Position Title: Environmental Educator of the Konza Prairie Biological Station
Background: Konza Prairie Biological Station
(KPBS) is located on a 3,487 hectare native
tallgrass prairie preserve jointly owned by The
Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University.
KPBS is operated as a field research station by
the KSU Division of Biology. The station is
dedicated to a three-fold mission of long-term
ecological research, education, and prairie
conservation. It has been a Long Term Ecological
Research (LTER) site since 1981. Konza Prairie is
located in the Flint Hills region of northeastern
Kansas, approximately 10 km south of Kansas State
University and the city of Manhattan (39°05'N,
96°35'W). (See
<http://www.kpbs.konza.ksu.edu>www.kpbs.konza.ksu.edu
for more information about KPBS.)
Position Overview: The Konza Prairie Biological
Station Environmental Education Program (KEEP) is
lead by the Environmental Educator (EE) (See
<http://www.keep.konza.ksu.edu>www.keep.konza.ksu.edu
for more information on the Konza Environmental
Education program). The purpose of the education
program is to build public awareness of the
importance of the tallgrass ecosystem and the
conservation and management of the prairie
through long-term ecological research. The EE is
responsible for the development and
implementation of programs for a variety of age
groups, with special emphasis on the school age
child and will be involved with the School Yard
LTER Program at KPBS. The EE is directly
responsible to the Director of KPBS while closely
cooperating and communicating with KPBS research
faculty, the KPBS site manager, Friends of Konza
Prairie (FOKP) and school districts in the area.
This is a full-time term position renewed
annually contingent upon availability of funding
and satisfactory performance of the EE. We
anticipate this position to start January 15, 2012.
Required Qualifications: The successful candidate
will have superior organizational skills and
strong verbal communication skills with a minimum
of a MS degree in the biological sciences and
familiarity with the natural history of the
tallgrass prairie. He/she should be highly
personable and have experience establishing
successful working relationships. He/she must be
enthusiastic, creative, have an entrepreneurial
spirit and be an effective team member and
leader. Experience with environmental education
programs or the equivalent; experience in
teaching and in program and facility development;
possession of a valid driver's license and personal transportation.
Preferred Qualifications: Working knowledge of
computers and multi-media and experience in grant writing and fund raising.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Administration
1. plan and coordinate tours with KEEP staff, docents and research scientists
2. assist the Konza Director, KEEP staff and the
FOKP Education Facilities Committee with the
development of educational facilities
3. supervise and evaluate other KEEP staff
4. write grants to help support education program
development and when successful implement and coordinate grant(s)
5. prepare annual budget for KEEP and keep
financial information up-to date, i.e. accounts,
grant expenditures, salary funds
6. purchase program supplies and equipment
7. oversee the KEEP website and updates
8. maintain communications with cooperators, answer questions, etc. (e-mail)
9. manage, maintain, update KEEP student-generated databases
10. maintain all education program files present and past
Education
1. serve as primary educator for the general public, including regional schools
2. develop and implement education programs with
the KEEP staff, FOKP Education Program Committee, and the Docent Committee
3. develop and implement the docents' training
program for FOKP and supervise the docent program
4. write and update material for newsletters,
articles, KEEP material, and program training information
5. implement and maintain communication and
professional development opportunities for
teachers involved with KEEP/SLTER/PAK
Outreach/Community/FOKP
1. act as liaison with community organizations
and spokesperson for and about KEEP
2. over see docent program in cooperation with other staff members
3. provide monthly and annual reports to FOKP Board and KPBS Director
Miscellaneous
1. Oversee and coordinate special projects:
a. serve as curator of displays and collections
in the education center and other areas
b. maintain Citizen Science databases (phenology)
c. Hokanson Homestead, ranch house and education gardens
To apply: Send a pdf file containing a letter of
interest, CV, and the names, phone numbers, and
email addresses of three references to:
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] (John M.
Briggs, Professor of Biology and Director of
Konza Prairie Biological Station) by 28 October 2011.
Kansas State University is an equal opportunity employer
and actively seeks diversity among its employees.
Background check required.
=====================================
John M. Briggs
Professor of Biology
Director of Konza Prairie Biological Station
Kansas State University
Division of Biology 104 Ackert Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-0140
<http://kpbs.konza.ksu.edu>http://kpbs.konza.ksu.edu
