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Science Camp Coordinator

A science camp coordinator develops and leads STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) educational programs for children and preteens. They are responsible for crafting engaging science activities that are both informative and fun. Through their guidance, coordinators significantly impact young learners by nurturing an interest in science and encouraging them to pursue STEM fields.

At a Glance

Imagine you are the environmental education program manager at a local environmental education center, tasked with designing STEM curricula for the upcoming year. With a Master of Education focusing on STEM and a specialization in recreation and leisure studies, you're well-equipped for the challenge. You aim to create programs that meet educational standards and engage children of various ages and learning abilities.

As you delve into the project, you encounter a significant problem: your potential campers' diverse learning abilities and interests. You realize that a one-size-fits-all approach won't work; you must develop a customized curriculum to fit different needs while covering essential STEM concepts.

You decide to implement a modular curriculum design based on your expertise and educational background. This design type allows for flexibility in topics and difficulty levels, making it easier to tailor activities to individual or group needs. You incorporate hands-on experiments, outdoor activities, and interactive technology to cater to different learning styles, ensuring every child can find something that sparks their interest in STEM.

Your solution proves to be a success. The modular approach facilitates a more inclusive and engaging learning environment where children feel valued and motivated. Feedback from campers and parents is overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing a newfound interest in science and technology. Through your innovative curriculum design, you've addressed the initial challenge and significantly fostered a love for STEM among young learners, aligning perfectly with your mission as an environmental education program manager.

Job Duties

Job duties vary from one position to the next, but in general, science camp coordinators are involved in the following activities:

  • Design engaging and educational STEM curriculum and activities tailored to children and preteens.
  • Recruit, train, and supervise camp staff, ensuring they are well-prepared to deliver high-quality educational content and support.
  • Implement and monitor safety guidelines to ensure a secure environment for all camp participants.
  • Serve as the primary contact for parents and guardians, providing updates and addressing concerns about camp activities and participant welfare.
  • Manage the camp's budget, ensuring funds are allocated efficiently for resources, staff, and program activities.
  • Acquire materials and resources to support engaging and effective STEM learning experiences.
  • Assess program success and gather participants', staff's, and parents' feedback to inform future improvements.
  • Organize the camp schedule, balancing educational sessions with recreational activities to maintain participant engagement and enjoyment.
  • Collaborate with local organizations, schools, and industry professionals to enhance the camp's program and resources.
  • Stay current on the latest STEM education trends and continually incorporate innovative teaching methods to enhance the camp's curriculum.

The role of a science camp coordinator varies with the seasons, particularly in areas where camps operate primarily during school vacations or summer. This seasonal nature leads to fluctuating workloads and responsibilities throughout the year, with the busiest periods requiring extensive planning, staff management, and coordination of outdoor activities.

  • Adjust planning to the season with summer outdoor explorations and winter indoor experiments.
  • Organize and lead outdoor activities, ensuring they are engaging, safe, and weather-appropriate.
  • Enforce safety and environmental protocols for outdoor activities, monitoring weather and hazards.
  • Strategically manage resources for the season, including staff scheduling, equipment procurement, and budgeting.
  • Stay flexible and ready to alter plans to meet camp objectives due to unforeseen weather or challenges.
  • Keep parents and the community informed about activity plans, safety protocols, and weather-related adjustments.

Work Environment

Education

If you are a high school student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, you should have a keen interest in:

  • Earth Sciences
  • Mathematics and Physics
  • Environmental Protection
  • Technology and Innovation
  • Sustainability and Resource Management

If you are a post-secondary student considering a career as an environmental geophysicist, the following programs are most applicable.

  • Geophysics
  • Environmental Geoscience
  • Geological Engineering
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Science and Policy

In most cases, the minimum education requirement to work as an environmental geophysicist is a graduate degree. Pursuing a master’s or doctoral degree in fields related to environmental geophysics can enhance your expertise, career prospects, and ability to contribute to the field. These advanced degrees offer specialized knowledge and skills highly valued in both the professional and academic worlds.

In many provinces, geophysicists must obtain registration and licensure with their provincial association as a Professional Geoscientist (P.Geo.). The certification process for geophysicists is similar to that of engineering professions and is typically overseen by the same regulatory body.

Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.

Skills

Technical Skills

  • Seismic data interpretation
  • Geophysical survey techniques
  • Geographic information systems
  • Data analysis and modelling
  • Remote sensing
  • Hydrogeology
  • Environmental impact assessment
  • Sample collection and analysis
  • Software proficiency, geophysical and modelling
  • Regulatory knowledge

Personal and Professional Skills

  • Analytical thinking
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication skills.
  • Critical thinking
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Adaptability
  • Project management
  • Leadership
  • Interpersonal skills
  • Creativity and innovation

Environmental employers look for professionals who can combine technical knowledge with soft skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or  take our Essential Skills courses.

