Research Senior Harbor Educator

Overview

Save the Harbor is the region’s leading voice for clean water and continued public investment in Boston Harbor, the region's public beaches, and the Boston Harbor Islands. We provide free waterfront programming and events that connect youth, teens and families to our spectacular, urban natural resources, with an emphasis on breaking down barriers of race, language, income and ability. Save the Harbor is committed to making Boston Harbor, the Islands, our beaches, and our programs inclusive, equitable, diverse, and accessible for everyone and anyone.

Save the Harbor/Save the Bay is seeking two Research Senior Harbor Educators (SHEs) to lead, support, and motivate our high school aged summer staff in our Youth Jobs & Leadership Program, specifically within our Boston Harbor Research Project. This position is for a self-motivated individual with experience mentoring teens and young adults with a background in marine ecology or environmental science research. Under the direction of the Program Director and Program Coordinator, the SHEs will support the daily operations and enrichment for our summer research programming and logistics. Over the course of the summer, SHEs will be responsible for two research cohorts (each 3 weeks long) of about 15 Junior Program Assistants (JPAs) -14-19 year olds.  The responsibilities will be shared and supported by a fellow SHE.  

Research SHEs are responsible for engaging in active and hands-on guidance of lessons from the research lab notebook as well as during data collection days. SHEs will lead the JPAs to different sites across the Boston Harbor to investigate unique research questions. Past year’s project topic included green crab abundance on rocky vs sandy beaches, MBTA accessibility to harbor beaches, envisioning sea level rise on harbor beaches through AI visualization and many more!  

SHEs will assist JPAs in designing their research methods, collect data at waterfront sites using equipment such as quadrats, crab traps, and environmental monitoring sensors, and analyze data. Additional visits to the Boston Public Library will be a time for additional research, data analysis, and creating their final poster presentation. SHEs will be responsible for checking all presentations for completion and making any accommodations if needed.  

To complement the research project days, SHEs will attend field trips with the JPAs to partner organizations to learn about active environmental work across Boston. Last summer we partnered with Charles River Conservancy, Mystic River Watershed Association, Mass Oyster Project, UMass Boston Archives, Emerald Tutu Project, Massport, and the Wind Testing Technology Facility. SHEs will lead communication for field trip transportation, distributing and collecting permission forms, and guiding JPAs through thoughtful reflection post field trip. 

Responsibilities

• Important responsibilities and duties may include, but are not limited to the following: 
• Create a team dynamic and work environment that is conducive to leadership development, peer-to-peer mentorship, and is a safe space for your team and all involved. Facilitate an environment for exploration and curiosity.  
• Lead youth staff through research projects using the lab notebook and one on one mentorship.  
• Transport and handle scientific equipment for youth staff to use at research sites.  
• Communicate the weekly schedule to your team via group chat.  
• Work with high school staffers to ensure their successful completion of biweekly blog posts.  
• Conduct check ins (up to 3) with your team regarding their research project and leadership progress throughout the 3 weeks.  
• Attend weekly senior staff meetings at the end of the week with open communication from your supervisors, as well as attendance at weekly full staff meetings.  
• Attend Leadership Fridays, field trips to partner sites, and collaborations with other youth job programs.  
• Lead tabling activities at occasional (up to 3) night and weekend beach events. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or at least two years of related work experience  
• Experience working with young adults, preferably in a school, summer camp, or coaching environment.  
• Outgoing, enthusiastic, comfort speaking in public, and confident in leadership roles.  
• Flexible, creative, spontaneous, and able to work independently and as part of a team.  
• Comfortable around water and getting your hands dirty (baiting fishing hooks, handling marine life, and hands-on exploration of the Harbor environment are regular activities).  
• Background or interest in marine biology, environmental science, maritime history, or related field preferred.  
• Background in fundamental lab skills (microscopes, dissections, transects) preferred.  
• Experience working with Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and group messaging platforms.  
• Proficiency in Spanish, Haitian Creole, Mandarin and/or Cape Verdean Creole preferred, but not required. 

Terms of Employment

• Hours: 30 hours a week M-F roughly 9AM-3PM
• Compensation: $22/hr
• Full time seasonal: Last week of June through the end of August (Specific dates TBA). 
• This is a paid seasonal position without benefits. 
• Occasional nights and weekends will be required. 

This position will be primarily in person along the waterfront that is accessible by public transportation. Most mornings you will be reporting directly to our office on the Fish Pier in the Seaport to gather supplies before heading to a research site. Two days a week we have field trips where we visit partners in various fields for career development, networking, and skills learning. Your schedule will primarily remain constant in regards to your weekly sites - your schedule will remain constant between the two research cohorts. Senior Harbor Educators (two) will lead a team of twelve 15-19 year olds through a 3-week immersion to put skills into practice out in the field. 

How to Apply

To apply, please send your resume and cover letter to Kristen Barry at barry@savetheharbor.org and Meghan Gonzalez at gonzalez@savetheharbor.org with Senior Harbor Educator in the subject line. We strongly encourage applications from folks who are from Boston, people of color, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply. 

Please let us know if you require any accommodations to support an accessible interview experience. Our team is committed to providing a comfortable and inclusive process.