Environmental Education Consultant (Intern)
This position is dependent on funding and is part of the Canada Summer Jobs Program with the following Youth Participant Requirements:
be between 15 and 30 years of age at the beginning of the employment period
be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment and
have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations
Main Functions:
The Environmental Education Consultant (Intern) will support EcoSpark’s citizen science team as we empower people to become environmental champions in their community. With training, the Intern will provide scientific interpretation and support for our work with children and adults, focused on urban fieldwork for our citizen science projects promoting native biodiversity in public greenspaces.
The Intern’s primary project will be the Caterpillars Count project, an international citizen science research study aiming to understand climate impacts on biodiversity by observing arthropods (caterpillars, beetles, spiders, aphids, etc.), which are the primary food source for birds and the core component of ecosystem function. They will work with community partners and youth participants (park groups, summer camps, etc.) to renew past sites and establish new monitoring sites in Toronto parks. The Intern will learn to conduct weekly scientific field research using Caterpillars Count protocols and help train community members to participate.
The Intern will help represent EcoSpark at occasional events (park nature festivals and the EcoSpark Annual General Meeting). Working with organizational leadership, they will also develop resources for our annual Sparking Science mentorship conference.
Specific roles will include:
Assisting in citizen science monitoring and stewardship, including biodiversity and water quality monitoring
Providing leadership and serving as a mentor to children and youth participants
Independent and collaborative field work in Toronto public parks for Caterpillars Count research, observing tree leaves to track the occurrence of arthropods
Learning to use apps, basic wildlife photography, and community data collaboration to document biodiversity and climate impacts in urban parks
Contributing to data analysis and mapping
Contributing creative science communications to share collective results and promote conservation
Organizing logistics for citizen science events
Providing program registration and resource development support
Providing program evaluation support
The Intern will work as part of the citizen science team. The manager and other experienced staff will support the Intern in program tasks. As part of this team, the student will have access to expertise in citizen science projects, environmental education, youth engagement, marketing and communications and the non-profit sector. Through a mentoring plan, EcoSpark will ensure that the student will gain valuable experience in all of these areas.
Qualifications:
Experience working with youth (for example, as a camp counselor or program leader)
Experience collecting and analyzing data
Able to grasp new concepts quickly and efficiently
Proven time management skills, punctuality, and strong attention to detail
Superior communication skills both written and verbal
Ability to work independently and in a team environment
Comfortable working outdoors in all weather
Comfortable moving and lifting heavy bins of field equipment
Comfortable using conferencing software, Microsoft office, and Google platforms
Preferred Qualifications:
Experience working or volunteering with a not-for-profit is an asset
Demonstrated interest in citizen science
We are looking to hire someone in the Greater Toronto Area, preferably in the Toronto and York Regions, with the ability to travel to some sessions throughout the Greater Toronto Area. Valid G2 or G driver’s license and access to a reliable vehicle is highly preferred. EcoSpark pays for mileage and access to carsharing when available.
Desired Level of Education: Secondary or Post-secondary, preferably majoring in Education, Environmental Studies/Science, Biology, Ecology or Geography, or related fields.
About EcoSpark
EcoSpark is an environmental charity whose mission is to empower communities to take an active role in protecting and sustaining their local environment. We do this by giving people the tools for education, monitoring, and influencing positive change.
EcoSpark’s key programs:
School Watch is a program for grades 6-12 that turns teachers and students into citizen scientists collecting nature observations on their school grounds. EcoSpark engages teachers and their classes in outdoor sessions at their school grounds and in nearby green spaces. Our curriculum-linked environmental projects teach students how to conduct and evaluate biological surveys of pollinators, trees, and birds through projects such as Caterpillars Count. These projects have students collect and contribute meaningful data to citizen science projects while learning about ecosystem health and environmental stewardship in their communities.
Changing Currents is a program for grades 6-12 that introduces participants to watershed monitoring and stream science. EcoSpark engages teachers and their classes in outdoor sessions at their school grounds and in nearby green spaces. The program provides researchers with localized data using indicators such as chemical, physical and benthic macroinvertebrate monitoring. Results are shared on the Ontario Benthic Biomonitoring Network database.
Park Watch is a series of activities and events supporting volunteers to animate Toronto’s public green spaces through citizen science. Park Watch enables adult volunteers and their families to support the health and maintenance of public parks and ravines, while fostering a stronger connection to public green spaces. Participants contribute scientifically meaningful environmental data for use at municipal, provincial and national scales.
Location: Primarily City of Toronto and York Region, with some work in other parts of the GTA.
Employment Type: This position is funding-dependent.
Full-time contract (37.5 hours/week) to begin around April 22nd, 2024 for 16 weeks. Depending on program needs, the contract may be extended beyond 16 weeks by mutual agreement.
The Environmental Education Consultant (Intern) may from time to time be required to work more than 7.5 hours per day and occasionally on weekends with lieu hour Compensation.
Salary: $17/hour
Application Deadline and How to Apply:
To apply, please send a cover letter and resume as a single pdf attachment with Environmental Education Consultant (Intern) in the subject line, no later than April 2nd, 2024 by 11:59 pm, to:
Email – jobs@ecospark.ca
We thank all applicants for their interest. However, only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.
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