Overview

Job Summary: The Yellowstone program assistant plays an integral role in achieving programmatic goals and delivering Yellowstone wildlife ecology and winter ecology courses, as well as the Bitterroot Wildlife Internship. They will be primarily responsible for all of the logistical aspects of the program implementation, including but not limited to: gear, food, vehicles, and lodging. During the non-field season this position will help with gear and vehicle maintenance, vendor review and acquisition, and program planning. The Yellowstone program assistant will also support delivery of field staff training at the start of the field seasons and season close activities at the end of the season. In addition to these core responsibilities, the program assistant will support local program recruitment and enrollment efforts, with a particular emphasis on enrollment systems for processing participant paperwork and payments.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Implement and improve EPI Yellowstone’s and the Bitterroot Wildlife Internship Program’s food, equipment, paperwork, and vehicle systems while adhering to pre-set budget, including the following specific tasks:
  • Gear purchasing, maintenance, and management for Yellowstone & BWI programs (including thinking ahead and creating strategic plan for gear depreciation and replacement);
  • Meal planning, shopping list preparation, and food purchasing/ordering;
  • Manage vendor reservations, communications, and invoice processing, including all lodging, food, vehicle, and activity vendors (e.g., whitewater rafting, hot springs visits, etc.)
  • Maintain EPI Yellowstone’s vehicle fleet and maintain relationships with vehicle vendors, including scheduling regular maintenance and responding to vehicle issues;
  • Manage all aspects of parking lot where vehicles are stored when not in use, including payments and communications
  • Preparation and processing course paperwork;
• Provide feedback to instructors and interns regarding their use of EPI equipment, food, and vehicle systems and correct behavior as necessary;
• Solicit in-kind donations of materials to support course instruction, equip participants, and show instructor appreciation;
• Prepare BWI intern & Yellowstone program participant materials (e.g. student journals, diplomas, course accordions, etc.);
• Assist with planning of BWI intern/researcher meet & greet and end of season symposium with specific attention to food, equipment, and vehicles;
• Assist with planning and supporting office- and field-based instructor and intern training, especially with attention to course logistics, food, equipment, food vendors, etc.
• Assist with management of the leased instructor house(s), as follows:
  • submit payment requests for the quarterly rent payments
  • assist with cleaning the house during field staff move-in and move-out
  • assist with recruiting tenants during the off-season
• Assist with mailings and other administrative tasks as requested;
• Facilitate weekly team meeting on rotation with other Yellowstone program staff;

Qualifications:

Required:

• 2-3 years of experience in field research, field education programs, nonprofit organizations, or other dynamic logistical settings
• Experiential/environmental/outdoor education experience
• Demonstrated teamwork and interpersonal communication skills
• Commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and demonstrated ability to work directly with people from diverse racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds
• Experience developing and implementing gear, food, and paperwork organization systems, while adhering to an organizational budget
• Experience managing data and projects with online platforms, such as Salesforce, Asana, etc.
• Vendor management and relationship-building experience
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office products: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher
• A punctual, detail-oriented, thorough, and independent approach to work while maintaining high level of initiative and flexibility
• Strong ability to multitask and move fluidly among simultaneous, complex projects
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, open office atmosphere
• Strong and adaptable written and oral communication skills
• Basic vehicle maintenance skills: checking oil, maintaining tires, changing bulbs, etc.
• Minimum 21 years of age; with a valid driver’s license and insurable driving record

 Preferred:

• Prior experience as an EPI Yellowstone field instructor
• Wilderness First Responder and CPR certifications or willingness to obtain
• Event planning experience
• Proficiency with social media platforms, specifically Facebook and Instagram
• Proficiency with the Adobe CreativeSuite; particularly InDesign.