OPS EDUCATION SPECIALIST - FWC - 77904076

Requisition No: 884467 

Agency: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Working Title: OPS EDUCATION SPECIALIST - FWC - 77904076

 Pay Plan: Temp

Position Number: 77904076 

Salary:  $20.20/hour 

Posting Closing Date: 10/16/2026 

Total Compensation Estimator Tool

OPS EDUCATION SPECIALIST - FWC – 77904076 

Division/Office: Conservation Engagement and Education/ Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network 

Position number: 77904076 

Region: Southwest 

Working Title: Education Specialist/Field Trip Coordinator 

Pay Plan: Other Personnel Services (OPS) 

Salary: $20.20/hour 

Location: 6650 Dickman Road, Apollo Beach, FL 33572 

County: Hillsborough 

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

Conservation Engagement and Education

Florida Youth Conservation Center Network

OPS Education Specialist - 77904076

Apollo Beach, Florida

** Suncoast Youth Conservation Center **

Our organization: 

The FWC envisions a Florida where fish and wildlife are abundant and thriving in healthy and connected natural landscapes with vital working lands and waterways; where natural resources are valued and safely enjoyed by all; and wherein natural systems support vibrant human communities and a strong economy. 

Our Mission: Managing fish and wildlife resources for their long-term well-being and the benefit of people. 

Every organization has an identity that is forged not only by what it does, but by how it conducts itself.  The values embedded in our mission and expressed in the vision of the FWC are to make quality decisions by being dynamic, science-informed, efficient, ethical, collaborative, and committed to the vitality of the state and its environment. Visit our website for more information: MyFWC.com 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Six years of professional experience in natural science or education, two of which must have been in the fields of outdoor recreation, wildlife conservation field work or conservation, and/or natural science, OR    
• Substitution of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, and two years of experience in the education fields of outdoor recreation, and/or natural science, OR    
• Substitution of a master’s degree from an accredited college or university and one year of experience in the education fields of outdoor recreation, and/or natural science, OR     
• Substitution of a doctorate from an accredited college or university can substitute for the required experience. Prior experience in the education fields of outdoor recreation, and/or natural science is a plus.      

Working hours: 40 hours per week. Generally, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (ET), 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM during summer camp/summer camp training. Requires work outside of regularly scheduled hours including evenings, weekends, some holidays, and occasional travel.  

Requirements: 

• Possess and maintain a valid Florida Driver License and good driving record. 
• Statewide travel is required to perform the duties of this position (1-25%). 
• Residency within Hillsborough County or one hour travel time of office. 
• Full-time, 40 hours/week; 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET); Monday to Friday. Schedule changes to 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM (ET) during summer camp (May, June, and July). Some weekends/evenings during travel, events, and public visitor season. Program activities may occasionally require hours in excess of 8 hours per day not to exceed 40 hours per week. 
• Employment in this position is contingent upon a satisfactory criminal history check (fingerprint-based) in accordance with Chapter 435, Florida Statutes. The criminal history check must be completed prior to or within the first three days of employment. 
• Successfully complete the prerequisite swimming skills evaluation required for the American Red Cross Lifeguarding course within five months of employment.     
• Successfully complete a kayaking skills assessment and canoeing skills assessment within two months of employment.     
• Successfully complete the following trainings within the first 8 months of employment:    

• • • • Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED Certification,    
      • Lifeguard Certification,     
      • American Canoe Association Level 2 Kayak Skills Course,    
      • American Canoe Association Level 1 Canoe Skills Course,    
      • Boater Safety Certification,    
      • USA Archery Level 1 Instructor Certification,    
      • Hunter Safety Certification,    
      • Fishing and Boating Camp Training, and  
      • Project WILD Facilitator Certification 

Position Overview and Responsibilities: 

This 40 hour per week, Other Personnel Services (OPS) position is based in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Office of Conservation Engagement and Education’s (CEE) Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network (FYCCN). It serves as  an Education Specialist and Field Trip Coordinator at the Suncoast Youth Conservation Center, a marine-centric year-round education and summer camp facility. 

The successful candidate works alongside a team of up to seven on-site education, facilities, and leadership staff; interacts routinely with other professionals on and off-site and provides training and education services to numerous youth and conservation partners in the region. They should be able to work in a fast-paced environment, possess critical-thinking skills, work well as part of a team, and maintain a positive outlook. 

Candidates must be passionate about getting youth outside to create the next generation that cares about fish and wildlife resources and prefer familiarity with the four FYCCN pillars: shooting sports, fishing, boating, and wildlife exploration. The incumbent will exhibit compliance with policies and procedures, ACA (American Camp Association) Accreditation Standards, and up-to-date curricula and recreation program offerings. Excellent communication skills (with leadership, coworkers, parents, school officials, program participants, and other interested parties) are key to succeeding in this position. An ideal candidate is willing to learn the functions of this position and develop a strong understanding of the FYCCN’s mission, future goals, and knowledge and application of FYCCN practices. Persons with strong listening, writing, and critical-thinking skills, and the ability to multitask, to convey FYCCN’s vision are encouraged to apply. 

Description of Duties: 

• Responsible for coordination of field trip advertising, scheduling, facilitation, set-up/clean-up efforts, record collection, and demographics data keeping; 
• Contribute to and help maintain a positive work environment; 
• Provide a welcoming experience, and positive guest service to visitors to SYCC through program interactions; 
• Respond to email/phone communications for both assigned work email and Suncoast inbox in a timely manner; 
• Provide regular updates to their supervisor; 
• Develop and update field trip announcements, field trip website content, and field trip curricula (as approved by supervisor); 
• Assist in the preparation for and facilitation of summer camp programming; 
• Provide supervision coverage during summer camp as assigned; 
• Monitor the health and wellness of program participants and provide intervention according to your level of certification as assigned by the SYCC Director; 
• Enforce camp code of conduct; Address minor program changes, behavioral issues, etc. and seek guidance from  the Assistant Director or Director where appropriate; 
• Provide species appropriate husbandry to assigned ambassador animals;  
• Immediately report any issues (i.e., replacing supplies, habitat needs);  
• Cover for other animal care staff when they are out of the office;  
• Provide guidance/training in assigned husbandry duties for new staff, staff assigned as coverage, etc. ;   
• Help maintain camp educational supplies and equipment; keep them stocked, clean, organized, and in working order; perform inventory as assigned; 
• Assist as assigned in both off-site and onsite events and programs; 
• Engage with guests in the SYCC exhibit hall as assigned; 
• Assist Director, Assistant Director, and Camp Programs Coordinator with preparations for summer camp, including updating programming, brainstorming ideas, providing feedback from previous year’s camps, inventory, creating materials, etc. ;    
• Participate in all required or assigned training sessions throughout the year; 
• Lead recreational and conservation education programs including but not limited to (dissections, archery, fishing, boating, seining); 
• Assist with onsite animal husbandry; 
• Assist with site maintenance; 
• Stay compliant with FWC training requirements, policies, and procedures; 
• Attend routine SYCC and CEE meetings to stay informed about important topics and stay connected; 
• Contribute ideas to site specific conservation education programs, displays, and informational items; 
• Assist in the integration of FYCCN educational curricula, family activities, and conservation programs into site offerings; 
• Assist in the maintenance of conservation education programs with a focus on marine science (especially Tampa Bay); 
• Maintain relationships with local teachers to promote onsite field trip programming; 
• Provide qualitative and quantitative analysis of ongoing field trip efforts and makes recommendations to supervisor for future programs Keeps and maintains accurate records of program attendance and statistics; 
• Inventory and maintain field trip program supplies and equipment in excellent and safe conditions and reports any unsafe or broken equipment to supervisor; 
• Comply with and operate according to American Camp Association (ACA)standards; 
• Complete all required training related to ACA standards, risk management, and child protection policy; 
• Participate in outreach and recruitment as assigned; 
• Assist with training and support for seasonal staff and volunteers as assigned; 
• Assist in identifying and reporting to the Director, personal and programmatic training needs, knowledge and ability gaps; 
• Meet routinely with other Youth Conservation Center Education Specialists in a group setting to discuss programming similarities and differences; 
• Complete and submit timesheets and required reports in a timely and thorough manner; 
• Ensure documentation is complete and accurate; 
• Assist with ground keeping as needed (brush pickup, cleaning, etc.); 
• Assist with janitorial cleaning of the facility as needed (classroom, bathrooms, pavilions, etc.) 
• Administrative duties: attends staff meetings; completes and submits required reports; participates in professional development courses; completes timesheets in a timely and thorough manner; 
• Perform other duties as required. 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 

