Wildlife Champion Empathy Specialist at Parks Tacoma – Tacoma, Washington

Based on our internal equity review process, the starting hourly wage for this position will be $29.59.
To allow for growth and salary progression the full hourly range is $29.59- $40.51. Employees will have the opportunity to move through the posted range based on annual performance reviews and merit increases.

Work where you play!
Join our team at Parks Tacoma to put your skills to use serving your community and making Tacoma a vibrant, healthy, and welcoming place to live.

Who We Are
Parks Tacoma is a CAPRA-accredited and AZA-accredited, independent park district that leads efforts to build a healthy, sustainable community. Located in Tacoma, Washington, Tacoma Parks’ mission is to create healthy opportunities to play, learn, and grow. The independent park district spans the city providing a wide range of life-enriching destinations and services, including 70+ parks, 80+ miles of trails, 1,000+ acres of urban forest, 66 playgrounds, four community centers, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Point Defiance Park, and much more. Our work is guided by eight core values that are the foundation of our actions and goals: innovation, excellence, equity, inclusiveness, sustainability, accountability, safety, and fun.

Why You’ll Love it Here
Come work where you play! You will contribute to the overall vitality and well-being of your community when you work for Parks Tacoma, and you’ll do so as part of a supportive team of committed, passionate, and mission-driven professionals. The people of Parks Tacoma are the key to its success, and you just might be the next great addition to our team. You’ll receive a competitive wage, along with an attractive benefits package, including medical, dental, retirement, vacation, holidays, and much more. On top of that, you’ll wake each day knowing that you’re helping make Tacoma a great place to call home.

Position Information
Under the direction of the Community Collaboration Manager this position will assist in the implementation of the Empathy Educators: Nurturing Wildlife Advocates grant. This is a grant funded position through September 2027. This project aims to integrate empathy-for-wildlife practices into the Tacoma School District's elementary science and social-emotional learning curricula, fostering a culture of conservation and empathetic behaviors in students. Through this grant this position will support the evolution of the existing Wildlife Champions program into a sustainable and scalable program for the future. Utilizing a collaborative approach to gather feedback from students, teachers, school and district staff to produce a comprehensive menu that can be used by all Tacoma Public School Elementary schools. To support this comprehensive menu, this position will assist with developing a professional development (PD) course that will equip Tacoma teachers with tools and strategies to use the Wildlife Champions Curriculum in their classrooms and outdoor learning environments with minimal support from Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium staff.

In the performance of their respective tasks and duties all employees are expected to:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, customers, suppliers & partners.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and organizations.
• Observe applicable safety requirements, use safety equipment provided, implement appropriate safety practices at all times and report immediately any unsafe working conditions or hazards

This position is responsible for working with the Community Collaboration Team to:

• Participate in evaluative processes that will include workshops, surveys, focus groups, etc. Help inspire community participation and input in engagement activities.
• Support development of a comprehensive menu for wildlife champions program.
• Help strengthen relationships with community partners by assisting supervisor in growing partnerships, fostering meaningful connections, and addressing barriers.
• Assist with regular planning meetings and working sessions with educators to gather input, pilot lessons, and revise existing Wildlife Champions Curriculum.
• Assist with adapting and integrating existing Wildlife Champions content and Explore the Shore empathy best practices to meet diverse classroom and field trip needs across Tacoma Public Elementary Schools.
• Assist with creating user-friendly instructional materials, alignment guides, and documentation to support teacher implementation of the existing Wildlife Champions, empathy-centered curricula.
• Maintain organized records of input gathered from TPS staff, students and families.
• Combine workshop outcomes into an accessible summary for distribution.
• Assist in preparing reports.
• Support the development of a toolkit on Wildlife Champions to be utilized by others looking to start their own version of the program.
• Build empathy and action for Wild Life externally in the community.
• Assist in creating professional development (PD) courses that empower teachers to teach the Wildlife Champions Lessons, giving them tools and strategies to succeed.
• Share outcomes with Tacoma Public Schools and broader education elementary schools to sustain and grow program impact.
• Operate a motor vehicle to travel between multiple worksites during a work shift and/or transport volunteers or other staff members for community outreach initiatives.
• Perform additional duties as needed to further the mission of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and the success of community outreach initiatives.

• At least two years of experience in natural sciences, education, or related field, may include college coursework, volunteering, and work experience.
• Passion to engage communities (adults and youth) in science, empathy and nature experiences that are exciting, rewarding and impactful.
• Experience working with diverse populations in nature settings or conservation organizations, specifically historically oppressed communities
• Experience with delivery of community programming to individuals, families and groups from a variety of ages, abilities and backgrounds.
• Must exhibit consistent characteristics such as a positive attitude, ability to show initiative, emotional maturity, self-responsibility, and ability to work as part of a team.
• First Aid and CPR certification required, training available upon hire.
• Must have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
• Experience in applying JEDAI (justice, equity, diversity, access and inclusion) principles to your work.

Desired Qualifications:

• Bilingual or use of a language other than English (such as Spanish, ASL, Russian, Korean).
• Experience with environmental education programming including delivery in a formal or informal settings.

Hours:
40 hours per week. Hours may include evenings and weekends.
This position is grant funded through September 2027.

Knowledge of:

• Current conservation issues relevant to local wildlife as well as species represented at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
• Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and social-emotional learning (SEL) goals.
• Justice, Equity, Diversity, Access and Inclusion principles
• Cultural competency to create warm and welcoming experiences for underserved communities.

Ability to:

• Plan & organize work.
• Work independently with little direction or supervision.
• Communicate clearly verbally and in writing.
• Operate a 10-passenger vehicle.

PARKS TACOMA IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, political affiliation, disability or any other merit factor. Members of ethnic minorities, women, special disabled veterans, veterans of the Vietnam-era, recently separated veterans, and other protected veterans, persons of disability and/or persons age 40 and over are encouraged to apply.

Parks Tacoma employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,

Parks Tacoma is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resources at hr@parkstacoma.gov.

Employment is subject to a national background check.

This position is an at-will position with no written or implied contractual agreement.