BUTTERFLY EXHIBIT COORDINATOR

Job Description

The Butterfly Exhibit Coordinator assists with oversight for the daily operations of the butterfly exhibit. This position provides excellent guest experience through educational programming and assists with program development and implementation. The Butterfly Exhibit Coordinator provides training and shift supervision for Butterfly Educators, student workers, and volunteers. This position ensures that pupae and butterflies are received and cared for according to USDA permit and other codes, regulations, and standards.

About Us

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a nonprofit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 5,500 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter engages over 17,000 students in innovative and exciting education programs. This cadre of identified learners is just a fraction of the more than 400,000 annual visitors to the Garden. In recent years, the Garden has been honored with inclusion in several top ten lists for botanical gardens in North America.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability, or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse, and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected, and appreciated.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Assists with oversight for the daily operations of the butterfly exhibit and support spaces.
• Provides care and handling of the pupae and adult butterflies; responsible for implementing protocols and operating procedures to maintain a high level of sanitation, care, and safety of butterflies.
• Provides shift supervision for staff, volunteers, and student workers, including on-the-job training and enforcement of internal procedures and controls.
• Collaborates with the Butterfly Exhibit Manager to develop training program for staff, volunteers and student workers to highlight visitor experience objectives; lead training sessions and coordinate internal support, as needed.
• Assists with the design and delivery of educational experiences for youth and adults, including exhibit interpretive materials and displays, formal and informal programs, tours, public programs, and self-guided activities.
• Implements protocols to ensure compliance with the USDA APHIS PPQ permit and other codes, regulations, and standards; assists with reporting and the permit renewal process.
• Provides exceptional customer service for guests of all ages and abilities while ensuring exhibit rules and guidelines are followed.
• Assists with the design and installation of exhibits; maintains exhibit aesthetic standards; works cross-departmentally in support of the exhibit, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s in education, environmental science, botany, entomology, horticulture,
biology, museum studies, or related field.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and work with co-workers and volunteers.
• Experience in developing and implementing educational, natural science, environmental science, or museum exhibitions and programs.
• Experience coordinating the work of others (whether as formal supervisor of paid staff/volunteers, team lead, or in a context outside traditional employment).
• Other combinations of education/experience appropriate to the job will be considered.

Skills and Abilities
• Demonstrated knowledge of informal education, natural sciences, environmental science, museum studies, and/or the natural world.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including clear written and verbal communication needed to work with diverse teams and people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds.
• Must be able to initiate, build, and sustain relationships with fellow staff and volunteers.
• Adaptable and solution-oriented; must be able to work independently as well as in a team environment.
• Well-organized and detail-oriented with excellent time management skills.
• Knowledge of or willing to learn Federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and standards for the ethical and humane treatment of animals in education.
• Comfortable with handling insects, including dispatching specimens that may be injured or diseased.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn plant and insect identification, greenhouse control systems, disease, and pest recognition.
• Models positive and respectful interactions with plants, animals, and people.
• Knowledge of or willing to learn interpretive programming related to exhibits.
• Working knowledge of computers and basic Microsoft Office Suite skills.
• Able to work varied hours outside the traditional work week, including weekends, evenings, holidays and special events like GardenFest.
• Proficiency in conversational Spanish a plus.

Additional Information

Each employee of Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
• Must comply with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies and the requirements of their individual job descriptions.
• Must conduct herself or himself and perform all duties in a manner consistent with a public garden serving multigenerational and multicultural individuals and families, and in accordance with directed practices and procedures.
• Must be aware of surroundings and vigilant to threats to the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff or to the security of their property, ensuring that all concerns are reported promptly.
• Must report all mishaps, injuries, and incidents immediately and ultimately in writing to supervisor(s) and to Human Resources.
• Must ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations.
• Must perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.
• Have proof of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Physical Demands / Working Conditions
• Must be able to lift 50 pounds intermittently.
• Must be able to work in seasonal extremes, including high temperature and high humidity.
• Must be able to bend, squat, kneel, stand and walk for extended periods of time.

Note: Duties described above, other duties, and physical demands have been identified as essential.

Please note: This position is represented by International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, AFL-CIO. To discuss the specific needs of your group, please reach out to 804-359-4058.

Application Instructions

Please submit a cover letter and resume to hr@lewisginter.org