• Strong program facilitation and presentation skills, and ability to present complex skills and/or concepts to large groups with varying age ranges from elementary through adulthood; 
• Ability to lift 55 lbs.; 
• Clear and effective written communication skills; 
• Excellent public speaking skills; 
• Ability to plan, organize, and coordinate work assignments for self and when working with others; 
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with others; 
• Work independently and part of a team; 
• Take initiative and work creatively; 
• Ability to adjust to and use new approaches in the performance of their duties; 
• Ability to travel, enter and exit a vehicle, and/or vessel, and withstand exposure to adverse weather conditions; 
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and PowerPoint; 
• Deal professionally and sensitively with varied audiences and a wide range of contacts at different levels; 
• Knowledge of one or more of FYCCN’s Four Pillars: shooting sports, fishing, boating, and wildlife discovery; 
• Comfort working with animal ambassadors including snakes; 
• Knowledge of estuarine and marine flora, fauna, and systems preferred; 
• Possess strong swimming skills; ability to swim without the assistance of a personal flotation device in brackish water conditions; 
• Knowledge of regional ecosystems and sustainable wildlife management practices preferred; 
• Compile, collect, and organize data; 
• Program activities may require weekends and evenings; 
• Other job-related duties. 

Additional Requirements: 

The Commission expects its employees to be courteous and respectful while assisting Commission customers and stakeholders, ensuring each encounter is as positive as possible. Employees should promptly resolve questions or problems relating to the Commission, its programs and/or fish and wildlife resources. Employees should seek to gain public support for agency objectives and programs by serving Florida’s citizens in a positive and proactive manner and by listening to what the customer wants and striving to meet their needs. When appropriate, employees will explain the reasons for agency actions or decisions while communicating a consistent FWC point-of-view.   

Responsible for following the provisions and requirements in Section 215.422, Florida Statutes, related to the Comptroller’s rules and FWC’s invoice processing and warrant distribution procedures.   

Work at FWC is cross-functional meaning duties may cross division/office lines. The Commission expects employees to function across FWC’s organizational structure by providing their skills and expertise wherever needed through work on teams or as directed.  

Notes: 

• Responses to qualifying questions should reflect the experience indicated in the work history of the State of Florida Job Application (Profile) and be verifiable by skills and/or experience stated on the profile application. Information should be provided regarding any gaps in employment. Please include any relevant certification details in your application. 

• Application packets must be submitted through the State of Florida’s official employment site (https://peoplefirst.myflorida.com/) and must include a resume and cover letter describing the applicant’s experience. Application packets without a cover letter, resume, and state application will not be considered for the position. 

Why should I apply?  

The Benefits of Working for the State of Florida:  

State of Florida employees enjoy top-tier benefits offerings including comprehensive health coverage to meet the needs of you and your family while maintaining low deductibles and low monthly out-of-pocket contributions. State employees also enjoy the option of selecting between the FRS Pension Plan and the FRS Investment Plan for retirement.  As an additional benefit, state employment affords you the opportunity to take part in the tuition waiver program within the state university and community college systems.  

• Health Premiums $25.00- Single / $90.00- Family Biweekly  
• No Cost $25,000 Life Insurance  
• Nine Paid State Holidays, One Personal Holiday per year  
• 4 hours Annual Leave and 4 hours Sick Leave accrued Biweekly  
• Retirement Plan Options  
• State University and College Tuition Waiver Program  
• On the Job Trainings  
• Support for family planning, including paid maternity leave, adoption benefits, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Family Supportive Work Program (FSWP), and paid leave for family and medical responsibilities for eligible employees.  
• Paid administrative leave for mentoring, volunteering, voting, and other reasons because we understand the importance of giving back to the community.  

For a more complete list of benefits, visit https://www.mybenefits.myflorida.com/.  

Candidates requiring a reasonable accommodation, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, must notify the agency hiring authority and/or People First Service Center (1-866-663-4735). Notification to the hiring authority must be made in advance to allow sufficient time to provide the accommodation.

The State of Florida supports a Drug-Free workplace. All employees are subject to reasonable suspicion drug testing in accordance with Section 112.0455, F.S., Drug-Free Workplace Act.