Internship-Backcountry Individual Placement - Shenandoah National Park
Title: AmeriCorps Backcountry Individual Placement
Location: Shenandoah National Park; Luray, VA and surrounding area
Position Dates: April – January, May - February, OR June - March (or 40 weeks)
Pay Rate: $425/week + AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of 1200 hr term
Status: Full-Time/Seasonal/Temporary
Position Summary:
The AmeriCorps Backcountry Individual Placement is based at Shenandoah National Park (SHEN) near Luray, VA. This eight month/40 week AmeriCorps position will support the mission of the Wilderness, Backcountry and Trails Program at SHEN. The Individual Placement will work with and report directly to National Park Service Staff. This position will focus on projects and assignments in the following areas: visitor education, public outreach, and backcountry permitting; backcountry patrols, field work, and emergency response; and program support through planning, research, documentation, and reporting. A large portion of this position will be dedicated to training, skills development, and professional development opportunities. The AmeriCorps Intern will receive a $425 per week living stipend. Housing is not provided. This position will also be eligible for an education award.
This position will require a self-motivated person with the skill sets to travel alone in a backcountry setting, interact in a professional manner with members of the public, and complete both field-based and office-based assignments.
Responsibilities:
Interns will provide assistance with the following tasks with NPS oversight, direction, and support:
Visitor Education, Public Outreach, and Permitting
- Provide general assistance—including orientation, direction, and information—to the public (phone, email, in-person)
- Issue backcountry permits, assist visitors with backcountry trip planning, and help manage an electronic permit database
- Promote Leave No Trace, Preventive Search and Rescue, and other priority messaging when interacting with the public
- Volunteer project coordination, support, and facilitation for individual volunteers and youth groups
- Support, facilitate, and participate in special events in the park (i.e. Junior Ranger Day, National Trails Day, National Public Lands Day, Wilderness Weekend, and more)
Patrols, Field Work, and Emergency Response
- Conduct backcountry patrols to:
- Monitor backcountry campsites, maintain designated campsites.
- Remove and rehabilitate use impacts such as illegal campsites, fire rings, graffiti, and social trails.
- Collect visitor use and GIS data for tracking, monitoring, and reporting purposes.
- Perform minor trail maintenance.
- Monitor and maintain signage and historic structures.
- Perform periodic cleaning and routine maintenance on pit/moldering privies.
- Assist with special projects in the field.
- Help maintain backcountry equipment, tools, and gear.
- Assist with emergency communications; participate in search and rescue and emergency response activities, such as storm clean up, as needed and trained.
Wilderness & Backcountry Program Support [Planning Documentation, Research, and Reporting]
- Assist park staff with program and special project planning. Sample tasks include:
- Collect, compile, update, and digitize backcountry data and documentation to make data searchable, reportable, and when appropriate, geolocatable.
- Research and report project history, park and visitor needs, industry states of art and practice, and lessons learned.
- Draft project updates, reports, and correspondence.
- Prepare maps, conceptual plans, and graphics using the Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe products, and various GIS platforms.
- Schedule meetings, develop agendas, and complete and disseminate minutes.
- Assist park staff with maintaining a training program for staff and volunteers.
Professional Development
- Pursue training, skills development, experiential learning, and educational programs.
- Track and report topics, content covered, hours, and any certificates earned on a monthly basis; interns will also include a short narrative focused on evaluating the value and impact of training and developmental opportunities in their quarterly report.
Share Your Experience
- Develop and present a talk summarizing their experience as youth ambassadors. This may be a public or private event, at a park based venue or other professional conference or symposia.
General Qualifications:
To qualify, you must be between the ages of 21 and 27, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award.
- Possess a valid driver’s license
- Physically capable of hiking for 8 hours or more over rough terrain and in inclement weather
- Comfortable working in a field and office environment
Preferred Qualifications:
- Professionalism in working with project partners and park visitors
- Demonstrated experience in a field environment (includes previous conservation corps experience)
- Familiarity with wilderness and backcountry ethics including Leave No Trace
- GIS experience or coursework
- Valid Basic First Aid and CPR Certifications OR Wilderness First Aid and CPR certifications
- Experience/coursework in environmental education
- Interest in pursuing a career with a public land management agency