Review Vacancy
AgencyParks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Office of
TitleEnvironmental Educator 2 - Minnewaska State Park Preserve (NY HELPS)
Occupational CategoryOther Professional Careers
Bargaining UnitPS&T - Professional, Scientific, and Technical (PEF)
Salary RangeFrom $66951 to $85138 Annually
Duties Description Under the direction of park management, the Environmental Educator 2 is responsible for interpreting the natural and cultural history of Minnewaska State Park Preserve to park patrons, groups, and staff. This interpretation will include educator-led programs for patrons, schools, and community groups, interpretive signage and exhibits, volunteer opportunities, writing and distribution of information through press releases, other print materials and social media. The Educator must possess enthusiasm for both teaching and the outdoors, as well as the flexibility to undertake various tasks related to being part of the Parks team.
This position will be responsible for establishing a dynamic and diverse environmental education department responsible for ongoing program development, coordination, and improvement of various education/interpretation opportunities throughout the year at Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
Duties will include, but not be limited to the following:
- Develops, conducts, publicizes, and evaluates the effectiveness of environmental education and recreational programming for the public which includes leading hands-on and interpretive programs, guided walks, presentations, and special events.
- Maintains existing partnerships with interest groups and fosters new partnerships by collaborating on projects and initiatives, managing effective communication, and ensuring partnership success.
- Oversees recruitment, training, scheduling, and supervision of staff and volunteers to ensure they effectively support the organization’s goals.
- Develops programming for schools, colleges, teachers, and social groups by assessing needs,
developing plans, educational goals, and coordinating field trips for schools and summer camps.
- Plans and conducts special events and courses supporting environmental and stewardship programs including planning, organizing, and publicizing events, as well as contracting equipment, performers, and presenters.
- Creates promotional material for social media outlets to advance public outreach.
- Facilitates employee enrichment by providing job-related seminars, training, and certificate programs for lower-level staff.
- Ensures accurate attendance records are kept for daily programming, events, and Nature Center visitors.
- Performs a variety of administrative activities to support programs, stewardship and park operations, including creating budget requests for programming supplies, presenters, and events.
- Develops themes and exhibits for display, in addition to preparing and writing information materials and illustrations for publication. Maintains Visitor Center displays.
- Demonstrates strong natural and cultural history knowledge of the Shawangunks.
- Works to achieve the overall Park Preserve goal to preserve and protect the natural, cultural and physical resources of Minnewaska State Park Preserve while making available to the public compatible recreation and education opportunities.
- Assists park management in administering special events as needed.
- Oversees volunteer project to improve trail network conditions and needs of facility.
- Supervises lower-level operations and maintenance staff in the absence of park management.
- Communicates effectively with other staff and park patrons in a responsible and courteous manner.
Minimum Qualifications NY HELPS or 55-b/c Qualifications:
This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).*
To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55-b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position. The qualifications are:
Four years of experience** in environmental conservation in a professional or technical capacity or professional teaching of environmental education* and two years of experience teaching about or interpreting the natural world.
An associate degree** can substitute for two years of environmental conservation experience; a bachelor’s degree** can substitute for four years of environmental conservation experience.
*Environmental education is defined as teaching about or interpreting the natural world, the principles of ecology, natural resources management, and environmental quality management. It deals with the interrelationships of plants, animals, and the non-living environment and emphasizes human interactions with these components.
Examples of Acceptable Qualifying Experience: Experience as a naturalist at a nature setting; an instructor in an environmental education program; or as a designer of environmental education programs for youth organizations such as scouting groups, 4 H clubs, YMCA, etc.
Examples of Non-Qualifying Experience: Experience as a teacher of courses such as chemistry, physics, and biology; as a youth leader who carries out pre-established programs; or as a leader of outings for a conservation organization, etc.
**Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home). If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States or its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. This information can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. Candidates are responsible for the evaluation fee.
If you are a veteran or an individual with a disability and would like to apply for the Department of Civil Service’s 55-b/c Program, please visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/rp55/ for more information.
Subsequent 55-b/c Qualifications:
A subsequent 55-b/c appointment may be considered if you have at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service and have a current Civil Service 55-b/c letter of eligibility.
Reassignment Qualifications:
Current NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Employees only, with at least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as an Environmental Educator 2; if you have less than one year, you must be reachable on the current Environmental Educator 2 eligible list for this location, if one exists.
52.7 Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) Qualifications:
It is the intention of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) to fill a permanent competitive position of Environmental Educator 2 located in Minnewaska State Park Preserve located at 5281 Route 44-55, Kerhonkson, NY 12446
The promotion minimum qualification for appointment are: One year of permanent competitive, non-competitive NY HELPS*, or 55b/c service as an Environmental Educator 1, SG-18. The established promotion field is limited to those serving in the direct line title only.
As required by the New York State Department of Civil Service, we are posting for this position to determine if there are any qualified OPRHP employees interested in a permanent appointment to the position. If there are three or fewer qualified candidates interested in the position who meet the promotion minimum qualifications, a permanent appointment can be made via non-competitive promotion (NCP), pursuant to Section 52.7 of New York State Civil Service Law.
Please Note: In order to be considered for appointment via non-competitive promotion, candidates serving in the established promotion field must not have failed the last two holdings of the Environmental Educator 2 promotion exam. "
Note: Non-competitive refers to not competing in an examination; the appointment will be competitive.
