ACE EPIC NPS - Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado River District Intern - AmeriCorps

Summary: American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Rocky Mountain National Park, is seeking TWO (2) Colorado River District NPS Academy Interns to work with interpretation doing visitor orientation work in visitor centers and on trails, visitor and resource protection doing wilderness permitting, search and rescue, and patrols, and with facilities management doing road, trail, and/or facility maintenance. During this 12-week term the interns will participate in a wide variety of projects while learning about the National Park Service (NPS) as a career path.

These opportunities are intended for enthusiastic individuals from traditionally underrepresented communities in the Park Service who are interested in getting to know the agency as a potential career path.

Internship Start Date: June 7, 2020

Internship End Date: August 29, 2020 (or 12 weeks from start date, flexibility with the start date may be required)

* A minimum 12-week commitment is required for the internship, as is the March 9-13 spring break orientation in Jackson, Wyoming all food & expenses are covered for this orientation*

About NPS Academy:  The NPS Academy is an innovative and immersive program designed to introduce diverse and currently underrepresented undergraduate or graduate students, ages 18 to 30 to career opportunities with the NPS.  The program includes a spring orientation week at Grand Teton National Park (GRTE) and summer internship experience.

Successful candidates come away equipped with enthusiasm, professionalism, a strong work ethic and knowledge about the NPS mission and Universal Competencies. The NPS Academy maximizes career opportunities with NPS through training and hands on experiences.  Goals of the Academy are to:

• Connect diverse students with hands-on and experiential opportunities, introducing career paths within the NPS;
• Develop "on-the-job" training to participants through summer internships at national park units;
• Foster NPS mentor relationships deepening students' knowledge of and connection to the NPS;
• Provide ambassador roles for students to engage their college, university or community, sharing their experience and promoting NPS and stewardship opportunities with their peers and faculty.

Location, Rocky Mountain National Park:  Grand Lake, CO (Colorado River District)

The "Rocky Mountain National Park Act" was signed by President Woodrow Wilson on January 26, 1915, establishing the park boundaries and protecting the area for the future. The Civilian Conservation Corps built the main automobile route, Trail Ridge Road, in the 1930s and in 1976, UNESCO designated the park as one of the first World Biosphere Reserves.  As recently as 2018 more than 4.5 million visitors entered the park and it is one of the most visited in the National Park System, ranking #3 most visited.  When Congress passed the Rocky Mountain National Park Act in 1915, the legislators focused on Rocky's scenic and natural wonders, though its human history is robust as well.

Project Website: For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please visit: nps.gov/ROMO.  For more information regarding the ACE Internship Program, please visit: www.usaconservation.orgor npsacademy.org.

Compensation: Once fully enrolled the ACE Intern is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $400/week to cover the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: Housing and travel assistance to and from park location will be provided.  The ACE intern will be accommodated in park housing at no cost for the duration of the internship. 

Park-provided housing is located in the park near Grand Lake, CO.  The community is small; there is one small grocery store. It is a vacation community and destination, so there are many restaurants, but no chain restaurants or "fast food" and the closest large grocery store is 25 minutes away in Granby, Colorado. The closest movie theater is 45 minutes away in Fraser, Colorado. Fraser also has most of the amenities of a good-sized town: hair salons, bowling alley, fast food, etc. Denver is approximately 2 hours away. 

Accommodations are historic cabins with private single bedrooms, shared bathroom and shared living space.  There is no internet or wifi available at the housing area. Verizon cell phones work, but other carriers may have limited connection. Internet and wifi are available 2.5 miles away at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center, or at the library in the town of Grand Lake.   

The provided housing, while low on connectivity, is high on scenic beauty and wildlife viewing opportunities and hosts a good community of park employees.  Though not required a personal vehicle is highly recommendedto take advantage of neighboring attractions, for ease of access to community, and to get to/from one's duty station.  

AmeriCorps: This position may be eligible for a 450-hour AmeriCorps Education Award ($1612.43) upon successful completion of internship service hours. Additional enrollment is required.

Scheduling: five 8-hour days(positions will work weekends) and two days off (days off will be during the week). Work day usually starts between 7am to 10am depending on daily duties.

Position Description: The intern will have opportunities for projects and responsibilities in a variety of roles during their summer at ROMO.  Duties will be shared primarily between:

Interpretation: assisting with interpretive programs and assisting with visitor orientation and information at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center and on trails.

Visitor and Resource protection: assisting with wilderness permitting and wilderness patrols (front country and backcountry). Wilderness patrols may involve overnight stays in the backcountry. Camping and backpacking equipment will be provided. Participation in search and rescue training and response.

Facilities management: doing road, trail, janitorial, and/or facility maintenance projects. 

Additional Experience: ROMO provides a spectrum of experience intended to grow the interns through field experience and training, assistance integrating into park life, and building strong connections among interns and personnel for future support as they pursue NPS careers. Each intern will be assigned a mentor in their park district who will meet with them regularly to provide insight, help adjust to park life, edit their resume and assist the intern in creating an individual career development plan.

Onsite park leads will assure that interns are trained sufficiently, whether formally or on the job, to perform up to expectations and they will assign clear tasks and goals. As needed, the park lead will coach, evaluate and counsel interns. The park lead agrees that the program is developmental and will allow interns to shadow jobs, meet with mentors and participate in trainings during the interns' scheduled work week.  ACE staff and the Outreach Program Manager will conduct a workshop for NPS leads/mentors on cultural awareness and coaching interns who are new to the NPS and/or the outdoors.

Qualifications: Applicants for the position must hold orbe pursuing a minimum of a bachelor's degree orhave relevant experience in subject areas such as: environmental studies, anthropology, American history, geology, forestry, resource management, ecological restoration, natural sciences, or related fields.

Required:

• U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Be able to attend spring break orientation in March 9-13, 2020.

• Must be 18-30 years of age and/or:
  • Interns must be 21+ to secure ACE position that requires operation of agency or ACE vehicles for duties.  When driving is required valid driver's license and an insurable driving record are necessary.
    • documentation to be provided upon request.
  • Military Veterans up to 35 are encouraged to apply

• Ability to work alone at times and in a group
• Proficient in English
• Ability to undergo a federal criminal background check is required

Preferred:

• Ability to walk over a mile on uneven ground and/or trails.
• Some experience or willingness to learn about botany, restoration ecology, or natural resource management.

Intern will attend new participant orientation, federal job search and resume workshop(s) and will also be placed with a mentor in the Colorado River District at ROMO. 

To Apply: Please submit your resume, thoughtful cover letter, and contact for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/

NOTE: Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC NPS Division Director, Peter Woodruff.  (801)-989-7069 or pwoodruff@usaconservation.org.

Current Openings for ACE EPIC NPS Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado River District Intern AmeriCorps Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC