Career Center

Associate Director for Environmental Education (Academic Program Professional 1)

Note: Not all unique aspects of the job are covered by this job description

• Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (JRBP) at Stanford University is seeking an Education Coordinator who is a dynamic and effective teacher with outstanding interpersonal skills. The education coordinator is responsible for overseeing and contributing to all educational activities at the preserve, which involves thousands of visits each year by a diverse spectrum of users that include students, faculty, visiting scientists, and staff from Stanford, from other universities and K-12 schools, and the general public. The ability to work flexible hours, communicate well with academic personnel (including scientific researchers, instructors, visitors, and students), facilitate interactions with the entire Jasper Ridge community and make the preserve a welcoming place for people of all cultures and identities, and multi-task to accomplish a variety of duties that range from teaching and curriculum development to meeting with preserve visitors and helping to plan and produce outreach events is essential. Hiking in the field and performing tasks that include strenuous physical activity including occasional lifting of heavy objects is an essential part of the job. Spanish-language skills are desirable for working with some outreach classes and workshops. Familiarity with ongoing programs at Jasper Ridge will be helpful.

Key job responsibilities include the following:

• Coordinate all aspects of the two-quarter course BIO/ESYS 105 in consultation with faculty. During Fall Quarter this generally involves curriculum development (including editing the course reader) and, together with the course faculty, develop the schedule and general aspects of course content for each of the two quarters. During Winter and Spring quarters the primary duties include teaching the 4-hour weekly class (with faculty and visiting lecturers), supervising Teaching Assistants, maintaining the equipment and acquisition of materials for the course and, at the end of the quarters, conduct the grading. More generally, this course requires close coordination with the course faculty, including meetings on main campus (mostly but not exclusively in Biology Department).
• Act as on-site liaison for all classes utilizing Jasper Ridge, including those from Stanford, other colleges and universities, and K-12 schools.
• Support Stanford students by helping them develop class-research projects, general advising, writing letters of recommendation, etc.
• Supervise student tour-scheduler (including receiving tour requests via the Jasper Ridge web site, then filtering and sending on to the tour scheduler with advice).
• Manage the Jasper Ridge volunteer community of about 150 people, including organizing incentives and continuing education opportunities. Maintain relationships with Jasper Ridge alumni.
• Plan monthly program of seminars at Jasper Ridge, maintain databases and class page on website.
• Contribute to the Jasper Ridge Annual Report and grant-writing efforts.
• Organize and select volunteers for Stanford-related alumni visits, reunions, family weekend, admit weekend, and other special events.
• Organize and participate in K-12 outreach programs. Currently these include such programs as the Redwood Environmental Academy of Leadership (REAL), a Stanford-supported program at Redwood High School, the Menlo-Atherton Ecology Research Outdoors (MERO) program at Menlo Atherton High School, the STEM program for Latina Girls, and the AP Environmental Science (APES) programs at several high schools. Many of these programs are bilingual English-Spanish, and others involve bilingual activities for under-resourced middle and high schools.
• Act as liaison to support Stanford chapter of the Ecological Society of America's SEEDS program to promote diversity in science. Work with SEEDS to run the annual Stanford BioBlitz.
• Collaborate with relevant programs such as the Stanford Office of Science Outreach, Stanford Teacher Education Program, California Academy of Sciences Teacher programs, Coalition on the Public Understanding of Science, Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science, and other local and national organizations.
• Coordinate support for other visitors/programs as they are requested: these have regularly included attendees to academic events organized by Stanford faculty, visitors from the Center for Latin American Studies, and similar events.
• Coordinate and run teacher workshops as appropriate. Often these take place outside of regular work hours.
• Represent educational programs of Jasper Ridge at relevant conferences and meetings.

More information about existing programs, staff, and facilities at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve can be found at: http://jrbp.stanford.edu/.

JOB PURPOSE:

Work under the direction of faculty or other management to implement and administer the vision, strategy, and goals of the assigned academic entity/program(s) utilizing specialized/technical knowledge.

CORE DUTIES*:

• Oversee and administer research activities by evaluating academic programs, making recommendations that impact policies and programs, and coordinating and implementing changes.
• Collect and analyze data, create reports, review and explain trends to determine program effectiveness; formulate and evaluate alternative solutions and/or recommendations to achieve the goals of the program.
• Teach and/or assist in the teaching and administration of courses. Create and/or advise in the development of curriculum. Make recommendations for course improvements.
• Write and edit content for proposals, peer-reviewed publications, and other program activities under the general direction of PI. Assist with the development of research grants, (i.e., may suggest new funding opportunities, write portions of grants, and/or summarize data for grant support).
• Represent the program or function as the key contact and subject matter expert within the department, unit or school and develop communications for internal and external constituencies. Organize and/or participate in outreach activities such as events, partnerships, fundraising, training, and conferences. Lead workshops and facilitate meetings.
• Monitor expenses, budgets, and finances of the program. Make recommendations on funding based on program spend.
• May oversee and train student workers.

* - Other duties may also be assigned