Position Title:  Education & Interpretation Fellow- AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park, 54 Elm Street, Woodstock VT 05091

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by March 28, 2025.

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: May 5, 2025
• End Date: October 31, 2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hour Slot

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park will host an Education & Interpretation Fellow.

This Education and Interpretation Fellow is an AmeriCorps position that will connect youth and visitors with the legacy of conservation through formal and informal programs and interactions.

In the realm of Education, the member will support the development and implementation of school visits, teacher professional development, and summer youth educational opportunities such as camps and work crews. In the realm of Interpretation, the member will design and facilitate programs in the Forest Discovery Center, the historic Billings/Rockefeller mansion, and the living forest exhibit. Fellow will work closely with education, interpretive, cultural and natural resources staff to share the legacy of conservation in the region.

Description of Duties:

• Support Youth Program Coordinator and Education Program lead in developing and facilitating park educational visits for students aged Pre-K-12 in response to teacher request
• Assist with and co-lead Mountains and Rivers Forever Summer Camp (July 28-Aug 1), 2 overnights included, for middle school students
• Assist with development and logistics of weekly professional development activities for the cohort of 15 Young Professionals at the parks
• Develop and lead Youth Summit, a sharing of youth work with all park staff
• Coordinate youth specific volunteer projects with Volunteer and Accessibility Coordinator  
• Work collaboratively with Science Education Fellows to implement curriculum 
• Work with interpretive coach to develop programs, learn the basics of interpretation, and find personal interpretation style.
• Assist with special events as needed by working at assigned hubs (ex. Junior Ranger tent, entrance station, guided talks)
• Assist with developing and leading educational activities at the park’s Forest Discovery Center for families
• Collaborate with the Cultural Resources Department to identify and develop relevant public or educational programming such as ‘The Mansion through the Child’s Eye’

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Bachelor’s degree

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with youth in an outdoor setting
• Experience delivering educational or interpretive programming
• Ability to positively respond to changing schedules or circumstances
• Excellent communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Willingness to work outside for long hours in a variety of temperatures/conditions, ability to hike multiple miles often up hill.
• Desired strengths: team player, flexible, organized, able to work independently at times

Additional Position and Community Information

• Most interns are able to find housing options in the population hubs within a 30-minute drive from the parks. These include Lebanon, NH, West Lebanon, NH, Hanover, NH, Hartford, VT, and Windsor, VT. The parks also have a document with rentals available from landlords who typically work with the park to find housing for seasonal employees and interns. Typically, these are room rentals and are at a lower cost than those found online. Housing costs vary widely depending on the location and size of the unit. Housing in the more populated areas or those in desirable tourist areas are much more expensive than those in the rural areas between the larger towns. Online prices for a 1–2-bedroom apartment can vary from $800 to $2,000+ per month. Depending on availability there could be park housing available, but it is not guaranteed.
• Work Environment: This position will include a combination of office and field work. Office work will be conducted from the historic carriage barn visitor center with intermittent field work and guiding outdoor programming. The office space available includes a large sitting/standing desk within the natural resources and education team hubs. Saint-Gaudens NHP and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park (MABI) share an education team. This position would primarily work on projects at MABI, but may often do work at Saint-Gaudens NHP as well. This position may require the fellow to lift 25lbs and spend extended periods of time outdoors in cold, hot, or humid conditions. Hiking off trail will also be a component of the position. Job hazards include working in an outdoor environment (animals, ticks, sun exposure) and the potential hazards of working with tools (saws, loppers, pruners, etc.).
• Local Area - Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is located in Woodstock, Vermont – an area of great natural beauty alongside the Ottauquechee River in the foothills of the Green Mountains. The Park opened for the first time to visitors in 1998 and is the first unit of the National Park System to focus on the theme of conservation history and the changing nature of land stewardship in America. It manages and interprets the early 19th century Billings/Rockefeller mansion and grounds complex, as well as a 500-acre forest property on the slopes of Mount Tom where hiking, nature study, and cross-country skiing are popular with visitors. A variety of local restaurants and groceries are located in the village of Woodstock and within a few miles radius of the park. Woodstock, VT is about 30 minutes from West Lebanon, NH which has many chain restaurants and stores. The weather in Woodstock varies from season to season. During summer, temperatures average around 70 degrees, and winter temperatures average around 30 degrees.    
• Participant should have a personal vehicle for travel to and from NPS site.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $150 per week.
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

How to Apply
Apply on-line at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions.  In addition to your resume, please submit a one page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position.

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by March 28, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on April 11, 2025.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

• Program Contact information: James Gasaway at jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org
• Service Site Contact information: Rainey McKenna, Visitor Experience and Resource Stewardship Program Manager, at Rainey_McKenna@nps.gov

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

Additional Details

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary.
• Lunch breaks will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
•   Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller and Saint-Gaudens National Historical Parks have a history of strong internship/fellowship programs with various levels of support available to ensure the fellow’s success. Our parks have a dedicated Youth Coordinator that hosts programs to ensure fellows are getting the support that they need. For example, the park hosts weekly professional development sessions where young professionals meet on a regular basis to develop project management skills, organizational skills, and build skills to be able to join the work force. These sessions also provide an opportunity for the fellow to engage with peers to build community at their new position. In addition, the fellow will have access to a variety of content experts and the opportunity for job shadowing according to their interest. The fellow will attend all seasonal safety, orientation, and job trainings in addition to trainings that are relevant throughout their service. Fellows are also encouraged to find regional partnerships and collaborations to further their own professional development. Overall, the fellow will have a variety of supports available to them to ensure that they feel prepared and supported to perform the position to the best of their abilities and be properly prepared to continue their career into the next step. 

• $1,000 Professional Development Fund to be used for training and travel

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.