The Wild Center is seeking highly motivated summer interns to participate in a 12 week position led by our experienced staff at a natural history museum in the heart of New York State’s Adirondack region. You will be immersed in daily museum operations; interns will get a broad range of museum experience and are a key part of The Wild Center’s interpretive staff. You will grow your leadership skills and have the opportunity to develop your knowledge of natural history. Summer Interns will be trained to deliver public programs and informal interpretive experiences throughout our campus. Interns will have diverse responsibilities including outdoor programs, exhibit guiding, Science on a Sphere, canoe and stand up paddleboard trips, Wild Walk, and more. If you have passion and curiosity about what it takes to be a world-class museum, there is a place for you here.

Learning Experiences and Responsibilities

• Develop and implement interpretive programs for museum visitors of all ages, including River Otter Programs, outdoor experiences along our trails and on Wild Walk, and many more informal interpretive opportunities across our campus
• Learn how to utilize innovative technologies for programming, such as Science on a Sphere
• Handle and interpret native amphibians and reptiles
• Co-lead two hour interpretive canoe and stand up paddleboard programs for beginner paddlers on flat water
• Perform outdoor tasks including traveling on uneven surfaces, organizing our outdoor play area, exhibit guiding on our trails, filling bird feeders, and facilitating outdoor experiences
• Assist with daily museum operations, including maintenance and development of education materials, opening and closing duties, exhibit upkeep, and visitor engagement
• Provide excellent customer service for diverse visitors of The Wild Center
• Collaborate with all departments, including Animal Care, Facilities, Development, Admissions, Volunteers, etc.
• Available to work from June 1st, 2019 through August 24th, 2019 (with flexibility around school schedules), including weekends

Qualifications

• Flexibility and the ability to adapt to change as it arises - The Wild Center is a dynamic setting where responsibilities can change quickly
• Positive attitude - you will be challenged to go outside your comfort zone
• Organization and time management skills - you will work on multiple tasks concurrently
• Self-motivated - you seek opportunities to learn and grow; you can thrive independently
• Experience working with people - customer service, teaching, sales, etc.
• Teamwork and collaboration - we often work in groups and depend on each other
• Interest in teaching natural history and working outdoors
• Willingness to learn how to canoe and/or stand-up paddleboard
• Maturity and professionalism - we will consider you if you demonstrate the above skills regardless of level of education completed
• An interest in learning more about a career in environmental education, museum studies, or related fields - we will support you in pursuit of your professional interests
• Comfort living in communal housing - you will live with your colleagues and share living spaces
• Must be at least 18 years old to apply
• Per the New York State Labor Standards, applicants must be attending an institution of learning with courses leading to a degree, certificate, or diploma. Graduating students enrolled in an institution who plan to continue their education are considered students between terms. No more than six months should elapse from the end of one program and the start of the next.

Compensation & Benefits

• $250 weekly stipend (~40 hour work week)
• Shared, fully equipped housing in Tupper Lake, NY within walking distance of The Wild Center (does not include board)
• CPR and First Aid certification
• The opportunity to work in a LEED certified state of the art facility on an 115 acre site on the Raquette River featuring over 50 species of live exhibit animals
• Develop a deeper knowledge of the natural and cultural history of the Adirondack Park including local Haudenosaunee culture
• Formal training opportunities and ongoing mentorship in visitor engagement techniques, including the principles of interpretation, questioning strategies, and Visual Thinking Strategies
• Use of canoes and stand-up paddleboards for use outside of work hours
• Museum staff can work with you to gain college credit if desired (must be confirmed prior to hiring)