Seasonal Lake Superior Estuarium Outreach Assistant

The Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve in Superior, WI, seeks a seasonal Lake Superior Estuarium Outreach Assistant to assist with community-learning opportunities about and with the St. Louis River and communities along its shores.

Work seasonally on the Reserve Education team as the hub of drop in visitor experience-- host community events and listen to, educate, and communicate with people of all ages and life experiences in a public, interpretive exhibit hall setting. The Estuarium Outreach Assistant works full time for 12 weeks from early May through early September as the lead staff in the Lake Superior Estuarium - a public exhibit hall with free admission that tells stories of the St. Louis River Estuary & Lake Superior. Oversee the daily operation of the Lake Superior Estuarium, coordinate and train docent and staff volunteers, greet and engage visitors, assist with Reserve education efforts like teaching educational programs for young children or visiting groups, do light upkeep of the exhibit spaces, communicate about projects at the Lake Superior Reserve and upcoming events, promote the Estuarium, update and maintain exhibit hall curriculum, and coordinate or co-host community outreach events. The Estuarium Outreach Assistant joins an education team of 3-4 people and collaborates with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve staff, as well as Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve to support volunteer recruitment and appreciation. On the job training is provided.

All Reserve staff aim to engage respectfully and responsibly with people with varied identities and experiences, and to create or adapt programming and communications to be relevant and meaningful. The Estuarium Outreach Assistant may occasionally support other Reserve programs engaged in water quality monitoring, stewardship, research, and other duties.

The Lake Superior Reserve (https://lakesuperiorreserve.org/) works in partnership to improve the understanding of Lake Superior's coast and estuaries. The Reserve integrates research, education, outreach, and stewardship to address opportunities and issues affecting the watershed, aiming to celebrate and honor ancestral Anishinaabe land and the sacred lands of all Indigenous peoples throughout their work and partnerships. Based on the St. Louis River Estuary in Superior, WI, the Lake Superior Reserve is one of 30 reserves in the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) provides federal leadership and guidance to the Reserve system. The Reserve is a part of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension (Extension) and is supported through a network of innovative regional partnerships. The position is a part of the Division of Extension Natural Resources Institute. The Natural Resources Institute works at the crossroads of communities, natural resources and agriculture to empower individuals and communities to make informed decisions that benefit our shared natural resources.

This position has the possibility to be extended based on need and/or funding. LSNERR will evaluate whether they need seasonal support again next summer.

• 5% Performs on-site event set-up and clean up and may perform basic custodial duties
• 40% Greets customers/guests, assists with registration, answers questions, and provides routine information, referring more complicates issues to appropriate entities
• 10% Assists with scheduling logistics and securing resources for vendor services
• 10% Gathers, enters, and maintains accurate event data and records
• 10% Assists with the creation of promotional materials and resources for events
• 5% Guides and trains student workers
• 5% Support program integration at the Reserve through collaboration with the monitoring, stewardship, coastal training and research programs, with Reserve partners, and within the National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) system
• 10% Teaches culturally relevant educational programs to adults and youth using learner-centered activities and lessons
• 5% Implements initiatives and events that serve the target audience

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

Required
H.S. Diploma

Required:
- Successful, respectful communication ability with volunteers, visitors, youth, and members of the local or visiting public;
- Knowledgeable and able to work with Microsoft Office software (primarily Word, Excel, Publisher, and Outlook email) and Google Suite;
- Reliable work ethic and ability to problem solve independently;
- Attention to administrative details and ability to independently and collaboratively plan, promote and manage programs and/or event logistics.
- Proactive approach to inclusion and accessibility for public audiences.
- Clear evidence of the ability to build effective relationships with people from different cultural backgrounds, including those associated with race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, socioeconomic status, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, and other aspects of human diversity, especially Tribal Nations.
- Ability to work with youth (minors) in an informal setting.

Preferred:
- Interpretive or teaching experience in a public, natural history setting
- Knowledge of the Superior, WI, region, which may include cultural and natural history and scientific and ecological processes, especially related to watersheds, water quality, and the St. Louis River.
- Experience planning, promoting and instructing engaging education programs with youth and adult members of the general public, including risk management.

Most hours occur within the Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:15pm timeframe. The position works on Saturdays in the Estuarium approximately 2 times/month, with 1-2 evenings a month for public programs, and one Sunday on July 20, 2025 for Lake Superior Day.

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Terminal appointment.
This position has the possibility to be extended based on need and/or funding.

$19.50 HOURLY
Fixed

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

- The office and Estuarium are located at 14 Marina Dr. Superior, WI, 1.5 miles from UW-Superior's campus and not along public transportation routes. Travel to program sites during work is provided.

- Work is most often performed in indoor settings (Estuarium exhibit hall front desk and shared office space) but some programs or community events are in outdoor settings that involve walking or moving about on uneven ground or may involve on-the-water activities.

- The primary accountability relationship for this position is the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve Education Coordinator for supervision, compensation, benefits, and performance reviews.

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:

- Resume
- Letter of Qualifications (cover letter)

Please submit a cover letter referring to your related work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews.

For additional guidance and resources on how to tailor your application materials to the job posting, please click https://extension.wisc.edu/careers/. For universal tips on developing a resume or cover letter, check out: https://successworks.wisc.edu/resume-and-cover-letters/#guides.

Names and contact information for references may be requested at the interview stage.

Luciana Ranelli
luciana.ranelli@wisc.edu
715-399-4085
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Event Planning Assistant(DS026)

A47-EXTENSION/ANRCD/NR/NERR/LSNERR

Temporary Employment

313096-CL