Nature Assistant

Make a difference in the community you live in! As a Community Builder—an employee with the City of Gainesville— you will have a direct hand in building and improving your community and making a visible impact on the lives of your neighbors. Working for local government is more than a job, it’s a chance to contribute to community success and to help enhance the Gainesville way of life.

Job Description:

SUMMARY

This is responsible work assisting the staff within the Nature Operations Division in conducting nature activities in designated park areas.

Positions allocated to this classification report to a designated supervisor and work under close supervision. Work in this class is distinguished from other classes by its emphasis on education and interpretation or natural resource management.

EXAMPLES OF WORK

This section of the job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of duties and responsibilities of the position.  The omission of a specific job function does not absolve an employee from being required to perform additional tasks incidental to or inherent in the job.  Performance of lower level duties may be required.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Gives guided tours and presentations to school and interested groups on nature park facilities and programs.

Develops and implements educational programming that meets internal goals and/or Florida Education Standards at nature parks or through outreach programming.

Enforces nature park rules and regulations.

Schedules activities and maintains calendar of programs and events.

Provides park information to interested persons via appropriate means including in person, by telephone and by email.

Participates in prescribed burns.

Assists with or implements monitoring of wildlife and vegetation.

Controls invasive non-native plants using herbicides or manual removal.

Coordinates and oversees volunteer workdays.

Conducts regular park inspections and maintenance of park trails and facilities.

Assists with special events.

Marks park boundaries.

Checks trail counters.

Attends work on a continuous and regular basis.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Graduation from high school or possession of an acceptable equivalency diploma, supplemented by certifications or college level courses in ecology, wildlife management, natural resource management, park management, forestry, education, horticulture, or biology, or related field and one year experience in public contact work or natural resource management work in an outdoor setting.

One (1) of the following may be used to substitute for up to one (1) year of the required experience:

An Associate degree or higher with major coursework in environmental or natural science, education, recreation, biology, wildlife management or related subject

or an Environmental Education Certification (or equivalent)

or the Florida Master Naturalist Course and Basic Certification by the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) (or equivalent).

CERTIFICATIONS OR LICENSES

Licenses

Valid U.S. Driver’s License required upon appointment. Valid Florida Driver’s License required within 30 days of appointment and at all times while employed in this classification.

Florida Public Pesticide Applicator License may be required within one year of appointment.

Certifications

American Red Cross certification (or equivalent) in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and First Aid certification is required within six months of appointment.

Interagency Wildland Firefirghter Type II training (S-130, S-190, L-180) may be required within one year of appointment.

 

 

 

Equal Opportunity

The City of Gainesville is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and does not discriminate in hiring. Minorities, women and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Individuals with a disability, who require special accommodations during the selection process, should notify the Human Resources Department at 352-334-5077 or TDD/TTY at 352-334-2292.

 

Veterans’ Preference

Veterans are encouraged to apply. Veterans’ Preference ensures that veterans and eligible persons are given consideration at each step of the selection process. However, preference does not guarantee that a veteran or other eligible person will be the candidate selected to fill the position. Section 295.07, Florida Statutes (F.S.) specifies who is eligible for Veterans’ Preference. State of Florida residency is not required for Veterans’ Preference.

 

If you are unable to apply online due to a disability, contact recruiting at [email protected] or by calling 352-334-5077.