Where to Work

As key executive leaders who shape their company’s sustainability policy, CSOs work in many different types of organizations. Common employers of CSOs include:

  • Municipal, regional, provincial or federal governments
  • First Nations, Métis and Inuit community organizations
  • Environmental professional or advocacy organizations
  • Large corporations that have incorporated sustainability into their core business activities
  • Utility companies
  • Natural resource extraction corporations, such as those in oil & gas, mining, and forestry


Search for jobs on the ECO Canada Job Board.

Education and Skills

Education

If you are a post-secondary student seeking a CSO role in the future, consider pursuing a university degree related to:

  • Business administration or management
  • Public administration
  • Organizational management
  • Social sciences
  • Law
  • Green business administration
  • Environmental studies

In addition to the educational fields mentioned above, you will also need extensive management experience to become a CSO, with well-developed human resources management and leadership skills. Consider educational seminars or post-graduate studies that will hone your analytical thinking, such as:

 

  • Organizational or administrative management
  • Environmental law
  • Public speaking
  • Finance or Accounting

Our Environmental Professional (EP) designation can also help you progress in your chosen environmental career.

Skills

Technical Skills

  • Environmental Law
  • Green business administration
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Human Resources Management
  • Public Administration
  • Public Speaking
  • Finance and Budgeting

Personal and Professional Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • Superlative and creative problem-solving
  • Analytical skills.
  • Excellent organizational skills
  • Attention to detail.
  • Presentation skills

Environmental employers seek professionals who combine technical knowledge with personal and professional skills. Watch our free webinar “Essential Not Optional: Skills Needed to Succeed in Canada’s Environmental Industry” or take our Essential Skills courses.

Role Models

Your Impact

A science camp coordinator guides young individuals toward becoming stewards of the environment. They achieve this by teaching the importance of sustainability, conservation, and the scientific principles that underpin our world. This role significantly influences the environment through the creation and execution of programs that cultivate respect for nature and promote environmentally responsible behaviours in children and preteens.

The job is fundamentally environmental, with coordinators organizing hands-on activities that delve into ecosystems, renewable energy, and waste reduction. Such initiatives are pivotal in embedding lifelong environmental values in participants, which can shape their future choices toward sustainability.

From an economic perspective, this position aids in community development by steering educational focus towards science as a route to eco-friendly jobs and careers, thus fueling the growth of the green economy. Socially, it enhances community consciousness of environmental matters, spurring collective efforts for conservation.

Through educational initiatives and active engagement, science camp coordinators play a significant role in both safeguarding the environment and fostering a society that is more knowledgeable, conscientious, and committed to sustainable living.

 

Occupational Classification

Marine geologists are classified into the following occupational grouping:

NOC Code: 21102 – Geoscientists and oceanographers

The National Occupational Classification (NOC) provides a standardized language for describing the work performed by Canadians in the labour market. It gives statisticians, labour market analysts, career counsellors, employers, and individual job seekers a consistent way to collect data and describe and understand the nature of work within different occupations.

See ECO’s Blue National Occupational Standard for a career competency profile for a marine geologist that outlines the specific skills, knowledge, and behaviours required for individuals to perform effectively in this particular role. This profile is a benchmark for training and development, ensuring consistency and quality across professions within the blue economy.

Reconnaissance des terres

Dans un esprit de respect, de réciprocité et de vérité, nous honorons et reconnaissons Moh’kinsstis, le territoire traditionnel du Traité 7 et les pratiques orales de la confédération des Pieds-Noirs : Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, ainsi que les nations Îyâxe Nakoda et Tsuut’ina. Nous reconnaissons que ce territoire abrite la Nation métisse de l’Alberta, la région 3 au sein de la patrie historique des Métis du Nord-Ouest. Enfin, nous reconnaissons toutes les nations qui vivent, travaillent et se divertissent sur ce territoire, et qui l’honorent et le célèbrent.

Land Acknowledgment

In the spirit of respect, reciprocity, and truth, we acknowledge that we live, work, and gather on the traditional territories of the peoples of Treaty 7, including the Blackfoot Confederacy—comprising the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani Nations—as well as the Îyâxe Nakoda and Tsuut’ina Nations.

This land, known as Moh’kinsstis in the Blackfoot language and encompassing what is now Districts 5 and 6, is also home to the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3, within the historical Northwest Métis homeland.

We recognize and honour the deep connection these Nations have to the land, and we are grateful for the opportunity to share in its stewardship.

As we continue our work, we commit to learning from Indigenous knowledge systems, uplifting Indigenous voices, and fostering relationships rooted in equity, understanding, and reconciliation.

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