Term of service:  January 13, 2025 – November 14, 2025

Service schedule: Member will serve a minimum of 1,715 hours over a 44-week term, averaging 41 hours per week with 80 hours of “Time Not Scheduled to Serve” to be used as sick, vacation, or other personal leave.

Position Summary:

Lone Pine State Park, located just outside of Kalispell, provides many recreation and educational opportunities for locals and visitors traveling through the area. The park has an interactive visitor center, exceptional scenic overlooks, a public archery range, and over seven miles of hiking/mountain biking and horse-riding trails. The Lone Pine District also includes Thompson Falls State Park and Lake Mary Ronan State Park, which also have several miles of trails, along with camping and water access.

Lone Pine State Park has a long history of providing quality interpretive and educational programs to youth and adults. With the proximity to Kalispell, Lone Pine State Park offers a perfect outdoor classroom setting, providing area youth multiple interactions with nature. This position will coordinate the educational programs at the park, which include school field trips, guided hikes, and youth programs throughout the year, as well as national events. Additionally, this position will increase volunteerism, particularly with volunteers who could assist in presenting educational programs and groups who would assist in volunteer workdays.

The person in this position will regularly work Monday to Friday during the school year, with some weekends required for special events. During the summer, the person in this position should expect to work weekends.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks AmeriCorps members perform capacity building activities.  Their service revolves around the program goals listed below to ensure that they do not displace workers or take part in any prohibited or unallowable activities as outlined in AmeriCorps regulations.  Montana State Parks AmeriCorps members will likely participate in activities that involve recurring contact with vulnerable populations.

Member will contribute to the following program goals:

• Improve park land
• Expand educational and interpretive programs
• Increase volunteer capacity*
• Enhance outreach and awareness of state parks
• Participate in service activities including National Days of Service**
• Respond to disasters, when called upon to do so by the program

Specific Position Responsibilities:

• Expand educational and interpretive programs
  • Expand educational and interpretive programs, coordinating and scheduling spring and fall field trips, leading four field trips per week from April through June and part of September and October, and facilitating a fifth field trip each week led by other staff.
  • Continue the excellent AmeriCorps work by updating and improving the school interpretive program curriculums.
  • Work on promoting educational opportunities for 9th – 12th graders in the park, including curriculum development.
  • Help foster the new winter field trips.
  • Train teachers to lead the outdoor portion of the outdoor education curriculum.
  • Create multiple interpretive loops in the park to give teachers curriculum options.
  • Run summer Junior Ranger Days to offer opportunities for youth to learn year round.

• Improve Park Land

• • Trail monitoring and maintenance on the 7.5 miles of trails at Lone Pine State Park, trails and river shoreline at Thompson Falls State Park, and the 2.5 miles of trails at Lake Mary Ronan.
  • Help with noxious weed pulling and/or spraying all three parks in the district.
  • Further our disease tree research and monitoring for all three parks.   

• Increase volunteer capacity
  • Recruit and work alongside Lone Pine State Park volunteers.
  • Participate in job fairs at the local Community College.
  • Work with other partners in the community on projects in the park.
  • Hike in the park and interact with regulars to recruit them for our Trail Stewardship Program.

• Enhance outreach and awareness of state parks
  • Monitor and add updates to the park Facebook and Instagram accounts. Developing informal teachable moments on both platforms.
  • Do quarterly radio spots discussing park projects and AmeriCorps contributions to the community.
  • Attend local farmers markets and festivals for tabling opportunities.

Minimum Requirements:

• Over 18 with a high school diploma or GED; college degree or equivalent work experience preferred
• A United States citizen, United States National, or legal permanent resident alien
• Demonstrated leadership skills
• Ability to take initiative, handle multiple projects, track details essential to project completion, analyze information, and meet deadlines
• Strong ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with diverse groups of people
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Basic computer proficiency
• Passion for the outdoors and enthusiasm for enhancing Montana’s state parks
• A driver’s license and personal means of transportation within the state of Montana
• Must pass the requirements of the National Service Criminal History Check

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks AmeriCorps 2025 Required Trainings and Events (subject to change):

• January 13: First Day of Service
• January 21-24: Member Orientation; Helena
• March 3-7: Certified Interpretive Guide Training; Lubrecht Experimental Forest
• March 12-14: Annual Serve Montana Symposium; Helena
• June 9-12: All Member Gathering; Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park
• July 18-20: Bannack Days; Bannack State Park
• August 29-31: Day of Honor; Chief Plenty Coups State Park
• November 13-14: Close of Service; Helena

Physical and Environmental Demands:

• Work is performed in both an indoor and outdoor environment. 
• Frequently works in adverse outdoor conditions including temperature extremes, snow and rain, dust, and mosquito infested areas.
• Works with public and may inform public of site rules and regulations.
• May be required to lift over 25lbs across rugged terrain.
• The position may require some travel.  The incumbent will be required to work odd hours, weekends, and holidays.

Benefits:

• Living allowance of $512.00/week (taxed)
• An AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00upon successful completion of service. This award can be used to pay education costs at qualified institutions of higher education, for educational training and resources, or to repay qualified student loans.  Members aged 55 and over may transfer the education award to a child, grandchild, or foster child.
• Eligible for deferment on qualified student loans
• Guaranteed health benefits and childcare assistance if qualified
• Experience and training working in the fields of outdoor recreation, parks management, interpretive services, education, community outreach, and volunteer management
• Opportunity to live, work and be part of the team amid the natural wonders and cultural heritage of Montana State Parks

* Volunteer activity facilitated by AmeriCorps members supports the management and operation of State Parks.  These activities do not include any prohibited or unallowable activities as outlined in AmeriCorps regulations.

**Service activities will center around the preceding program goals as well as provide unique opportunities for members to engage in service to non-profit community organizations that provide support to those in need, including victims of national disasters, individuals and families in poverty, veterans, homeless animals, and other groups.  Service projects will take place on and around designated National Days of Service as well as other AmeriCorps organized events, such as member trainings.  Service activities will not include any prohibited or unallowable activities as outlined in AmeriCorps regulations.  

The Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks AmeriCorps Program, as administered by the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, shall provide equal access to opportunities provided by the Program and shall not discriminate against any person because of race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Minority candidates are encouraged to apply.  Reasonable accommodations will be provided for qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would result in an undue hardship. The accommodation must be essential for the Member to perform his/her service successfully. Funds for reasonable accommodations are available for use by members with disabilities who have been offered a position with an AmeriCorps Program and require an accommodation to fulfill the essential functions of their service.