Swaner Naturalists act as the face of the organization by greeting and assisting guests, orienting visitors to the Preserve and EcoCenter, and helping them to engage in nature. By interpreting the natural world for guests, the ideal candidate will further Swaner’s mission to preserve the land and the human connection to the natural landscape, educate the local and broader communities about the value of nature, and nurture both the ecosystem and the people connected with it. Naturalists engage guests, answer questions, lead Preserve tours, facilitate interpretive nature programs for guests, and attend to the general upkeep and enrichment of the EcoCenter and exhibits. They will also help with traveling exhibits hosted in the space, special events, and youth education as needed.

In addition to defined job duties, naturalists have the opportunity to assist with conservation projects on the Preserve, participate in a Utah Master Naturalist Course, and receive additional naturalist training.

This position is part-time (15-20 hrs/week), will take place predominately on weekends, and reports to the Visitor Experience and Exhibit Manager. If you are interested in this position, please submit an application as soon as possible.

It is preferred that candidates for this position be Spanish/English bilingual in order to assist and interact with both English and Spanish-speaking guests to the EcoCenter.

• Greet and orient visitors to the Preserve & EcoCenter
• Provide a welcoming, fun, and engaging learning experience for visitors
• Lead nature walks
• Facilitate interpretive nature programming
• Open and close EcoCenter, including all register, gift shop, building, and event duties
• Assist in gift shop operations, including sales, inventory, and display appearance
• Assist with interpretive material creation
• Answer general phone calls and direct to other Swaner staff as needed
• Run climbing wall while following all safety measures
• Maintain a clean and organized building and exterior, including sweeping floors and deck, occasional litter pick up, organizing flyers, and other similar duties
• Help with set-up, tear-down, and hosting of special events held at the EcoCenter as needed. This involves engaging guests at a variety of events such as business meetings, fundraising events, and nature tours
• Assist Swaner's staff and volunteers when needed
• Other tasks and responsibilities as assigned

Candidate's professional, academic, and lived experience will be taken into consideration during the hiring process. Candidates should support the organization’s ongoing DEI goals and help create a respectful workplace culture where all are welcome.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Interpretation or customer service experience
• Ability to communicate effectively in English
• Works well in a team & comfortable with a flexible list of assignments
• Ability to work weekends and occasional nights
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to pleasantly interact with a wide variety of individuals
• Job offer is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check
• Basic computer & math skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ability to communicate effectively in Spanish
• Content knowledge in:
  • Environmental studies
  • Natural sciences such as watersheds, ecology, or zoology
  • Sustainability
  • Conservation
• Resource interpretation experience
• Passion for the outdoors and nature

Along with the online application, please attach:

1. Resume/CV to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”
2. Cover letter to be typed/pasted at the end of your application 

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

The environment and physical requirements may change depending on the specific function of the work each department performs. Incumbents may be in both indoor and outdoor environments. Indoors, in an office space, event space, or public space are protected from weather conditions, but not necessarily from temperature changes. Incumbents may nearly continuously sit and often use repetitive hand motion (such as typing).  

Outdoors, incumbents may not be protected from weather conditions and may be exposed to extreme heat and extreme cold. Additionally, indoor or outdoor work environments may include being confined or in narrow spaces for periods of time. The incumbent may also be exposed to loud noises or vibrations from equipment, and conditions that may affect the respiratory system, such as fumes, odors, dusts, mists, gases, and poor ventilation. Bending, crawling, and crouching may be required. Incumbents may be required to lift, push, and/or pull objects up to 50 pounds and be required to walk and/or stand for long periods of time.  

Utah State University (USU) was founded in 1888 and is Utah’s land-grant and space-grant university. USU is one of only 146 research institutions in the U.S. classified as R1 “very high research activity” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. As one of the two premier research institutions in Utah, USU provides a high-quality education at an affordable price. With its main campus in Logan, the university serves approximately 27,500 students, including 24,255 undergraduates and 3,171 graduate students. USU Online has served students from all 50 states and 55 countries for 25 years.

USU’s statewide system features three residential campuses, 30 total campus locations, and 23 Extension education centers. The university employs 903 full-time faculty members, 124 executive administrators, and 1,649 full-time support staff. USU offers 115 undergraduate majors, as well as 91 master’s and 42 doctoral degrees. Learn more about USU.

A core characteristic of USU is engagement with communities and people in economic development, improvements to quality of life, and human capital. Through the practical application of knowledge, the University and its faculty engage and share expertise with the state, nation, and world, preserving the historical land-grant tradition of partnering with communities to address critical societal issues in the interest of the public good.

The USU main campus is located in beautiful Logan, Utah, a city of about 50,000 situated in a picturesque mountain valley about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City. Outstanding recreational opportunities abound in the nearby mountains and proximate region.

USU is sensitive to the needs of dual career couples and provides a Dual Career Assistance program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment.

USU endeavors to provide reasonable accommodations to ensure equal access in all aspects of employment to qualified persons with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, please contact the university’s ADA Coordinator in the Human Resource office at 435-797-0122 or submit a request at hr@usu.edu.

USU Land Acknowledgment

Please visit our website to learn about Utah State’s land acknowledgment of the eight tribes of Utah.

Notice of Non-discrimination

In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Executive Director of the Office of Equity Matthew Pinner, discrimination@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 401, 435-797-1266

Title IX Coordinator Matthew Pinner, titleix@usu.edu, Distance Education Rm. 404, 435-797-1266

Mailing address: 5100 Old Main Hill, Logan, Ut 84322

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit https://equity.usu.edu/, or contact:

U.S. Department of Education, Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 800-421-3481, OCR@ed.gov

U.S. Department of Education, Denver Regional Office, 303-844-5695, OCR.Denver@ed.gov

*updated 11/2022