Education Coordinator | Teach from our floating classroom!

This isn't your typical job, it's a lifestyle! You’ll be rolling down the river (the Mississippi River and its tributaries) teaching kids from grades 7-12 in our one-of-a-kind floating classroom! You’ll also teach virtual classes but this is not a remote opportunity. 

In addition to being a traveling teacher, you’ll be an LL&W crew member which means living on a barge with around 10 other river rats! Our crew members are fully immersed in their duties, which vary from day to day. We have lots of fun while getting hard work done! See below for more details.

You must be willing to show up early and leave late but you must also enjoy frozen pizza and other free groceries. You’ll be living with other cool, like-minded humans and barge dogs so you must love people and dogs. Lastly, and we’ll totally have your back on this one but you must “laugh” at the boss’s jokes!! Actually, we have to admit, he is pretty funny but let’s just keep that between us, mmmmk?

Your room and board are covered while living on the barge (~9 months, give or take)  as part of your employment package. This is communal, barge living which means you’ll have a dedicated bedroom, shared his and hers bathrooms and a full galley for shared dining. Take the virtual tour here!

As we remove trash from America’s rivers and teach young kids about the environment, we passionately live our mission every day and we're in it for the long haul. Whatever it takes! 

***See below for completing the application process. 

What You’ll Be Doing

The Education Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the development, coordination and implementation of all educational programs provided by Living Lands & Waters (LL&W). The Education Coordinator will teach students in three key areas:  

• Awareness and appreciation of our nation’s riverways
• Broadened knowledge of river ecosystems
• Fostered commitment to the conservation, preservation and protection of our natural environments. 

That all being said, every day looks different for an LL&W crew member. Monotony is soooo 2002! 

Essential Duties Include (But Are Not Limited To)

• Living on our barge (which travels to different locations throughout the country) for up to nine (9) months out of the year (employment is year-round).
• Ensuring the development, coordination, implementation and evaluation of all educational programs presented.
• Interacting with schools
• Scheduling events
• Developing, preparing, organizing and evaluating curricula.
• Coordinating and hosting student educational workshops aboard our FLOATING CLASSROOM, as well as other LL&W locations (ie: outdoor spaces are also used for educational programming).
• Executing and educating students through LL&W’s hands-on lab activities.
• Arranging necessary purchases through the Facilities Manager within budgetary limitations.
• Educating students on various topics such as stewardship, water quality, careers, waste reduction and more with the focus on protecting our rivers and waters throughout the country and world.
• Confidently and safely operating and driving a 30 ft jon boat full of either garbage or volunteers (on-the-job training provided if you don’t already possess this skill).
• Confidently and safely driving long and short distances in LL&W work vehicles with 30 ft. trailers attached (on-the-job training provided).
• Assisting in organizing, facilitating and participating in river clean-ups
• Working in high-intensity weather and with large groups of volunteers who need direction.

  Other duties for this position may include, but are not limited to, the following: 
   

• Barge rigging
• Barge decking
• Helping with daily tasks and errands
• General maintenance on operations
• Miscellaneous duties
• Travel
• Heavy lifting

*On-the-job training provided. You bring the personality, work ethic and eagerness and we’ll show you the ropes!

Preferable Characteristics

• A quick learner who is willing to roll with the punches of a fast-paced, cleanup season from roughly March-November (employment throughout the year). 
• Prepared to work outside in the elements and often get down and dirty while rocking a badass lifejacket and boots.
• Possesses spontaneity, charisma, a love for adventure and care for the environment. 
• Be prepared to suddenly have the most fulfilling and exciting job around with co-workers who will become family.
• You should be able to show up with a smile and cheerful demeanor no matter what the day may bring. The best in this business are workaholics with a touch of OCD and a side of snappy punchlines.

Requirements: 

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental education, science or a related degree is strongly preferred (but not required).
• Must be a good roommate as you'll be joining our floating house of around 10 river rats. No drunks, drama queens, know-it-alls or primadonnas allowed.
• Comfortable with technology.
• Must be 21 or older with a valid driver’s license. 

  ICYMI: We realize this should go without saying but you’d be surprised how often we are asked. This is NOT a remote job. Quite the opposite, very present and hands-on. Come get environmental with us!

We are a fun-loving group of river rats and this is a vital role to our organization. We’ve removed nearly 12 million pounds of garbage from America’s rivers (11,463,579 to be exact!), which is our reactive way to take care of a real problem. The proactive side of that is engaging and educating junior high and high school students in preventing the problem before it happens!

How to apply:

***To complete the application process, please send your application video to us at workwithus@livinglandsandwaters.org. We have no rules for your video but we recommend just being yourself and letting your personality shine. We have included some guidance below but use only if needed: 

• What excites you about this position? 
• Which of your qualities are a good fit for this position + lifestyle? 
• What ideas, energy and attitude you'll bring to the team?
• Anything else you want to include we should know about you? Go for it!

Make the video unique! Bring the energy! Show us who you are. This position is different than most educator positions: it requires commitment, dedication and passion for the work you do, but also the lifestyle that comes along with it. Up for the challenge?