Employment

RiverLink is one of the leading protectors of the French Broad River and encourages people to experience, learn, and conserve this beautiful watershed. Our educational programs have been serving K-12 students and teachers for over 15 years–providing outdoor enrichment opportunities and lessons on freshwater ecology. This new position will oversee the expansion of these programs into the after school sector. 

We recognize that the environmental field is a very white dominated space. As such, we strongly encourage applications from Black and Indigenous people and other people of color, people from working class backgrounds, women, LGBTQ+ people, and other people of historically excluded identities.

Reports to: Education & Outreach Manager

Job type: Full-time, typically 10am-6pm with infrequent weekend and evening duties.

Pay and Benefits: $40,000/year, health insurance, life and disability, IRA contributions, holidays and paid time off. 

Location:  Based in Asheville NC, with activities throughout the French Broad River Watershed. 

Responsibilities:

• Manage the RiverRATS After School program that engages students with natural spaces–in particular, this program works with black and brown students and working-class families who have historically been excluded from this work. 
  • Guide students through various indoor and outdoor educational activities that build their confidence and understanding of their local environment. 
  • Build authentic relationships with new organizational partners that work primarily with BIPOC (Black and Indigenous People of Color) and working-class families.
  • Collaborate with current organizational partners to schedule outdoor enrichment activities with their students. 
  • Collect feedback from students and partners to improve the program to better serve their needs.   
• In coordination with the Education and Outreach Manager, implement a new volunteer educator program for individuals that want to support our education programs. These people will serve as supplemental educators for in-school and after school activities. 
  • Create digital and in-person training methods for volunteer educators.
  • Maintain contact with volunteers and create methods to show our appreciation for their support. 
• In order to address the summer learning slide, this position will connect with summer school programs and lead activities with their students to help them better understand water quality and freshwater ecosystems.
• Develop new activities that can be incorporated into all educational programming. 
• Support in-school and summer camp programs as needed.  

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

The successful candidate will likely have some, but not all, of the following:

• Ability to remain calm in stressful situations and make decisions that reflect the importance of student and staff safety.
• An understanding of equity, diversity, and inclusion and how it intersects with environmental and educational work. 
• Can manage children’s behavior in a supportive, understanding, and respectful manner.  
• Strong relationship building and interpersonal skills.
• Strong writing, verbal and analytical skills.
• Proficient organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Experience and passion for working with youth, preferably with ages 8-14.
• Knowledge about stream ecology and environmental science is preferred.  
• Established community connections in the WNC region is a plus. 

Requirements: 

• Candidates must be 21 years of age and eligible to work legally in the United States.
• Clean driving record, with experience and comfort driving large vehicles preferred.
• Ability to pass a background check.
• A high school diploma or GED.

To Apply

Please email Justin Young, Education & Outreach Manager, at education@riverlink.org with:

• A cover letter sharing your passion for this work and/or skills relevant to the position. 
• Resume 
• Any relevant certifications (CPR, First Aid, etc.) 

Deadline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. The first application review process will start on Jan 1st. First interviews will be scheduled around the start of February.