Human Resources

COVID 19 On-Campus Requirements

Prior to May 1, 2022, the University required all students, faculty, staff, and visitors (including contractors) to declare their COVID-19 vaccination status and provide proof that they were fully vaccinated or had an approved accommodation to engage in in-person University activities. These requirements were suspended effective May 1, 2022, but the University may reinstate them at any point.

About Queen's University

Queen’s University is the Canadian research intensive university with a transformative student learning experience. Here the employment experience is as diverse as it is interesting. We have opportunities in multiple areas of globally recognized research, faculty administration, engineering & construction, athletics & recreation, power generation, corporate shared services, and many more.

We are committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcome applications from individuals from equity seeking groups such as women, racialized/visible minorities, Indigenous/Aboriginal peoples, persons with a disability, persons who identify in the LGBTQ+ community and others who reflect the diversity of Canadian society.

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Job Summary

The Queen’s University Biology Station (QUBS; www.qubs.ca) is located near the village of Chaffey’s Lock, approximately 50kms north of Kingston, Ontario. It is the largest inland university-based field station in Canada with over 3,400 hectares of property. Its primary mandate is to provide opportunities for university teaching and research in the biological and related sciences. QUBS has two campuses: Opinicon Lake (hereafter Opinicon), where most research and teaching occurs, and Elbow Lake, known as the Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre (hereafter ELEEC; https://elbowlakecentre.ca), which offers school and public outreach, including a summer day camp, Eco-Adventure Camp. Opinicon provides daily meals, lab space, technical equipment, computer systems, weather stations, and safety equipment, with on-site accommodation for over 90 residents. The ELEEC can accommodate up to 40 overnight residents and has a communal kitchen, but no cooking staff, and has a series of teaching spaces including the Main Pavilion, Rec Hall, Nature Centre and an outdoor classroom.

Reporting to the QUBS Director and Senior Manager, Program and Administration (hereafter ‘Senior Manager’) , the Outreach & Teaching Coordinator oversees and runs outreach activities in conservation, natural history, environmental issues and ecology for QUBS, creating on-line outreach resources. The Outreach & Teaching Coordinator provides leadership and support to the Eco-Adventure Camp Director and counsellors, other instructors, and volunteers who assist in the delivery of programs and outreach activities and to ensure that their respective roles and responsibilities in the implementation of the outreach programs are carried out.

In conjunction with other members of QUBS, the Outreach & Teaching Coordinator regularly researches potential outreach and teaching program opportunities, and recommends and implements new and innovative programs with revenue-generating potential to make the program fit within the QUBS operations budget. This includes seeking and applying for external funding opportunities to support new outreach and teaching initiatives.

Non-traditional hours, including evening and/or weekend commitments are required during peak periods. Ability to reside on-site overnight during peak periods may be beneficial.

Job Description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
Programming
• Run existing, and design and offer new, outreach programming in natural history, environmental studies, and biodiversity conservation for primary through secondary schools, for the public, and for Queen’s University & alumni communities at ELEEC and Opinicon.
• Working with Indigenous educators help to offer lesson plans from the Queen’s University Indigenous Land-based Learning STEM (QUILLS) program (https://elbowlakecentre.ca/quills)
• Consult with other QUBS staff, establish goals, targets, and performance metrics for the QUBS outreach program for approval by the Senior Manager and Director.
• In collaboration with the Eco-Adventure Camp Director, oversee camp operation and development of camp curriculum annually.
• Increase diversity of young people and members of the public undertaking outreach activities at QUBS, in particular Indigenous people, new Canadians and recent immigrants, and those from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Develop new on-line outreach and teaching resources in environmental and conservation to support QUBS own programs, and foster new initiatives in other like-minded educational and outreach organizations beyond Kingston and region.
• Liaise with the Senior Manager and Operations Managers of Opinicon and ELEEC to minimize overlap and achieve synergies in scheduled activities.
• Work with school boards, Family and Children’s Services of Frontenac, Lenox and Addington, and Queen’s University Advancement to ensure equal access to outreach opportunities at QUBS.
• Contribute to the development and management of a long-term financial strategy for QUBS, help to prepare the annual budget for QUBS outreach programs, and examine opportunities for revenue-generating activities to make the program self-financing.
• Help to ensure that outreach messaging on different social media platforms are coordinated, respectful and relevant to the mandate and mission of QUBS.


