CRDIP Museum Services Assistant- Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) and through the Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program, is seeking a Museum Services Assistant to assist Appomattox Court House National Historical Park in cataloging, photographing, and rehousing park collections.

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

Start Date: Late May / Early June 2023

Estimated End Date: 12 weeks after start date

*a 12-week minimum commitment is required *

The Cultural Resources Diversity Internship Program (CRDIP) is a professional development internship that introduces students and recent graduates, from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the National Parks, to career opportunities within Cultural Resource Management in the NPS. CRDIP participants will have the opportunity to attend several professional development webinars as well as write blogs or create videos about their projects throughout their term. To learn more: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/tellingallamericansstories/join-us.htm

Location: Appomattox Court House National Historical Park- Virginia

This quiet village and surrounding landscape once composed an average Virginia stage road town with a county courthouse at its center. Its name is now immortalized for the tentative peace brought to the nation from Robert E. Lee's surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia to Ulysses S. Grant's Federal armies, which also freed 4,600 enslaved people. The park has over a dozen restored and reconstructed historic buildings, exhibits, a theater, hiking trails, driving pull offs, and a park bookstore.

Having a personal vehicle is not required, but highly recommended for commuting and to access groceries and other needs on days off. For more information about the park, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/apco/index.htm

Position Overview: The ACE member will work with the park's Mary Jones and Chris Calkins museum collections. Mary Jones' family were the last owners and residents of the Meeks Store, one of the park's historic structures now furnished as an 1860's general store. The park purchased the collection from Ms. Jones' descendants in 2018, including a scrapbook, newspaper clippings, confederate currency, Civil War bullets, building material from the McLean House, postcards, and items belonging to Civil War soldier, W.R. Jones. Chris Calkins, a former NPS and Virginia State parks employee, is considered an expert in the Appomattox Campaign and collected Civil War artifacts in the 1960's and 1970's which he has been donating to the park since 2010. The projects include cataloging, photographing, and rehousing about 500 Appomattox Civil War era artifacts and archives utilizing the Interior Collections Management System (ICMS). The ACE member will also assist museum staff with:

• Routine housekeeping and environmental monitoring in historic houses, exhibit spaces, and collection storage areas weekly and monthly to ensure the preservation and protection of museum collections and enhance the visitor experience to the site
• Conducting the mandatory Annual Inventory of Museum Property and helping correct deficiencies in locations and documentation
• Unpacking and packing museum objects for storage, exhibits, or loans, as well as work on cataloging artifacts for the Park's collection

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: Full-time position Monday to Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $580/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 450-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2022/23 grant year program, valued up to $1,718.25 upon successful completion of a complete service term and service hours.

Loan Forbearance: AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for federal loan forbearance. Additional enrollment steps are required.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online here.

Housing: Park housing is provided at no cost for the duration of their term. The ACE member will have their own room, but share a kitchen, bathroom, and other living areas.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. Specific training may include park history/operations, safety protocol, and museum collection care and management.

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by 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 and must pass the required three-part criminal history 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
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website here

Preferred:

• Possess a degree, experience, and/or demonstrated interest in public history, cultural resource management, museum studies, or a related discipline
• Experience with object handling, cataloging, and writing object descriptions
• Experience conducting historical research
• Experience photographing objects
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged and welcome

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/. 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 Recruitment and Outreach Specialist, Shannon Borowy, at sborowy@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 CRDIP Museum Services Assistant Appomattox Court House National Historical Park Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC