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Youth Engagement Coordinator
Full-time
USD 31.51-31.51 / hour
Posted on Oct 29, 2026
Youth Engagement Coordinator
Job Posting
Department: Volunteer Engagement
Reports to: Volunteer Engagement Manager
Status: Full time, Hourly, Non-Exempt
Hours of Work: This is a 40-hour-per-week position that includes both weekend days. The regular schedule will be set with the selected candidate and may be Friday–Tuesday, Wednesday–Sunday, or Thursday–Monday. Typical hours are 8 a.m.–5 p.m., with occasional evening or holiday work, usually scheduled in advance.
Position Overview
The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is looking for a full-time Youth Engagement Coordinator to join the Conservation Engagement and Learning (CEaL) team. The Youth Engagement Coordinator stewards a service-based program for high school age youth – the Youth Ocean Advocates (YOA) volunteer program. The YOA program includes on-site volunteer opportunities, field trips, continuing education workshops, and more. The YOA program values the diverse young people of our region, including members of the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and disability community, as present and future partners and leaders in ocean conservation.
The Youth Engagement Coordinator will collaborate with the Volunteer Engagement Manager and other Aquarium staff as needed to deliver the YOA program in a way that ensures on-time delivery and maximizes engagement with existing resources. The Coordinator will oversee and implement the YOA program, including: recruitment, screening, placement, onboarding, scheduling, continuous support, evaluation, appreciation and recognition, and offboarding.
The Youth Engagement Coordinator leads the team in ensuring a positive volunteer experience and program support for teen participants through high-quality program development, intentional culture-building, prompt communication, coordinating schedules, providing logistical support, and via direct supervision and support. This direct supervision takes the form of leading field trips, delivering trainings, and supporting teens as they deliver onsite interpretation for visitors.
This position will drive the team in program development, particularly creating a volunteer experience that is welcoming to our diverse community of teens, developing a program with and for our YOAs.
Essential Functions:
- Supervises the Youth Engagement Specialist to effectively support the needs of YOAs and the YOA program. Identifies, assigns tasks, and prioritizes the Specialists’ work. Provides mentorship, support, and direction and evaluates the Specialists’ performance.
- Responsible for the planning, development, coordination, implementation, and evaluation of service-based youth programming.
- Leads Youth Engagement staff in designing and implementing educational opportunities for youth participants. Regularly leads training, meetings, continuing education workshops, and field trip opportunities.
- Shape and implement policies and procedures for the YOA program.
- Oversee the end-to-end YOA experience, including recruitment, orientation, interviewing, selection/placement, training, scheduling, supervision, evaluation, recognition, and alumni efforts.
- Evaluates youth engagement programming and develops reports to internal and external stakeholders.
- Proactively looks for ways to improve existing programming, including removing barriers to program participation for the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and disability communities and building a positive, welcoming, and inclusive culture respectful of our diverse community.
- Coordinates programmatic needs with Aquarium staff through established processes, including room and resources booking, transportation, purchasing, and catering. Assists in refining processes where needed.
- Collaborates with Volunteer Engagement Manager and Philanthropy staff to secure funding and develop reporting information for funders. Provides input on program budgets and oversees purchasing. Communicates program successes and opportunities to internal and external audiences.
- Seeks out new external partnerships and maintains existing partnerships with external organizations to diversify learning opportunities for teens.
- Communicate with current and prospective program participants and other stakeholders via email, phone, online tools, and in person.
- All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.
- Other duties as assigned as appropriate for level and scope of role.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Interact positively with adult volunteers and Aquarium visitors and provide excellent customer service to all stakeholders.
- Serve as a representative of the Aquarium’s teen volunteer community when working with internal and external partners on additional teen-oriented opportunities
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: The skills and abilities listed below may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural and community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
- Interest in and educational, professional or lived experience in marine science, environmental science, conservation and/or environmental justice or similar fields.
- Interest in and experience supporting, mentoring and maintaining healthy relationships with teen participants. Demonstrated practice of establishing trust and authentically listening to and partnering with teens to develop effective programs.
- Demonstrated leadership skills and the interest in and ability to mentor teen conservation leaders.
- Prior experience and demonstrated commitment to addressing barriers and systematic oppression which disproportionally effect members of marginalized communities engaging in programs.
- Model an active and personal commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion including a solid understanding and proven literacy around DEI topics.
- Interest in and experience utilizing positive youth development principles, while working with or mentoring diverse populations of high school aged youth.
- Consistently and proactively communicate, track, and organize complex schedules and tasks, often with shifting priorities, as well as organize work to keep self on track and others informed.
- Experience utilizing databases for accurate recordkeeping and evaluation
- Enthusiasm for and skills in networking, developing relationships with people from diverse backgrounds and building strong ties with the youth-serving community; proven ability to work effectively with people from a wide array of cultures and communities.
- Able to communicate effectively in English, verbally and in writing, for safety and program needs. Multilingual and multicultural communication skills and experience are preferred.
- Experience leading and designing trainings. Comfort speaking and presenting before large groups.
- Comfort with e-mail, phone, Zoom, and other online communication tools; familiarity with MS Office programs, including Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams.
Experience, education and certifications: We will consider various combinations of relevant experience and education in order to meet minimum requirements.
- 2+ years of experience working in informal or cultural education and program coordination, and/or a combination of experience and education to meet the minimum requirements of the position.
- 1+ year of experience supervising and mentoring volunteers and/or staff, including experience proactively coaching and providing feedback to staff or volunteers.
- 1+ experience working with teens and diverse teen populations
- Project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and on a deadline.
- Demonstrated commitment to and experience building a positive, welcoming culture respectful of the diversity in our community.
- Adult first aid and CPR/AED training and certification required within 30 days of employment. Resources on where to obtain low cost/free training will be provided.
- Washington driver’s license (or eligibility to obtain) and ability to drive Aquarium vehicles, including 15 passenger vans.
Working Conditions:
- Hybrid virtual/in-office model with minimum 50% days onsite at the Aquarium, including weekends onsite.
- Be able to be mobile for long periods of time and move up to 20lbs with help.
- Requires duties to be carried out in offices, exhibits, classrooms, outdoor field excursions, and off-site training and travel.
- Job requires occasionally working and moving outdoors in all weather conditions and terrain (e.g. rock beaches, uneven dirt trails, embankments, etc).
- This position will regularly work weekend days, as well as occasional evening and holiday work, with advanced notice.
- Occasionally driving Aquarium vehicles to meetings, trainings, and field locations.
Salary and benefits: $31.51 per hour. Dependent on experience. Please include salary expectations in your application materials. Full-time staff are eligible for the Seattle Aquarium’s comprehensive benefits package to include medical, vision, dental, an employer-funded health reimbursement account, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, life insurance, long-term disability, 403b retirement fund with employer match, access to a subsidized ORCA pass, a Seattle Aquarium Family Plus membership and generous paid time off.
How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don’t feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.
Interested candidates should upload a résumé to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.
Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at jobs@seattleaquarium.org.
Note: If offered the position, candidates must pass a background check. Conviction record is not an automatic disqualifier; we are a second chance employer.
About the Seattle Aquarium: The Seattle Aquarium is a respected authority on Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the world’s one ocean. Our team increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing excellent care and wellbeing for over 5,000 animals to create an inspiring visitor experience, offer engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.
Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.
Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, we’re among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 1 million people each year guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment. Learn more at SeattleAquarium.org.