Health & Safety
• As a Competent Supervisor, as defined under the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act, and in accordance with University policy, Supervisors are responsible for:
• Ensuring that employees under their supervision have completed the required health and safety orientation training.
• Conducting a workplace health and safety orientation that is documented using the health and safety orientation checklist available through the Department of Environmental Health & Safety.
• Ensure that all activities comply with Ontario and University safety regulations, including the Off-Campus Activity Safety Program (OCASP) of Queen’s University.
• Ensure that all camp activities comply with the Camp Compliance Oversight Group (CCOG) and Queen’s camp policies.
• Protect own health and health of others by adopting safe work practices, reporting unsafe conditions immediately and attending all relevant in-services regarding occupational health and safety. Follow all guidelines for employees and employers as legislated under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Permits. Accounting & Record-Keeping
• Maintain records of all outreach activities and participant numbers, prepare annual summaries, and assist with creating the annual QUBS report.
• Complete invoices for all outreach bookings, and ensure that invoices are issued to all users in a timely manner, and that payment is made within 30 days.
• Help to develop relevant outreach and teaching of Queen’s University Animal Care protocols and ensure that all activities comply with best practice in animal handling and observation.
• Track animal numbers used quarterly at QUBS for timely reporting to the University Animal Care Committee.
• Apply for animal care permits relevant to outreach activities from appropriate agencies (e.g. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources & Forestry).
• Establish partnerships and act as a liaison with Queen’s University Faculty of Education to encourage use of the facility and foster opportunities for graduate students and interns.
Human Resource Functions
• Assist in providing work direction, and technical/functional guidance to seasonal staff and instructors.
• Participate in screening and interviewing job candidates, and providing input into staff selection as requested.
• Review assignments and provide feedback on work to employees. Provide input on work performance to management staff.
• Provide orientation and on-the-job training to employees in the unit. Provide coaching and feedback on work quality issues, providing related day-to-day supervision. Escalate unresolved performance and/or disciplinary matters to management.
• As the occasion arises supervise placement students from the Faculty of Education at Queen’s University.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
• Bachelor of Education with teachable in Biology, Environmental Science or related discipline, or equivalent.
• Minimum 2 years’ experience in conservation and environmental science outreach, particularly to young people.
• Enthusiasm for, and detailed knowledge of, natural history or environmental science and conservation issues.
• Knowledge of web site maintenance, event registration software, and social media apps an asset.
• Satisfactory Criminal Records Check and Vulnerable Sector Screening.
• Valid Province of Ontario Class G driver’s license.
• Consideration may be given to a combination of education and experience.

SPECIAL SKILLS:
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to oversee varied tasks, prioritize duties and complete activities in a busy environment with multiple stakeholders/users and competing interests.
• Ability to work with a diverse student visitors and commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
• Passion for teaching and learning, particularly young people.
• Knowledge of, and sensitivity to, students with special needs with the ability to develop specialized activities/alternative curriculum to address the requirements of the students.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to interact and communicate with various community members/users in a professional, respectful manner, demonstrating tact and diplomacy. Community members/users include members of the public, researchers, graduate and undergraduate students, professors, alumni, Department of Biology colleagues and QUBS staff.
• Ability to work effectively with computers, electronic equipment and systems.
• Knowledge of regulations applicable to QUBS, protocols and practices (e.g. WHMIS, animal care) and competent supervisor knowledge of safety procedures and safety equipment.
• National Lifeguard Society and canoe instructor certifications an asset, but not required.

DECISION MAKING:
• Effective decision-making including knowing when to address issues independently and when to refer to the Director and/or Senior Manager.
• In consultation with the Director and Senior Manager, assist with decisions regarding the roster of outreach activities to be offered.
• Investigate and determine the feasibility of revenue-generating activities to support outreach programs.
• Determine when to report on safety issues in accordance with the Occupational Health & Safety Act and the Workplace and Insurance Board (WSIB), when to alert the Director and/or Senior Manager, and when to call emergency services.
• Decide on priorities within own workload ensuring that deadlines and deliverables are met and document hours of work consistent with QUBS and University requirements.
• Assist the Director and/or Senior Manager in human resources planning for the Eco-Adventure Camp.
• Assess the suitability of job candidates for summer interns and other positions and recommend the most appropriate person for hire as requested.
• Help to determine priorities and make decisions about staff use and the assignment of work to achieve optimum efficiencies and productivity.
• Help to assess employees’ training needs and make recommendations for internal or external training to attain proficiency.
• Monitor and assess output and the quality of outreach casual staff employees work, and recommend need for formal training or development plans to management and identifies possible staff performance and/or disciplinary issues.

Employment Equity and Accessibility Statement

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Queen’s is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, visible minorities, Aboriginal Peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity. In accordance with Canadian Immigration requirements, priority will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The University provides support in its recruitment processes to all applicants who require accommodation due to a protected ground under the Ontario Human Rights Code, including those with disabilities. Candidates requiring accommodation during the recruitment process are asked to contact Human Resources at hradmin@queensu.ca.