Location: Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Port Angeles, WA

Supervisor: Education and Outreach Coordinator

Status: Full-time, Exempt position. No direct reports.

What We Need

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, is seeking an Education Associate, an Education and Outreach team member who will have expertise in the development and implementation of education and outreach programs consistent with Ocean Literacy Action Plan in the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary 2011 Final Management Plan.

http://olympiccoast.noaa.gov/management/managementplan/c_actionplan_oceanliteracy.pdf

Specifically, the Education Associate will conduct education and outreach activities for Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary (OCNMS). The person will work directly with sanctuary staff to define a specific work plan based on the following general tasks. This work plan will be updated as needed.

The nature of the position requires close coordination of work hours with field trip schedules and outreach activities. Frequent consultations with the OCNMS Education and Outreach Coordinator and OCNMS program partners are required to ensure that the terms of the position are fulfilled in a manner consistent with these principles and integrate closely with collaborative education and outreach program and annual operating planning processes.

Due to the necessity of utilizing specific files and conducting field trips, much of the work involved will take place in the office of OCNMS. The sanctuary will provide a workstation at the OCNMS office, located in Port Angeles, WA, including access to a computer and other IT equipment, telephone, copier, and facsimile machine for the position. This position will be monitored and managed through frequent verbal and email contact, and time allocations would fluctuate according to agreement of the Education and Outreach Coordinator.

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is committed to a culture of inclusion, equity, and belonging. We are dedicated to attracting and retaining a diverse staff. We honor experiences, perspectives, and unique identities, and welcome the contributions that you can bring to the dedicated team. With a diverse team of employees, we can grow and learn better together and achieve our mission to protect the health of the ocean, coasts and Great Lakes for current and future generations.

What You’ll Do

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Support OCNMS Mission: Develop, plan, and implement education and outreach programs and activities supporting the ONMS/OCNMS educational mission to inspire ocean conservation and stewardship using the concepts of ocean and climate literacy.

• 
  Support K-12 Education: Work collaboratively with rural schools and tribal communities adjacent to the sanctuary to develop place-based and STEM-focused education opportunities for K-12 students. Coordinate and conduct beach field trips, field investigations, meaningful watershed educational experiences, classroom activities, youth camps, and regional Olympic Coast MATE ROV competition, and provide virtual programming, as needed.

• 
  Conduct Teacher Professional Development: Plan, develop, and implement place-based and STEM-focused teacher professional development opportunities for Pacific Northwest region educators, aligned with Next Generation Science Standards and in partnership with local and regional science education and research partners.

• 
  Mentor AmeriCorps and Interns: Provide oversight and co-mentoring, along with the Education and Outreach Coordinator or Community Engagement Specialist, to AmeriCorps service members and interns serving with Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, supporting program development, implementation, and evaluation throughout calendar year, as applicable.

• 
  Support Ocean Guardian School Program: Solicit and recommend proposals for the Pacific Northwest Ocean Guardian School program. Support Ocean Guardian School program awarded schools. Identify options for increasing the network of participating schools and connecting activities between awarded Ocean Guardian schools.

• 
  Develop and Maintain Partnerships / Share NOAA Resources: Coordinate and build upon existing local and regional marine education programs to establish an on-going network of organizations which can share resources to develop and disseminate NOAA and sanctuary related education programs and products for the public and schools.

• 
  Conduct Outreach: Represent OCNMS at local festivals and special events (e.g., CoastSavers beach cleanups, Get Into Your Sanctuary, NOAA Open House, Makah Days, Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival, community presentations, etc.).

• 
  Produce Content: Produce sanctuary education content for a wide variety of audiences and media (web, social media, print, curriculum, fact sheets, etc.).

• 
  Communicate Climate Change and OA: Communicate information about climate change and ocean acidification (OA), and its potential effects on the sanctuary and Washington's coast to OCNMS partners. Work with appropriate staff to incorporate ocean acidification and climate change concepts into teacher workshops, student activities, volunteer training, festivals, etc. and in support of OCNMS, WCR, and national OA and climate change initiatives. Additionally, support of education inclusion and implementation with the Ocean Acidification Sentinel Site (OASeS) at Olympic Coast.

• 
  Support National and Regional Education Efforts: Represent OCNMS at National ONMS and Regional WCR ONMS meetings, as appropriate. Support West Coast Region Education efforts in collaboration with all five WCR sanctuaries (Olympic Coast, Greater Farallones, Cordell Bank, Monterey Bay, and Channel Islands) aligned with regional and site priorities. Report to, and work closely with Education and Outreach Coordinator at OCNMS to appropriately implement WCR priorities locally and regionally.

