Canopy is seeking a Bilingual Environmental Educator. Under the direction of Canopy’s Education Director, the Bilingual Environmental Educator will be responsible for developing and implementing the new PreK-12 "From Canopy to Creek" curriculum. This role involves collaborating with schools and community-based partners in Santa Clara County, especially in Mountain View, Los Altos, and Palo Alto. Additionally, the Bilingual Environmental Educator will play a key role in creating new curriculum materials and resources, as well as supporting Canopy’s educational programming at public events. Please note that this is a grant-funded position with a duration of two years.
About Canopy:
Canopy is a community forestry non-profit that partners with the communities of East Palo Alto, Belle Haven in Menlo Park, unincorporated North Fair Oaks in San Mateo County, Palo Alto, and Mountain View. Their mission is to collaborate with these communities to grow and sustain equitable urban forests for all. They prioritize tree planting and stewardship, education, and advocacy in areas where residents do not benefit from a thriving urban forest due to limited resources, competing priorities, historical development, and urbanization patterns. The staff and volunteers at Canopy strive for excellence, equity, collaboration, and gratitude in their work, welcoming candidates who share these values. They are seeking a dedicated individual to join their team and grow alongside them as they work towards their vision of connected communities thriving within a vibrant urban forest.
Responsibilities
Program Coordination:
Conduct outreach to and develop relationships with teachers and schools in Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Los Altos.
Partners with school district administrators, principals, teachers, parent groups, and leaders at schools and community-based partners to design, schedule, and deliver environmental education lessons in Canopy’s service areas.
Work with education volunteers to assist with the delivery of education programs.
Track and report program deliverables for grants and assist with grant proposals and reports that are relevant to PreK-12 programs.
Upgrade, create, purchase, and maintain program materials.
Seek and incorporate input and feedback from students and partners, including teachers, parents, and/or community leaders as appropriate.
Use Canopy’s database to track and report program outcomes.
Program Instruction:
In the first six months, develop and pilot five K-4th grade hands-on tree and watershed focused lesson plans and one high school lesson that integrates trees and watershed education with wellness.
The following school year, teach up to 70 lessons and one multi-day program for high school AVID students.
Research and maintain a current knowledge of the evolving field of environmental literacy, hands-on and inquiry-based education, and STEM, as well as topics related to equity in education.
Engage youth and families through educational tabling activities at Canopy and community events in Santa Clara County
Education Department Goal Setting and Tracking:
Work with the Education Director to identify and use self-reflective tools and exercises for setting personal goals and evaluating professional development as an environmental educator.
Attend Education Committee meetings to set and track programmatic goals.
Engage in department-wide strategic conversations related to upcoming focus areas for Canopy’s education programs.
Staff-wide Responsibilities:
Support Education Director and other Canopy staff in the design and implementation of special events, workshops, and presentations. Serve as the project lead for the development and coordination of certain of these special events, workshops, and presentations.
Participate as an active member in Canopy’s strategic planning process.
Collaborate with the Canopy team on shared goals.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
Bilingual in English and Spanish
1-3 years of experience teaching hands-on PreK - 12 lessons in a formal or informal setting.
Knowledge of environmental subject matter or a sincere desire to study and learn.
Excellent classroom and behavior management skills.
Demonstrated commitment to equity in education and cultural competency.
Ability to adapt teaching style and content to meet the diverse needs and age ranges of students.
Strong public speaking skills; ability to present in a confident, engaging manner that draws in the audience.
Organizational skills and ability to follow through with assigned tasks.
Detail-oriented, organized, with outstanding interpersonal skills.
Able to communicate effectively verbally and in writing with diverse groups.
Ability to work collaboratively and openly communicate with coworkers.
Positive, flexible, and friendly.
Independently driven team player.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience and/or training in environmental education.
Database skills.
Lived experience or experience working with untapped communities.
Experience working with volunteers on an individual and group basis.
Knowledgeable in best practices for inclusive, effective learning design.
Physical Activity Requirements
Ability to sit and type, frequently.
Ability to bend, squat, stoop, and stand for long periods of time, regularly
COVID Vaccination Policy
Canopy is committed to safeguarding the health of our staff and their families, volunteers, and the community at large. As such, Canopy requires employees to confidentially show proof of COVID-19 vaccination, unless they are unable to receive the vaccine because of a medical condition or sincerely held religious belief or practice. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Title VII, and applicable state laws, Canopy will make reasonable accommodations.
Compensation
Annual salary: starting at $62,000 per year
Health benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance
Retirement: 401k, with a future possibility of offering employer-matching contributions
Sick leave: 12 days (96 hours) per year with a maximum accrual of 6 days per year
Vacation time: 12 days (96 hours) per year with a maximum accrual of 18 days per year. Accrual rates increase after two years with Canopy
Paid holidays: The following are official holidays for all Canopy employees:New Year's Day
■ Compensatory day for Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday*
■ President's Day
■ Memorial Day
■ Juneteenth
■ Independence Day
■ Labor Day
■ Veteran's Day
■ Thanksgiving Day
■ Day after Thanksgiving
■ Christmas Eve Day
■ Christmas Day
■ Winter break, including the work days falling between December 25 and January 1 and up to a full two weeks, dates at the discretion of the Executive Director
■ Floating holiday to be used during your birthday/work anniversary month
To Apply
Please email the following three things to jobs@canopy.org:
A cover letter. Consider including what drew you to this position, your top two values and how you see them relating, and what you think are the most important traits to be effective in this position.
Your resume. If you don’t have a resume and would like one, there is free resume creation available through JobTrain. Please email JobSeekerServices@JobTrainWorks.org.
How you found out about this job.
Accepting applications on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
Equal opportunity employer: Canopy strives to engage, celebrate, and reflect the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We value inclusion and equity in our programs, leadership, and hiring practices. Canopy is a fair chance employer and does not use the e-Verify background check service. We invite anyone to apply regardless of their history and welcome neurodivergent applicants. If you can see yourself in this role, we invite you to apply!
