Director of Education

Mount Washington Observatory (MWOBS) works to advance understanding of the natural systems that create Earth’s weather and climate by operating a weather station at the summit of the Northeast’s highest peak for nearly one hundred years. The Director of Education reports to the Deputy Director with a focus on providing high quality educational programs and experiences for learners of all ages related to weather, climate, and the heritage of the White Mountain Region.

The Director of Education contributes to and oversees programming and staff that support Kindergarten thru twelfth grade (K-12) student and teacher programs, programming for adult and general audiences, tours of MWOBS’s renowned summit weather station, programming and exhibits within the Extreme Mount Washington museum, and support for the content and operation of the Observatory’s Gladys Brooks Memorial Library.

Education and Experience:

The Director of Education possesses a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree (Master’s Degree preferred), plus teaching experience in a variety of environments including within K-12 classrooms and nonformal spaces such as museum, science and technology centers, camps, etc. Management and nonprofit experience is preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Familiarity with meteorology, climatology, environmental science, geology, ecology, and natural history highly recommended.
• Curriculum and activity development skills.
• Strong pedagogical skills.
• Deep interest in Mount Washington will be fundamental to this position.
• Strong outdoor skills and comfort working outside at the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather” are also necessary.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Ability to lift boxes or equipment weighing up to forty pounds.
• Excellent communication skills, including public speaking and writing, along with a creative approach to sharing scientific information.
• Digital fluency in basic computer skills in Windows-based systems, and videoconferencing solutions such as Zoom,
• Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet. Experience with database tables such as Airtable and booking solutions such as Farerharbor preferred.
• Ability to work independently in developing, researching, and implementing projects.
• Organizational, managerial, and administrative skills, with ability to meet deadlines and to develop and work within a budget.
• Must be able to work productively with a variety of staff members, Observatory members, Observatory senior staff team, partner organizations, and the public at large.
• Good promotional abilities.
• Familiarity with the unique demands of a non-profit organization preferred.

Benefits and Compensation:

This position qualifies for the standard benefits package for full-time employees. Current employee benefits include generous paid time off, all 12 paid federal holidays, health, vision, and dental insurance, New Hampshire paid family leave, short and long-term disability insurance, a retirement plan after six months of service, complimentary gear from our sponsors and discounts on our retail items, in addition to other benefits. The salary range for this position is $74,300 to $85,000 and is commensurate with experience. Opportunities for professional development exist with this position as well.

Tagged as: Outdoor Education