Seasonal Naturalist

About Audubon 

The National Audubon Society is a leading nonprofit conservation organization with 120 years of science-based, community-driven impact, dedicated to protecting birds and the places they need, today and tomorrow. Birds are powerful indicators of our planet’s health, acting as sentinels that warn us of environmental change and inspire action. Audubon works across the Western Hemisphere, driven by the understanding that what is good for birds is good for the planet. Through a collaborative, bipartisan approach across habitats, borders, and the political spectrum, Audubon drives meaningful and lasting conservation outcomes. With 800 staff and over 1.9 million supporters, Audubon is a dynamic and ever-growing force committed to ensuring a better planet for both birds and people for generations to come. Learn more at www.audubon.org and on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @audubonsociety.

Position Summary:

Mitchell Lake Audubon Center is a 635-acre wildlife refuge, located in south San Antonio, TX. The property is owned by the local water utility, San Antonio Water System (SAWS), and managed by the National Audubon Society. The historic Leeper House serves as its Welcome Center, with a small education pavilion on property. The site includes 7.5 miles of both walking and/or driving trails.

The center and the surrounding grounds are open year-round and attract visitors from all over the world. Being a part of the Audubon team means making a difference for conservation. The Seasonal Naturalist position is a part-time, seasonal position assisting with essential daily functions related to guest experience. Seasonal Welcome Center Naturalists support Mitchell Lake Audubon Center by supporting welcome center operations, on-site school field trips and family programming, and tending to the native gardens around the welcome center. Training provided as needed.

This role is onsite at the Mitchell Lake Audubon Center in San Antonio, TX.

Length of Assignments: 6 months

Hours: Maximum of 20 hours per week – Sunday 7 am to 3 pm (8 hours) during summer hours and 8 am to 4 pm (8 hours) during winter hours mandatory for this position, other 12 hours per week are flexible based on needs of employee and business operations.

Compensation:

$19.00 / hour

Essential Functions:

• Assist Center staff in supporting day-to-day operations of the Welcome Center to include checking in guests, customer service, and restocking items for sale in the Nature Store.
• Unlock and lock Welcome Center at opening and closing on assigned days.
• Assist in set-up and clean-up of facility rentals and programming preparation.
• Check/restock supplies at the pavilion bathroom during opening/closing.
• Check/restock supplies at center bathrooms during opening/closing.
• Communicate supply and maintenance needs to the Center Resource Coordinator.
• Assist the Senior Education Coordinator with school field trips and family programming as needed.
• Assist the Land & Conservation Coordinator with tending to the native plant gardens (such as watering, pruning, and weeding) as needed.
• Maintains and fosters culture of safety.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office required.
• Must be eager to learn and share knowledge.  
• Must be comfortable working with youth and the public.
• Must be self-motivated and able to both follow directions and work independently.
• Must demonstrate the ability to be reliable and punctual.
• Preferred experience in customer service roles.
• Preferred experience in retail settings.
• Bird and plant identification experience (especially as it relates to Texas) is a plus but not required.
• Multi-lingual preferred (Spanish, English, ASL, etc.).
• Commitment to Audubon’s organizational values of care, collaboration, change, integrity, impact, and innovation.
• Experience fostering inclusive and collaborative work environments is valued.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic outlined by federal, state, or local laws. We are committed to providing an inclusive and accessible hiring process for all candidates.

Accessibility Statement

The National Audubon Society endeavors to keep our careers site accessible to any and all users.  If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process, please contact Accommodations@audubon.org. This contact information is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.