Education Coordinator for the Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP)
Position based at Bosque School
About the Organization
The Bosque Ecosystem Monitoring Program (BEMP) (www.bemp.org) annually provides
environmental education and citizen science programming for up to 10,000 students, teachers, and the
public. BEMP is a partnership of Bosque School and the University of New Mexico, Department of
Biology. BEMP’s mission: Science, education, and stewardship of the Rio Grande and its watershed
through long-term, hands-on student research of ecosystem response and function to inform public
policy.
About the BEMP Education Coordinator
BEMP’s Education Coordinator is responsible for ensuring that BEMP’s education programs are
exemplary, just, and equitable. Furthermore BEMP’s Education Coordinator is responsible for
documenting that BEMP student participation leads to measurable and positive gains regarding
environmental knowledge and action. BEMP’s Education Coordinator both leads a team of dedicated
environmental educators and is a primary deliverer of BEMP education programs.
Key Responsibilities
- Be the lead educator in creating, modifying and delivering both field and classroom education
and outreach programs that are BEMP mission-centric for thousands of citizen scientists and
student researchers in BEMP’s K-12 through university network with a priority on multiple
contacts with BEMP students each year. - Ensure that BEMP education efforts are hands-on, vibrant, content-rich learning experiences that
connect students to their home watershed through student research that is developmentally and
culturally appropriate and supports education reform initiatives. - Work in a collegial manner to coordinate BEMP education initiatives and activities with the
whole BEMP team. Will be an active participant on BEMP’s leadership team consisting of the
BEMP Science and Stewardship Coordinators, Data and Office Managers, and Co-Directors. - Provide direct support to BEMP classroom teachers while maintaining a special sensitivity to the
complexities and demands of their jobs. - Participate in and be a vital part of BEMP’s field science and research activities, especially
monthly monitoring and arthropod pitfall trapping including occasional lab or other field data
collection activities. - Be essential in documenting and reporting out on BEMP learner outcomes, BEMP student and
other participant experiences. - Tell BEMP’s story on a local, regional, and national level.
- Act as thought-leader on BEMP’s leadership team to provide strategic planning in the following
areas: (1) diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives; (2) organization goals and benchmarks; (3)
capital campaign activities; (4) marketing and outreach; and (5) other topics as needed. - Directly support, train, supervise, and mentor BEMP education staff – between 3 and 5 full and
part time BEMP educators and several BEMP college and high school education interns
Supporting Responsibilities
- See to it that all BEMP education experiences, field excursions, and related activities are
properly scheduled, conducted, and evaluated. This includes making sure that all school buses
and other logistical matters are properly taken care of by someone in BEMP’s organization. - Participate in, present to, and build relationships with local, state, national, and international
environmental education, citizen science, and allied organizations. - Assist other members of the BEMP team in the preparation of program reports.
- Support grant reporting, site visits, and related activities for BEMP funding partners
- Work with BEMP’s Office Manager to edit and write BEMP’s newsletter, maintain the
education elements of BEMP’s website, provide material for BEMP’s social media presence, and
assist with on-time delivery of BEMP education materials and reports. - Promote and market BEMP in coordination with Bosque School’s Marketing Department.
- Support BEMP’s parent organizations, Bosque School and UNM, with fulfilling their missions.
- Coordinate and lead occasional teacher trainings, focus groups, and related events.
- Coordinate and lead large group events such as BEMP’s annual student congress.
- Other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Education Requirements
- Master’s degree in education, a science discipline, or related field.
- At least 5 years relevant work experience including at least 3 years of K-12 teaching (formal or
informal settings) and 2 years of supervisory experience. - Deep knowledge of education reform efforts.
- Demonstrated passion for environmental education.
- Strong ecological knowledge (Southwest riparian ecosystem knowledge preferred).
- Demonstrated ability to develop, deliver, and coordinate content-rich, culturally appropriate
curriculum to a wide variety of students in a manner that supports and is in concert with
education reform efforts. Dynamic educator able to challenge and engage K-12 and university
students with field, lab, classroom, and analytical learning experiences. - Great flexibility and multi-tasking skills. A typical week involves running education team meetings, helping set agendas and plan for upcoming regional gatherings, teaching 3-4 days with school groups in the classroom and in the bosque, meeting with the supervisor, planning an event that will occur in the next three months, updating the blog and/or website, meeting one-on-one with direct reports, collecting phenology data, assisting with a porcupine radio collaring, and meeting with Bosque School staff about student culture on campus.
Desired Qualifications
- Spanish speaker.
- Experience working with a wide range of students especially from Hispanic, Native American and/or New Mexican communities.
- Outdoor education background with wilderness first aid skills.
Position Details
- Position is based at Bosque School, Albuquerque, NM with most work off site and with duties
across the state, but mostly focused in the Albuquerque metro area and adjacent counties. - The work involves occasional evening and weekend assignments.
- Regular, weekly work takes place at Bosque School but could include occasional work at BEMP’s UNM office and assisting with teaching college level classes and processing data.
- The position is full time, salaried, $45 to $50K depending upon experience.
- The position is supervised by the Co-Director of BEMP based at Bosque School and works in
cooperation with the Co-Director of BEMP based at UNM. - On a regular basis the employee will be outdoors, in and along the Rio Grande and its riverside
forest on and off uneven trails in a variety of weather conditions. Employee needs to be able to
lift 25 pounds. Employee must be a positive team member in all field conditions.
About Bosque School
Bosque School is an independent, co-educational, college preparatory school for students in grades 6-12.
Located on 42 acres along the Rio Grande bosque (riparian forest) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the
school places a strong emphasis on the arts, service learning, and environmental science in the bosque.
Bosque School takes pride in offering a progressive and inventive approach to learning. Founded in
1994, Bosque School is governed by a Board of Trustees and is affiliated with the National Association
of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Independent School Association of the Southwest (ISAS).
Currently, there are 485 students in grades 6 – 12. There are over 50 faculty members, more than half of
whom hold advanced degrees, and a support staff of 30.
Application Materials and Process
Applicants should email a cover letter and resume to bemp.job@bosqueschool.org. Deadline for
submission of applications is Thursday 31 January 2018. Position is open until filled. Finalists will
have an on-site interview that includes a teaching demonstration. Finalists will be asked to provide a
professional writing sample(s) and references.
Starting Date
Prefer by 1 April 2018, but will consider a later start date by 1 July 2018 if the applicant has a
contractual obligation through the 2017-2018 school year.
Non-Discrimination and Disability Policy
Bosque School is an equal opportunity employer and makes all employment decisions, including those
related to recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, and recognition of individuals on the basis of their
ability and job related qualifications and without regard to race, gender, religion, national origin, sexual
orientation, disability, or any other classification proscribed under applicable federal, state, or local
law. We actively seek diversity among faculty and administration as well as among students. The school
complies with the law regarding reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. Applicants
requiring reasonable accommodation in order to participate in the application/interview process are
requested to contact the School in order to arrange such accommodation (505) 898-6388.