COMPENSATION: $22/hour

CLOSES: August 12th, 2026

JOB TYPE: Short-term: Sept 9, 10, 11  (trainings) Field trips begin September 21st and end  November 10th

LOCATION: River Bend County Park, Foster OR 

To apply click the link here: Application Form

OVERVIEW 

The Calapooia Watershed Council (CWC) and South Santiam Watershed Council (SSWC) are seeking individuals who want to be a part of a dynamic student-centered outdoor education program to serve as part-time, temporary Salmon Watch Educators. The Educators will work closely with CWC and SSWC Education staff to assist in providing outdoor learning experiences for 5th and 6th grade students at River Bend Park in Foster, OR. Students will explore salmon habitat, observe a salmon dissection, and participate in other activities designed to foster and strengthen connections with salmon and the land.

This position provides flexible opportunities for educators. The SSWC typically holds 18 trips per year. Due to timing, field trip dates aren’t official until the beginning of the school year when teachers get back in the classroom and sign up. The application link shows what dates the teachers will select from. A typical field trip day begins at 9:00 AM and ends at 3:00 PM. Pay is $22 an hour. Unfortunately at this time, we cannot offer any other benefits. Click the application link to see the potential field trip dates for this year. 

ABOUT US

The CWC and SSWC were created by residents of the watersheds they serve in 1999 and 1996, respectively. Both are community-based organizations that promote voluntary actions to improve watershed health. The Councils are leaders in outdoor education, and are currently conducting numerous habitat restoration projects. Learn more about our work at calapooia.org, and  sswc.org.

The CWC and SSWC are committed to addressing the inequities inherent in traditional environmental education programs. We have updated our education programs to emphasize inclusive and supportive student-centered experiences that are rooted in  empathy and respect for the natural world, the participants, and their experiences. We have moved away from the traditional volunteer-led model to one where paid educators who receive more intensive training are a consistent part of the program season. Educators gain the confidence to be dynamic and flexible in program delivery, and provide a rich experience for all students who participate. 

ABOUT SALMON WATCH

The 2026 Salmon Watch Program will serve 6th grade students in Linn County. Field trips run from September 21st  - November 10th. Educators will receive paid training and support throughout the program from CWC and SSWC Education staff. Mandatory in-person training dates are scheduled for September 9th, 10th, 11th. Since Salmon Watch is exploratory and outdoors, educators may need to navigate uneven terrain and slippery surfaces, and walk up to 2 miles per day. The CWC/SSWC team will work to schedule educators based on their availability, distributing hours as equitably as possible.  

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Participate in 3 paid educator trainings
• Facilitate outdoor learning experiences for up to 15 fifth grade students per trip
• Engage students with flexible and dynamic learning experiences to best meet students’ needs
• Foster community within student learning groups
• Periodically meet with the Education Program Manager to discuss progress, strategy, and challenges
• Actively participate in field trip set up, break down, and debrief

ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS

• Commitment to providing outdoor education experiences that centers participant experience
• Experience working with students from economically and racially diverse backgrounds 
• Familiarity with forest and river ecology or willingness to learn
• Ability to adapt content delivery methods and activities
• Flexibility in a dynamic environment
• Budding or developed interests in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Justice within environmental education

If offered a position, applicants must:

• Pass a criminal background check

• Arrange reliable transportation to and from the field trip site.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION POLICY

The CWC and SSWC are equal opportunity employers. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical​​​ condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or ​expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. If hired, your employer of record will be the CWC.

Trip activities may include: 

• Macroinvertebrates
• Salmon Dissection/Salmon Art
• Riparian Hike 
• Water Quality Testing 
• Salmon Migration
• Wildfire Ecology

Macroinvertebrates: This station provides an up-close look at the many fascinating aquatic macroinvertebrates in the South Santiam River. Educators will provide a brief overview of the importance of macroinvertebrates in stream health and their role in salmon life history, followed by a demonstration/explanation of the tools students will use to capture and observe the macroinvertebrates. This station utilizes a tool called a “D-net” which is a net shaped like an uppercase D that is attached to the end of a pole. This station helps students explore how aquatic organisms can be used as bioindicators, or organisms that indicate the general health of the ecosystem they are found in. It is a fun, very hands-on and often very wet, station for the students.

Salmon Dissection: Educators at this station use salmon carcasses from the Foster Fish Hatchery to help students delve deeper into salmon anatomy and function. Students gather around a table for a discussion about salmon biology as the lead educator/dissector opens the carcass to show the students the internal organs. At Salmon Watch, we demonstrate and practice respect throughout the field trip, especially when handling our salmon friends. Students are not permitted to squish eggs, hold the knife, throw or hit each other with the fish. Students can gently feel the various organs, and touch the mucus on the outside of the salmon. There are bathrooms nearby for students to wash their hands if they choose to handle the fish.

Riparian Areas: Educators at this station  take students on an exploratory walk through the streamside forest around River Bend Park. This is our most flexible station in terms of content delivery. Some groups may be more interested in the measuring and scientific aspects of the walk, others might just enjoy the peaceful nature of the park– both are great! As an educator, you will make a judgement call based on your group's behavior, energy, and general interest. Often after you provide an overview of the activity, the students will indicate their enthusiasm for what aspect of the activity they would like to do. 

Salmon Migration: This activity explores the life history of salmon using a movement based game as a mode for learning. Educators will talk about where salmon go once they leave the river, what obstacles the salmon encounter on their way to spawn, and how all of this impacts their populations over time. The game works as a series of “migrations” that involve running from the river to the ocean, or in our case from one side of the parking lot to the other. Between the river and ocean are a series of safe zones (hula hoops) and a series of obstacles such as bears (students with pool noodles that can move) and fish canneries (students with pool noodles that are stationary). During each migration, the salmon (other students) try to survive and make it back to the river to spawn.

Salmon Art: This is an activity offered at the same time as salmon dissection for students who do not want to observe the dissection. During this activity, students will get the opportunity to choose a silicon fish to paint and then print onto a piece of paper to take home. Students have also taken this time to look for nearby leaves to print onto paper, or to choose other expressions relevant to the field trip. This activity is open by nature and provides the opportunity for students to create art in nature. 

Water Quality: This station allows students to dive into the chemistry of water. Educators will perform a series of water quality tests with the students, including pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity, to uncover the general health of the river.

Wildfire Ecology: This station shows how fire spreads on a landscape utilizing an activity called “Match Stick Forest” where students test the following three variables, tree height, stand density, and landscape slope. Working in teams, students will be assigned an experiment that investigates one of the three variables. As the educator, you will guide them through the fire triangle, best safety practices, group discussions, and clean up.