NPS Academy Trails Member - Multiple Parks

Summary

American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Acadia National Park and Grand Tetons National Park is seeking THREE Trails Maintenance members as part of the 2024 National Park Service Academy cohort. During these 12-16 week positions and an additional one week of 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

Locations and Start Dates:This posting is for TWO distinct locations.Please indicate the location(s) you would like to be considered for in your cover letter.

Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor, ME (2 Historic Trails Crew Members), May 5 - July 27, 2024 - 12 wks

Grand Teton: Teton County, WY (1 Trails Crew Member), May - Late August/Early September, 2024 - 16 wks

Start and end dates are potentially flexible for the right candidate and are dependent on the Park needs. If your availability falls mostly within these dates, please apply. More information regarding specific dates will be shared in the interview process.

*the weekly minimum commitment and participation in the orientation (March 4th-8th, 2024) are required for each position*

For more information on Acadia and Grand Teton National Park, please visit their respective sites: www.nps.gov/acad | nps.gov/grte

Position Description:

Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor, ME (2 Members), 12 wksThe 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.

Grand Teton National Park: (1 Member), 16 wks

The Academy Member position will serve their Americorps term working on the front country and backcountry trails system within Grand Teton National Park. The work requires strenuous effort in moving heavy materials to and around the job site. The Member must be able to hike 3 miles per hour for up to 15 miles in steep mountainous terrain while carrying up to 50 pounds. Work schedule will be Monday-Thursday early season and transition to 8 days on and 6 days off during July and August. During the 8 day work periods the Member will be working and living in remote backcountry locations. Backcountry camps are stock or helicopter supported.

The Academy Member will assist with aspects of trail maintenance and construction. Trail maintenance tasks include log out, brushing and cleaning drainage structures. Trail construction tasks include bridge building from native materials, fence construction, construction of steps, drains and retaining walls using native timber and/or drystone masonry techniques. Tools will include a wide variety of hand and power tools such as shovels, hammers, masonry chisels, crosscuts, pulaskis, chainsaws and power drills. Serves under the supervision of a Trail Crew Leader or higher graded trails employee.

The Academy Member may have the opportunity to participate in a variety of trainings. The Member will be trained as a sawyer under the NPS National Chainsaw Safety Program. Other trainings available depending on start date include Wilderness First Responder and Operational Leadership.

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.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: Members are expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week (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.

Relocation Allowance: ACE members will have access to up to $1000 to be used for eligible relocation expenses. Further details regarding distribution of these funds will be provided during the interview process.

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).

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 450-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2023/24 grant year program, valued up to $1,824.07 upon successful completion of a complete service term and 450 hrs.

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

Qualifying Child Care Coverage: AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for qualifying child care coverage. 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

Preferred skills and Experience

Essential skills and experience: Ability to work in a small team setting, experience hiking or other physically strenuous activities, general interest in resource management and wilderness.

Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Experience backpacking and camping. Experience working manual labor for extended periods of time.

Skills and experience that members will gain from this position: log construction techniques, dry stone masonry techniques, NCSP chainsaw certification, resource management techniques on mountain trails, rocky mountain plant identification.

An important reminder: all skills needed for this position will be trained on the job; a good attitude, curiosity for learning and plants, and a willingness to positively contribute to the team are the only skill prerequisites to finding success.

Essential skills and experience: Ability to work well with others, general interest in natural resource management, plants, and botany

Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Willingness to learn about plant identification, restoration ecology, plant propagation and/or natural resource management

Skills and experience that members will gain from this position: plant identification, native plant propagation, native plant restoration, invasive plant species identification and management specific to various regions in the US (Rocky Mountain, northeast, etc)ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

ACE Requirements:

• 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 or as defined by AmeriCorps
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Driving is not required for this position.

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: -The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required.-Requires the ability to walk up to five miles(15mi Tetons) over uneven terrain in extreme weather conditions and stand on their feet for lengthy periods of time, and sometimes in wetlands (Acadia-waders provided)

-In Grand Teton work regularly requires hiking 5-10 miles to work site and then performing strenuous labor before returning to duty station.

Weight Lifted or Force Exerted:

-Frequently moves up to 25 pounds, occasionally moves up to 50 pounds.-Heavy items (e.g., equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be moved and carried on a routine basis (for Rocky Mountain and Glacier only)

Vision Requirements:

-Must have adequate vision to walk on uneven, rocky, or terrain covered with vegetation. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle. -Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.

Environmental:

-The work environment varies constantly. Most work is outdoors, and is performed in temperatures from 90 degrees F to below freezing. Severe mountain weather conditions can result in extreme heat, rain, snow, and high winds. At Acadia, summer temperatures range from 40-85 degrees. At Grand Teton, summer temperatures range from 25-90 degrees. -Work takes place both in indoor and outdoor settings. Work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and insects.)

Travel:

-Overnight backcountry travel is optional but available in Acadia. Backcountry overnight trips could vary from one night up to four nights if interested and could include tent camping or stays in a backcountry patrol cabin.-Occasional overnight travel to other areas of the park may occur.

-Overnight backcountry travel required in Grand Teton. Backcountry trips range from 4-8 nights. Member will camp with 4-6 person crew in tents and/or backcountry patrol cabins. Camping gear provided by Grand Teton trail crew.

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 6th at the latest. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC Outreach and Recruitment Specialist, Emanuel Aragon Cruz at ecruz@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 nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.

Current Openings for NPS Academy Trails Member Multiple Parks Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC