Do you love exploring the outdoors and inspiring others to do the same? Are you passionate about helping children build lifelong connections with nature? Piedmont Wildlife Center is hiring experienced Outdoor Educators for our brand-new Junior Naturalist program.

About Our Organization: Piedmont Wildlife Center is a Durham-based non-profit organization encouraging conservation and inspiring people to build lifelong connections with nature through immersive outdoor education, citizen science, and wildlife stewardship. We pursue this mission through afterschool, homeschool, and year-round camp programming in the great outdoors. The Center also offers conservation-focused field trips and outreach programs with our Ambassador Animals.

Land Acknowledgement: Our camps operate out of Leigh Farm Park in Durham County and Blackwood Farm Park in Orange County. Both parks are remnants of 19th-century plantations and are on land that was once part of the shared territory of Saponi, Tuscarora, Occaneechi, Cheraw, Eno, Shakori, Catawba, and Lumbee nations. The county parks departments have preserved multiple historic structures in our locations. In addition, we operate camps at Umstead State Park in Wake County which was once a segregated park and indigenous territory. It is imperative that we discuss this history with our staff and campers, amplify the stories of the indigenous and enslaved peoples who cared for the land and continue learning about and examining the parks’ legacy.

Position Summary: We are seeking experienced Environmental Educators to lead engaging activities for youth day camp programs that focus on developing deep nature connections. Educators are responsible for safely leading groups of up to 10 campers ages 8-12 through educational activities while monitoring both individual and group needs and adapting plans to help all individuals successfully engage in programming. The ideal candidate brings both environmental education expertise and a passion for mentoring youth, sharing their unique knowledge and skills in a way that empowers campers to form meaningful relationships with the natural world and inspires a lasting commitment to environmental stewardship

Camp Environmental Educators will work our upcoming Junior Naturalist camps at Historic Yates Mill County Park in Raleigh, NC.

The dates of these camps are listed below:

September 23, 2025 (single day)

October 6 - October 10, 2025

October 13 - October 17, 2025

October 20, 2025 (single day)

November 4, 2025 (single day)

November 11, 2025 (single day)

Applicants looking for additional work throughout the season will also have the opportunity to work in our Homeschool in the Wild program or School's Out camps, based on availability.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Facilitate camp activities focused on nature connection and environmental education.
• Supervise camper safety and enforce activity policies
• Communicate with co-counselors and program managers about program outcomes and camper behavior.
• Evaluate the success of lesson plans.

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 2 years of experience in environmental education, outdoor education, or related field.
• Experience working with children in formal or informal education settings (e.g., camps, schools, nature centers).
• Strong knowledge of local Piedmont ecology, including native plants, animals, and ecosystems.
• Skilled in inquiry-based and experiential teaching methods, with the ability to adapt to diverse learning styles.
• Comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions, including rain, heat, and cold.
• Physically able to hike at least 2 miles over uneven terrain while supervising a group.
• Strong communication and group management skills.
• Reliable transportation to and from camp location.
• At least 18 years of age.
• Current First Aid and CPR certification (adult and pediatric) by the first day of work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Education, Biology, or related field
• 2 or more years teaching experience
• Relevant outdoor certifications such as Wilderness First Aid/Responder, Certified Interpretive Guide, Leave No Trace Master Educator, and/or NC Environmental Educator.