• 
  Support At-Sea Experiences: Participate in education and/or outreach activities aboard sanctuary vessels, as needed.

Safety and Environmental Compliance

• Read and comply with all NOAA safety plans, policies, and procedures as established by NOAA’s Safety and Environmental Compliance Office
• Participate in and attend all mandatory safety training and exercises (fire drills, shelter in place, etc.) or make alternate arrangements as directed by supervisor
• Complete all mandatory safety training by ONMS deadlines
• Promptly report all known and suspected safety problems to supervisor in writing
• Maintain records of all safety-related training requirements and keep certifications up to date

Information Technology (IT) Security

• Complete the annual IT security training course by ONMS schedule and follow all NOAA IT security policies referenced in the training
• Continually abide by the directives in the document “Appropriate Use of Government Equipment”
• Minimize the risk of Privacy Act violations by not keeping unnecessary copies of PII on unprotected media (e.g., open network drives, laptops, portable media)
• Report missing equipment within one hour

Resource Management

• Comply with all DOC and NOAA property regulations and procedures
• Safeguard all government assigned property (cell phones blackberries, etc.) and report missing laptops (or situations where it is believed that a laptop is missing) per agency guidelines
• Comply with domestic and international travel regulations and policies including use of the government travel and purchase cards and the safekeeping between uses
• Comply with T&A policy. Provide, maintain, and validate current contact information in the NOAA Staff Directory, including when there is any change in duty location or function. Follow all procurement regulations and procedures

Professional Conduct and Diversity

• Follow all tenets of NOAA’s professional conduct guidelines to include ethics and diversity and comply with all civil service and agency employee standards of behavior
• Participate in any related team trainings, retreats, etc. as required by the employer and OCNMS

Who You Are

Required Qualifications:

• A bachelor's degree or higher in life sciences, environmental studies and/or education or related field.
• At least two years of professional experience leading formal or informal place-based and/or STEM-focused educational activities for K-12 students.
• At least two years of professional experience in developing, implementing, managing, and evaluating products or services for diverse audiences including graphics, publications and programs which could include off-site presentations, training, residential camps, and other formal and informal education projects.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills specifically in writing and public speaking for diverse audiences.
• Demonstrated organizational and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment and carry out assignments independently.
• Skill and experience with computers, word processing, databases, and use of the Internet.
• Ability to work with children and conduct overnight travel for periods of up to one week.
• Flexibility to maintain a varying work schedule as needed.
• Applicant must complete and pass all security requirements (background check, fingerprint, etc.)
• Maintain a valid Washington state driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with diverse organizations and groups.
• Specific experience in organizing and supporting meetings and workshops.
• Expertise of regional marine resource issues and the organization of governments, including Coastal Treaty Tribes, and agencies with jurisdiction over marine resources found within OCNMS.
• Experience communicating issues related to ocean science, including climate change and ocean acidification, to a wide variety of audiences, including youth.

Physical Demands:

The physical demands for this position involve some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, uneven, or rocky terrain, standing for long periods of time, bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, reaching, lifting objects up to 50 lbs., or similar activities. The work requires average agility and dexterity.

Why You Will Love Us

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation (“Foundation”) is a leading voice for U.S. protected waters, working with communities to conserve and expand those special places for a healthy ocean, coasts, and Great Lakes. The Foundation works in close partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to increase stewardship of our ocean and Great Lakes through on-the- water conservation projects, and education and public outreach activities, and by support for research. Together, we safeguard species and the places they call home, and support coastal communities and economies.

• Dedicated and passionate staff committed to marine and Great Lakes Conservation
• Two weeks paid annual leave, plus paid time off the week between December 25 and January 1; and 12 paid holidays
• Two weeks paid sick leave
• Health benefits: Medical with an FSA option; dental, and vision
• Foundation paid Life and Disability Insurance
• Preparing for the Future: 403(B) with employer contribution after one year of service
• Commuter Benefits

How To Apply

Applications must include a cover letter, resume, and three professional references. No phone calls please. Position is open until filled.

Location: Port Angeles, WA, with an ability for some occasional telework.

Salary Range: $44-52K based on experience. The Foundation offers a competitive benefits package.

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The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws. This commitment applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, and training. The Foundation makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.