2023 NPS Academy Historic Trails Maintenance Member - Acadia National Park

Summary: American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Acadia National Park, is seeking TWO Trails Maintenance members as part of the 2023 National Park Service Academy cohort. During these 16-week positions and additional one week March Experience, the members will learn how trail maintenance contributes to the broader national park experience while simultaneously learning about the National Park Service (NPS) as a career path.

For more information about NPS Academy, please visit: npsacademy.org.
For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

About NPS Academy: National Park Service Academy aims to support the development of a more representative NPS workforce by connecting dynamic, young adults through an experiential program designed around three themes - Connections, Diversity, Legacy. Through participation, members build their conservation ethic, intercultural awareness, and career readiness skills and competencies. NPS Academy introduces participants to the NPS Universal Competencies that are foundational to all NPS career paths within a cohort of like minded peers.

Program Goals:The main goals of NPS Academy are:

• Connect a diverse group of young adults sharing a passion and curiosity for careers within the NPS
• Deepen participants' knowledge of and personal network within the NPS by fostering an NPS mentorship relationships
• Develop a network of emerging conservation and park leaders by building ambassadorship, storytelling, and leadership skills
• Create a more inclusive and representative future for public lands

Start Date: May 29th, 2023

End Date: September 15th, 2023

*a 16 week minimum commitment and participation in orientation March 6th-10th is required for this position*

Location: Acadia National Park- "Crown Jewel of the North Atlantic Coast." Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. At 3.5 million visits a year, it's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. The 27-mile Park Loop Road system offers outstanding views of the park's ocean shoreline, coastal forests, and mountain silhouettes. At Acadia you can explore the park's scenic 45-mile carriage road system or hike through forests and up mountains on 125 miles of historic hiking trails. Bar Harbor, ME amenities include restaurants, movies, and stores nearby, within a 3 mile distance, accessible via a free bus service.

Project Website: For more information about Acadia National Park please visit nps.gov/acad.

Living Allowance: Members are expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $560/week Acadia, less any applicable taxes, to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. NPS Academy allowances are designed to prepare members for similar allowance structure at entry level positions at their service site and some variation exists due to local cost of living differences.

Housing: NPS Academy members will be accommodated in provided park service housing at no cost for the duration of the term. Housing varies by park site.

Scheduling: Likely 4 ten-hour days (Monday through Thursday) and 3 days off (Friday through Sunday).

Position Description: The Academy Member position will serve their AmeriCorps term on a National Register historic trail system. The service requires very strenuous effort in moving heavy materials to and around the job site. The Member must be able to hike steep trails in all weather conditions transporting tools and personal gear and work in difficult terrain. Members routinely move items over 50 pounds.

The Academy Member will assist with rehabilitating and maintaining the following trail related structures: wooden bridges, log cribbing and steps, water bars and culverts, stone retaining walls, and stone steps and other tread structures. May assist in cutting and shaping granite. May assist in repairs to steel pins and handrails, also erecting signs. Tools will include a wide variety of hand and power tools such as various hammers, shovels, stone tools, rock bars, digging tools, and power shop tools such as cut-off saws, grinders, and drill presses. May use powered tracked material haulers. Consistently moves heavy materials to and around the job site. Serves under the supervision of a Trail Work Leader or higher graded trail employee.

These individual placements are meant to facilitate professional development and promote exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Skills and Experience: An important reminder, all skills needed for this position will be trained on the job. A good attitude, curiosity for learning, and a willingness to work hard contributing to the team are the only prerequisites to finding success..

Essential skills and experience: Ability and desire to safely work as a team member, ability to hike with day pack and tools with or without reasonable accommodation.

Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Experience or willingness to learn about trail maintenance, hand tools, power tools, and basic construction and re-vegetation.

Skills and experience that members will gain from this position: deeper understanding of resource protection through trails maintenance

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:
Please use this information to determine personal ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

Physical Demands: Requires frequent standing, walking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms. Required to stoop, kneel, climb, and/or crouch or ability to position oneself in an equivalent manner.

Vision Requirements: Close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.

Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 pounds, occasionally moves up to 50 pounds.

Environmental: Moderate noise such as chainsaw and other power equipment; Ticks

Travel: This position requires frequent travel on foot on uneven terrain.

Additional Benefits: AmeriCorps: This position may be eligible for a 450 hour AmeriCorps Education Award (~$1718.25) upon successful completion of service hours. Additional enrollment steps are required.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects are subject to specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. If you do not meet the eligibility requirements for the PLC, you are still eligible to apply for the NPS Academy position with ACE. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility.

Outdoor Perks: As an ACE EPIC member, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 - 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.

ACE Requirements:

• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A current and valid form of ID (will be required to provide copies of ID's upon hiring)
• Willing to undergo a criminal background check.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website here.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest in the position and the NPS Academy program, as well as contact information for three references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/?keywords=academy. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time but will close by January 10th at the latest. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC NPS Academy Program Manager, Deidra Goodwin at dgoodwin@usaconservation.org.

EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

Current Openings for 2023 NPS Academy Historic Trails Maintenance Member Acadia National Park Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC