Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Jewel Cave National Monument is seeking four members (two 52 week positions, two 25 week positions) to contribute to education projects alongside NPS Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit the usaconservation website.

For the 52 week positions:

Start Date: October 2024

Estimated End Date: October 2025

*a 52 week minimum commitment is required *

For the 25 week positions:

Start Date: October 2024

Estimated End Date: End of March/Early April 2025

*a 25 week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/Description: Jewel Cave National Monument is located east of Custer, South Dakota in the beautiful Black Hills. Custer, which is a town of about 2,000 people, has a variety of restaurants and one grocery store as well as a small market. More amenities are available in Rapid City approximately one hour away such as an airport and more shopping facilities. On-site furnished housing at Jewel Cave is available for the selectee.

For more information about Jewel Cave National Monument please visit the NPS website.

Position Overview: Interpretive Members will get to interpret a variety of themes while leading two different cave tours: the one hour and twenty-minute Scenic Tour, and twenty-minute Discovery Tour to the visiting public as well as the occasional field trip. You will also assist with visitor center operations by opening and closing the visitor center and staffing the front desk. Behind the scenes you will get to schedule social media posts, lead distance learning education programs, and conduct classroom visits to local schools.

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: This position will work five, eight-hour days/week throughout the season.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Members are expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $500/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

For the 52 week positions:

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 1700-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2023/24 grant year program, valued up to $6895 upon successful completion of your service term.

For the 25 week positions:

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 900-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2023/24 grant year program, valued up to $3,447.50 upon successful completion of your service term.

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 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 eligibility information on our usaconservation website.

Housing: Housing is provided by the park at no additional cost to the member.

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 valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• 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 usaconservation website

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing an associate or bachelor's degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as history, geology, biology, education.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office, social media platforms, and experience doing public speaking.
• Interacting with the public presenting interpretive programs to a variety of audiences.
• Experience with youth programming.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, going up and down over 700 stairs multiple times a day, hiking on occasion. Manual dexterity required for computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: On occasion moves up to 50 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.
• Environmental: While the work environment conditions are constant in the visitor center and cave (49 degrees all year), outdoors can change frequently and winters can be very cold, with overnight lows on occasion reaching -20 degrees Fahrenheit and there being many feet of snow on the ground.
• Travel: This position does not require unique travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold and rocky terrain. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the site. 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 site 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 on the usaconservation website: 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 Western Member Manager, Vanessa Rogan.

ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

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.