Summer Naturalist Cottonwood Canyons Foundation Supporting Environment Cottonwood Ca

Job Type: Full-time, seasonal

Hourly Wage: $20.00

The Cottonwood Canyons Foundation supports the environment of the Cottonwood Canyons through stewardship and education. The Cottonwood Canyons provide approximately 60% of the drinking water for the Salt Lake area. Located just east of Salt Lake City (and home to Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude), the Cottonwood Canyons are located within one of the most highly visited portions of national forest in the nation, with the tri‑canyons receiving over 5 million visits a year.

CCF strives to educate the public on the Canyons’ importance and how they can help promote their ecological health. CCF works to provide the community with direct and hands‑on ways to give back to this environment through volunteering.

The Cottonwood Canyons Foundation’s Naturalists will work with CCF volunteers and the Forest Service to operate the Silver Lake Visitor Center and serve as interpretive naturalists at Alta in Albion Basin. This position is perfect for those with a passion for ecology, education, conservation, and for those who enjoy both working outdoors and working with the public.

CCF summer naturalists will provide interpretive guide services to visitors at Silver Lake and the Brighton Basin trail network, and in Albion Basin. Naturalists’ responsibilities will include working at the interpretive desk inside the Visitor Center, providing naturalist services to visitors of all ages, hosting guided nature tours, staffing and setting up biofact stations, assisting the Forest Service compliance crew at Silver Lake, and light trail maintenance.

Audiences will range from young children to adults and may include school groups, families, and individual visitors of all abilities. The cleaning duties include daily garbage pickup on the trails and in the parking areas, daily restroom maintenance, and daily cleaning of the visitor center. Naturalists will be responsible for collecting fees and selling items in the Visitor Center store.

Multi‑tasking and communication with the team are essential, as is the ability to work independently.

Summer naturalists will act as ambassadors for the Cottonwood Canyons Foundation, the US Forest Service, and the Uinta‑Wasatch‑Cache National Forest. Interpretive naturalist training and curricula will be provided, and summer naturalists will have access to teaching aids including animal bones and tracks, pinned insects, etc. Summer naturalists will also have ample opportunities to explore the Brighton basin trail network. Training on educating the public regarding fees will be provided.

• Ideal candidates will have a background in biological or environmental science and a passion for education and interpretation
• Candidates should enjoy communicating with an audience of visitors, and ideal candidates will be able to present educational information in an engaging and entertaining manner
• Candidates must be punctual, responsible, and able to work autonomously, as well as in a team setting, including with volunteers, and Forest Service employees
• Candidates should be prepared to work full shifts outdoors in high temperatures and full sun exposure
• Candidates must possess reliable transportation for personal transport to and from worksites in Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons (35 miles daily)
• Candidates must be reliably prompt and available to work a regular schedule
• Candidates must possess a high level of fitness including ability to hike with weight and on unsure terrain, strong cardiovascular fitness, ability to lift up to and exceeding 50 lbs on a regular basis
• In accordance with partner grant requirements, CCF maintains a drug‑free workplace. Applicants may be required to pass a criminal background check as a condition of employment

• Crew Season:
  May through August (possibility of continuing into September)
• Must be available to work Saturday and Sunday every week and holidays
• Work sites are located at Silver Lake in Big Cottonwood Canyon and at Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon
• Work Schedule is 8‑hour shifts, 5 days a week, applicants must be available and willing to work both Saturday and Sunday every week

• Hourly wage of $20.00
• PTO accrues at 13.3 hours per month (approximately 8 days over May – September season); PTO offered in lieu of paid holidays
• Uniform shirts provided