages; special focus or experience in early childhood education preferred.
• Must have ability and willingness to handle and care for live animals.
• Bilingual candidates are encouraged to apply.
• Candidates may be required to report to other facilities throughout the region on an as needed basis for conferences and meetings.

To learn about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx

*Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has recently covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024 and June 11, 2025. Notification to employees regarding a change in their status is forthcoming. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources.

Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.

Closing Date/Time: 07/01/25

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• New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

• 518-474-0453

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