Provisional Qualifications:
In the absence of an eligible list(s) with three or more candidates willing to accept a position, a temporary provisional appointment may be considered. For provisional appointment, candidates must be meet the following minimum qualifications:
Four years of experience** in environmental conservation in a professional or technical capacity or professional teaching of environmental education* and two years of experience teaching about or interpreting the natural world.
An associate degree** can substitute for two years of environmental conservation experience; a bachelor’s degree** can substitute for four years of environmental conservation experience.
*Environmental education is defined as teaching about or interpreting the natural world, the principles of ecology, natural resources management, and environmental quality management. It deals with the interrelationships of plants, animals, and the non-living environment and emphasizes human interactions with these components.
Examples of Acceptable Qualifying Experience: Experience as a naturalist at a nature setting; an instructor in an environmental education program; or as a designer of environmental education programs for youth organizations such as scouting groups, 4 H clubs, YMCA, etc.
Examples of Non-Qualifying Experience: Experience as a teacher of courses such as chemistry, physics, and biology; as a youth leader who carries out pre-established programs; or as a leader of outings for a conservation organization, etc.
**Your degree must have been awarded by a college or university accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the U.S. Department of Education/U.S. Secretary of Education (https://ope.ed.gov/dapip/#/home). If your degree was awarded by an educational institution outside the United States or its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. This information can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm. Candidates are responsible for the evaluation fee.
The appointed candidate would have to take, pass and be reachable on the next holding of the examination to be appointed permanently.
70.1 Transfer Qualifications:
At least one year of permanent or contingent-permanent qualifying service as a Public Participation Specialist 1, SG-18. Only the title listed is eligible for transfer.
Note: The transfer cannot be a second consecutive transfer resulting in an advancement of more than two salary grades.
For all transfers noted, a comprehensive list of titles approved for transfer is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
Additional Comments Operational Needs:
• Must be able to work weekends and holidays as needed.
• Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license that allows the candidate to legally operate a motor vehicle in New York State as a term and condition of employment.
• Be physically able to perform light to medium physical labor.
• Must possess or obtain AED, CPR, and First Aid Certification during the probationary period and maintain it as a term and condition of employment.
If you have previous or current employment at a NYS agency, to be considered for this position, a review of your state history is needed. Please provide the last four digits of your social security number in your email response or on your resume. If you are not comfortable providing this information in your response, a representative from our office may contact you.
Benefits:
The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation offers a generous benefits package that includes but is not limited to:
Paid Time Off:
• 44 days - 13 Vacation days, 13 Sick days, and 5 Personal Leave days, 13 Holidays.
• Three (3) days of professional leave annually to participate in professional development.
Health Care Benefits:
• Eligible employees and dependents can pick from a variety of affordable health insurance programs.
• Family dental and vision benefits at no additional cost.
Additional Benefits:
• New York State Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) Membership
• NYS Deferred Compensation
• Access to NY 529 and NY ABLE College Savings Programs, as well as U.S. Savings Bonds
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
• Paid Parental / Family Leave
To learn more about our benefits, visit: https://parks.ny.gov/employment/benefits.aspx.
*NY HELPS PROGRAM:
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a permanent non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), it is expected employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive employment status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. Employees will then be afforded with all of the same rights and privileges of competitive class employees of New York State. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
Employees appointed via the NY HELPS program are restricted for promotional appointment until their position is covered-in to the competitive class by the New York State Civil Service Commission (CSC), or they otherwise obtain permanent competitive status. The CSC has covered-in employees who were appointed via NY HELPS on a permanent or contingent permanent basis between June 26, 2024 and June 11, 2025. You may wish to apply if you received a permanent NY HELPS appointment to a qualifying title within these timeframes and are interested in this opportunity. Your eligibility for promotion will be reviewed by Human Resources. Employees with a permanent NY HELPS appointment occurring effective June 12, 2025 or later will be addressed with a subsequent cover-in.
This position may require a background check and/or medical exam prior to appointment.
Note: For all transfers noted, a comprehensive list of titles approved for transfer is available through Civil Service GOT-IT at https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.
Email Address employment@parks.ny.gov
Address
Notes on ApplyingAll candidates must submit a written resume and cover letter which clearly demonstrates how they meet the minimum qualifications for the position. Please submit your resume and cover letter as a Word or PDF attachment. We are unable to open documents from Google Docs, Google Drive, OneDrive, Apple Pages, and/or “the cloud”.
Your application must be received by May 18, 2026 and submitted via email to employment@parks.ny.gov. You must include “Item 6225 – Environmental Educator 2 – Minnewaska State Park Preserve” in the subject line of your email. Failure to do so may result in not being considered for the position.
It is the responsibility of each applicant to accurately describe their experience and demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications. Failure to demonstrate that you meet the minimum qualifications, and operating needs may result in your resume not being considered for this position.
Candidates from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply. The NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to ensuring equal opportunity for persons with disabilities and workplace diversity.
New York State (NYS) is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. NYS Law prohibits discrimination because of age, race, creed, color, national origin, sexual orientation, military status, sex, disability, predisposing genetic characteristics, marital status, domestic violence victim status, carrier status, gender identity or prior conviction records, or prior arrests, youthful offender adjudications or sealed records unless based on a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.
Executive Order 31 commits New York State government to becoming a model employer for people with disabilities, increasing the participation of people with disabilities in state service and ensuring equal access to opportunities. OPRHP encourages people with disabilities to apply. If an employee or job applicant believes that they need a reasonable accommodation, they should contact the Equal Opportunity Unit at ReasonableAccommodation@parks.ny.gov or (518) 486-7754.