Community Work-Study Job Description for the Idaho Department of

Fish and Game MK Nature Center.

Idaho Department of Fish and Game

MK Nature Center

Sue Dudley

P.O. Box 25

600 S. Walnut St.

Boise, Idaho 83712

The MK Nature Center is owned and operated by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. The primary purpose of the MKNC is to provide education and enjoyment relative to Idaho’s abundant, diverse, and wonderful natural resources. The MKNC is a 4.6 acre facility that includes a visitor/education building and a natural area complete with gardens, streams, ponds and natural landscaping. The “streamwalk”, which offers a “face to fish”, viewing experience, is perhaps, our most popular attraction. The nature center gardens serve as a great example of how the average citizen can use native plants to provide habitat for wildlife, conserve water, and beautify their lands.

Work-study students enhance the ability of the MKNC to achieve it educational goals, maintenance of facility & grounds, while providing interesting and valuable opportunities for the employee.

Students will be expected to assist with many aspects of nature center operation and maintenance which may include:

  • Customer service: meet and greet customers, provide information relative to fish and wildlife, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, MKNC programs, operation, facilities: the MKNC receives about 150,000-200,000 visitors annually.
  • Animal care: several captive animals are kept at the MKNC for educational purposes. The work study student(s) will lean proper care and feeding techniques and biology of the animals.
  • Cleaning, maintenance, and construction of exhibits and displays.
  • Landscaping and gardening: weeding, deadheading, raking, pruning, watering and mowing on nature center grounds.
  • Routine cleaning and maintenance chores of the building: sweeping, moping, and cleaningof windows, mounts, and exhibits.
  • Educational events: student (s) will help with craft prep, setup, manning education booth and tear down of tents, chairs and tables from event.
  • Front desk/Gift shop host: student (s) will be taught how to run Microsoft point of sale retail system to ring up product sales, re-stock product, answer phones, and customer questions while attending the MKNC front desk.

Job qualifications:

  • Enthusiasm, hard worker and diligence.
  • Pay attention to detail, expected to take initiative when student sees things that need to be done.
  • Ability to work with a public and staff members, communication with others is key.
  • Animal care, gardening and retail experience are highly beneficial skills to the MK nature center staff.