Instructor- Youth Programs

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Come Grow with Us!

While the collections are the glories of Queens Botanical Garden, its core strength lies in its human resources. QBG counts its staff among its greatest assets.

QBG welcomes individuals interested in pursuing professional opportunities in all aspects, and at all levels, of botanical garden operations, from visitor services and education, to horticulture, security, and administration. If you enjoy sharing your knowledge and expertise with colleagues, appreciate working with the public, and are eager to learn and grow, we invite you to join QBG’s team.

This page is updated regularly as openings on staff become available, so be sure to check back often. Join our Talent Community to be considered for current and future openings . Former employees with an existing applicant account must contact [email protected] to apply.

MISSION

Updated by Board of Trustees on December 15, 2009

Queens Botanical Garden is an urban oasis where people, plants and cultures are celebrated through inspiring gardens, innovative educational programs, and demonstrations of environmental stewardship.

Queens Botanical Garden (QBG) is a private non-profit cultural institution located on 39 acres of New York City public land in Flushing, New York. In FY25, the Garden served approximately 259,000 visitors, including 21,560 schoolchildren. A recently completed visitor survey reveals that 45% of visitors speak a language other than English at home. This fact underscores the importance of the mission and the challenges and opportunities QBG faces daily in creating programs, exhibits and landscapes that serve the needs of people who live in and visit one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the nation. The Garden has committed itself to addressing the complex and ever-changing needs of its diverse community and to being the place where people, plants, and cultures meet.

Instructor- Youth Programs (Part-Time/Seasonal)

About This Opportunity

QBG’s Youth Programs bring together youngsters ages 2 to 18 from around New York City to enjoy seasonal, hands-on learning and gardening experiences year-round. Our young gardeners explore concepts of ecological balance, sustainability, and conservation as they learn how to prepare soil, select seeds and plants, and care for and later harvest their own vegetables, flowers, and herbs that they turn into nutritious and delicious snacks in the classroom. We explore these concepts at age-appropriate levels throughout each season. We strive to create an immersive experience in all programs- a blend of structured and freeform exploration designed to provide children with the support they need to express their natural curiosity. The Garden seeks seasonal Instructors who are passionate about environmental education to fulfill our teaching and programmatic needs.

Responsibilities

• Teach QBG environmental, art, sustainability and gardening programming to the standards set by QBG either at the Garden or out in the community
• Work with Education Manager, and other QBG staff to implement interactive and engaging gardening and environmental and sustainability workshops and activities
• Help foster a safe and welcoming space for participants
• Work with & mentor 2-4 interns/ volunteers to support program needs
• Prepare and maintain all materials for scheduled programs
• Set up and break down programming spaces
• Review & adjust lesson plans based on participant needs
• Support with administrative needs, such as: parent communications, documentation of incidents, and taking photos
• Support horticulture and gardening needs of the department, including: seeding, weeding, mulching, pruning, raking, watering, mowing, weed whacking, transplanting, and propagation
• Support additional needs and tasks of the Education Department

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or two years relevant experience in education, science, children’s programs/camps, or a related field
• Class/ group management experience, especially with children
• Experience teaching in subject areas of botany, environmental studies, ethnobotany, or life sciences, a plus
• Experience and interest in working with diverse communities
• Experience teaching special education or working with neurodiverse children, a plus
• Must be able to work with varied size groups of children and adults
• Comfortable working outdoors in various weather conditions
• Ability to lift up to 40 pounds safely
• Ability to perform diverse, sometimes repetitive, tasks that can be physically demanding
• Enthusiastic and collaborative attitude
• Excellent communication and organizational abilities

Schedule

This is a fully onsite part-time seasonal position.

Children’s Garden (drop off/ elementary age program) schedule:

• March to early June: 5-6 hours/ week: Sundays 12pm – 4pm, plus administration
• Late June: 20 hours/ week: Weekday AM training program for summer preparation
• July & August: 35 hours/ week: Mondays through Thursdays, 8am-4pm and Fridays, 9am-12pm
• September to November: 6 hours/ week: Sundays 12pm – 4pm

Garden Buds (1 hour toddler + grownup program) schedule:

• March: 6 hours/ week: Sundays 12pm – 4pm
• April to November: 6.5 hours/ week: Sundays 8:30am – 1pm

Salary: $20/hour

For consideration, please submit your resume, cover letter, and any relevant documents via our Career Center.

If you encounter difficulties with uploading documents to the portal, please send via email to Human Resources at [email protected].