CRDIP Research and Digital Content Assistant - Gateway National Recreation Area

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 Research and Digital Content Assistant to support Gateway National Recreation Area in revising the Jacob Riis Park National Register Nomination and contribute content to the park's social media and website.

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

Start Date: May 20, 2024 (flexible)

Estimated End Date: August 9, 2024

*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 Details/Description: Gateway National Recreation Area-Staten Island, NY (Remote)

Gateway National Recreation Area overlaps two states and includes areas in three New York City boroughs: Queens, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. The history of the park's three units---Jamaica Bay, Sandy Hook and Staten Island---has been shaped by their access to New York Harbor. They also share the story of defending America's largest port from real and potential enemies.

Jacob Riis Park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. A later amendment in 1984 extended the district's boundary to include the parking lot. The nomination mostly focused on the park's architectural significance. It highlighted the design contributions of buildings like the Riis Bathhouse, an Art Deco-inspired building later modified by Robert Moses and the WPA. Both Moses' intervention and the WPA contributions are also included in the nomination. Riis Beach is also known as The People's Beach because, since its early stages, it was conceived to be an accessible beach for impoverished immigrants, many of whom lived on the Lower East Side in tenement housing. Through the years, Riis Beach has welcomed diverse groups of users. Bays 1 and 2 at Riis Beach are considered the oldest continuously in-use LGBTQ+ public gathering space in NYC-dating back to at least the 1940s. For more information about the park, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/gate/index.htm

Position Overview: Gateway is working with partners to research the rich social and cultural use of this site by the LGBTQ+ community to support an expanded National Register Nomination that recognizes the importance of this site to diverse user groups as well as the important role that those groups have played in shaping The People's Beach. This position is a collaboration between the Interpretation and Resource Stewardship Divisions at Gateway National Recreation Area. The successful candidate's duties will include:

• Conducting, compiling and synthesizing research that will support the revision of the Jacob Riis Park National Register Nomination
• Using this research to create content for the park's website and social media, which does not currently feature any information about this important history
• Summarizing some of the research so that it is accessible for on-site visitors through QR codes and the NPS App to provide opportunities for self-directed learning on site.

The park's architectural significance is well documented, but this update would focus on the communities that have traditionally and currently use the park and beach. The position will explore what the site has meant to them as well as the contributions to the spatial and programmatic history of the area.

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-Friday; 8:00am-5:00pm. This position is fully remote.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or NPS. A reimbursement not to exceed $1,000/month will be provided to help offset the cost of housing, in addition to the weekly living allowance.

Travel Reimbursement: A $1,400 travel reimbursement will be provided to help offset the cost of commuting to and from the park as well as any other project-related travel needs.

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 Foundations of Cultural Resources, History of the National Park Service, and Section 106 Essentials.

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 and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. 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: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Qualifications

Required:

• Knowledge and skills in research, writing and web development
• 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 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 historic preservation, history, or public history, cultural resource management
• A passion for learning, resource stewardship, and storytelling

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the NPS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the NPS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.

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 CRDIP Member Manager, Samira Rosario Martinez, at srosario-martinez@usaconservation.org.

EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information (including of a family member), veteran or military status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

Current Openings for CRDIP Research and Digital Content Assistant Gateway National Recreation Area Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC