Major Job Responsibilities:

1) Lead the development, project management, and implementation of two new, grant-funded science education projects (ca. 70%):

• Water Conservation Data Jam: The Water Conservation Data Jam is a two-year project that will increase 700 6th- 12thgrade students’ environmental literacy and foster their ability to turn knowledge into action that benefits the environment. The project is based on Asombro’s successful “Data Jam” teaching model, which guides students to make sense of regionally-relevant datasets and then communicate a trend in the data to nonscientists through creative projects such as poems, physical models, and games. Students’ Data Jam projects will highlight both the need for water conservation and specific water conservation actions. Students will partner with local governments and organizations to show their projects to the general public at ongoing events and in venues throughout the region. The project begins in September 2019 and includes development of a five-lesson module based on existing Asombro lessons, hosting two educator workshops, managing and awarding eight subgrants to other organizations, and hosting a Student Summit.
• Novel strategies to increase sustainability of beef production systems in the western United States: This is a five-year science, extension, and education project beginning by late 2019. Asombro’s role is to work with project scientists and other educators to develop new lessons based on the project’s scientific discoveries that increase K-12 students’ science literacy and knowledge about technology and sustainability in southwestern agricultural systems. We will develop classroom lessons, several adapted from existing Asombro lessons, implement lessons with students throughout the region, and host educator workshops in New Mexico and other states to expand the reach of the program.

The successful candidate will work with Asombro’s Executive Director and scientists involved in both projects to develop new lessons, maintain records, ensure the project meets proposed milestones, implement evaluation plans in coordination with external evaluators, assist the Executive Director and Assistant Director with project budgets and reports, and perform other duties as needed to ensure the success of both projects.

2) Prepare for and teach Asombro’s award-winning science education programs (primarily classroom lessons and occasional activities at other events) to K-12 students throughout New Mexico and the El Paso, Texas region (ca. 20%). While the majority of this position involves management and implementation of the projects listed above, there will also be opportunities to teach and assist with other Asombro lessons in K-12 classrooms and occasionally at the organization’s Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park. Many student participants are Spanish-English bilingual or English learners.
3) Assist with other Asombro science education and administrative projects, such as teacher professional development workshops, collaborative projects with other organizations, communication activities, and other duties as needed (ca. 10%).

Required Skills and Experience:

The successful candidate will be an excellent educator, skilled at developing innovative science education lessons that communicate scientific practices and natural science concepts in an age-appropriate manner to K-12 students and teachers. Must be internally motivated and able to work independently on assigned tasks as well as part of a diverse team with a spirit of collaboration and cooperation. Other requirements include:

• A Bachelor’s degree in natural science, education, or related field (graduate degree is a plus)
• 4+ years of experience teaching natural science concepts using hands-on, inquiry-based methods to K-12 students and teachers (preferred) or other audiences
• Demonstrated project management experience
• Experience developing inquiry-based lesson plans, ideally in alignment with Next Generation Science Standards
• Familiarity with Next Generation Science Standards
• Excitement about working with Spanish-speaking students and finding ways to communicate science concepts to English learners
• Extremely well organized and self-motivated
• Ability to complete projects with deadlines
• Exemplary collaboration skills and ability to work with diverse groups that include scientists and educators
• Working knowledge of common software such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Pages 
• Valid U.S. driver’s license
• Must pass a background check

Other desirable qualifications:

• Knowledge of water and/or agricultural issues in the southwest 
• Spanish fluency