Black Rock Forest (BRF) is a growing environmental non-profit organization with programs in
research, education, and conservation and is seeking a Director of Education. The organization’s
facilities, including offices, labs, classrooms, and a lodge, are located in the 3,920-acre Forest of
the same name in Cornwall, NY. BRF has a staff of 15 and functions as a biological field station
with 26 miles of hiking trails and another 17 miles of gated forest roads.

Position Summary:
The Director of Education at Black Rock Forest will be responsible for bringing state of the art
educational programming to K-16 students, teachers, and the general public to foster scientific
inquiry. The Director of Education will work closely with the Executive Director, Science and
Conservation staff, and Consortium Members to strengthen the organization and advance the
mission of advancing scientific understanding of the natural world through research, education,
and conservation programs.

Job Description:
• Manage the Education Program including participating in strategic planning, supervising
staff, managing budgets, and overseeing classroom and laboratory space.
• Serve as program-level liaison between Black Rock Forest and the institutional members
of the Black Rock Forest Consortium.
• Collaborate with teachers, researchers, program staff, and consortium members to
develop new activities and curricula including use of the recently renovated Moretti
Education Center.
• Plan, coordinate, and lead forest explorations and lab investigations in science and related
disciplines for groups of students from elementary school age to college
• Support logistics for school groups and public education visits, including adherence to
appropriate policies and procedures.
• Ensure that all educational programs promote cultural competence, diversity, equity, and
inclusion
• Manage online access to forest data and curricular materials (e.g., Peck Stacpoole Online
Education Collection)
• Maintain physical educational resources including field equipment and lab spaces in the
Moretti Education Center, overseeing purchasing as needed
• Support integration of technological advances in education including the use of
smartphone app innovations and digital data collection tools
• Support community science activities in the Forest for students and the public
• Leverage operational budget by writing grants and seeking funds to expand the BRF
education programs.
• Occasional travel to New York City and throughout the Hudson Valley for meetings and
events, as well as some work on evenings and weekends, is required.

Qualifications & Experience:
• Bachelor’s and graduate degrees, preferably in environment-related sciences and/or
education, especially STEM/STEAM education.
• Significant training and teaching experience in a range of K-12 educational settings in
disciplines related to the biological and physical sciences.
• Demonstrated cultural competence and experience with promoting diversity, equity, and
inclusion in teaching and in organizations.
• Experience designing hands-on and inquiry-based learning activities, includingexperiential and transdisciplinary education, with a view to adapting for different age-groups and audiences, including youth of color, immigrants and underserved youth.

• Proven superior communication skills (written, oral, digital) for a wide range of age-
levels.

• Creative, dynamic, innovative, self-motivated, and willing to work with a variety of
audiences.
• Experience in the use of technologies for teaching and learning including video
production and editing.
• Knowledge of the Hudson Highlands’ ecology, forest ecosystems, history, and
conservation desired, though not essential.
• Willingness to work and hike outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
Additional Information:
At Black Rock Forest we value diversity, in our ecosystems and in our organization. We are
committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our workplace and in our science, education, and
conservation. We strongly encourage applications from underrepresented group members as we
seek to diversify and strengthen our organization, science, and society.

Application Materials:
(Any questions please contact Susanne Vondrak at [email protected])
• Cover letter
• Resume
• Names and contact information of three professional references
• Statement of Educational Philosophy (max. 2 pages)
• Recommended:
• Forest-related lesson plan that you have used and/or created, and a written reflection
on the lesson activity. OR:
• Brief video (max. 10 min) of sample teaching (outdoor or indoor forest-related
lesson) and written reflection on the activity.

Application Deadline: Monday December 19, 2022 5pm EST
Salary: $75,000 – $85,000 per year plus competitive health and retirement benefits
Start Date: January 2023 or later
Driver’s license necessary