Volunteer - Environmental Education and Outreach Specialist

Volunteer Specialists are typically recent college graduates pursuing a career in the National Park Service.

Big Cypress National Preserve is 729,000 acres of swampland in south Florida. Part of the Everglades ecosystem, Big Cypress is a critical watershed for the Ten thousand Islands area to the southwest. It is home to many endangered species including the Florida Panther. Incredible wildlife viewing opportunities, canoeing, hiking and biking are just some of the activities available during the winter months in the swamp.

Dates: Full 6 month positions. Positions begin September 28 and run through April 3rd. 

Duties: Main Duty -  October through the end of March volunteers work with the S.W.A.M.P., Swamp Water and Me Program, a hands-on curriculum-based program with the 6th grade students and their teachers from the Collier County School System. Volunteers will either assist rangers or lead own groups depending on staffing during the field trip. This involves hiking into a cypress strand, prairie and pineland with the students and helping them with field experiments, data gathering and other activities such as radio telemetry, dip netting, water quality testing, soil sampling, animal and vegetation identification and weather tests. While the hiking is not long in distance it can be very physically demanding as it involves walking through knee to thigh deep water, long periods of standing, heavy lifting, heat and humidity, mosquitoes, uneven footing and other swamp creatures besides the 6th graders!              Volunteers also present the pre-site programs in the classrooms prior to the field trips. The volunteer will also assist in the facilitation of the S.W.A.M.P. Teacher Workshop.

Volunteers also develop and present a variety of interpretive outreach programs to school groups of all ages and adult special interest groups. These take place in the schools, in the community at libraries or museums, or in the preserve and may include power point presentations, wet walks, canoe trips and bike trips. Volunteers will work at a variety of special events and community festivals, assist in the training of new employees and volunteers, work on a variety of assigned interpretive projects, develop new activities and teacher materials, and maintain and inventory equipment.

Days off vary week to week depending upon program needs.  Volunteers work a minimum of 40 hours per week Monday through Friday, but may also be scheduled to work several weekend festivals, special community events or attend training opportunities which may be longer than 8 hour days.  

Volunteers may have the opportunity to assist with projects in other divisions including visitor services, resource management, fire, administration, maintenance and law enforcement. Volunteers will also visit other agencies and attractions in the area as part of their training. Volunteers will be working directly with the Education Coordinator on a daily basis as well as have the opportunity to shadow employees in other divisions and provided a full range of exposure to the full operation of the Preserve.

Skills: Must have a car and valid driver's license.  Must enjoy and have experience working with children. An education, interpretation, recreation or biology background is preferred. Knowledge of natural science is necessary along with good communication skills, flexibility, be in good physical condition and most of all have enthusiasm!!!

Compensation: This position is designed to give you first hand workplace experience.  Housing will be provided on-site in a shared bunkhouse with individual bedrooms. Laundry facilities, a pool and a weight room are also available.  This is not a paid position.

Area: Big Cypress is located in South Florida on Highway 41 just thirty miles east of Naples and seventy miles west of Miami. Temperatures during the winter months are usually in the 80s during the day and 60s to 70s at night. Everglades City is the closest town, five miles, with a small grocery, convenience stores, gas stations, and restaurants. The fishing is great!

To apply, fill out the on-line application AND send your resume with references and their contact information to Lisa Andrews, [email protected] or call 239-695-1164.