Position Title: Historic Interpreter – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements - East

Site Location: Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center and Fort Mandan Historic Site

2576 8th St. SW, Washburn, ND 58577

Terms of Service: 17 Weeks

• Start Date: 02/03/2025
• End Date: 05/30/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hours

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placement Program (STE) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants within the program work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to build institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards Individual Placements, an AmeriCorps affiliated program, is partnering with National Park Service at Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center and Fort Mandan Historic Site to host a Historic Interpretative AmeriCorps Position.

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan Historic Site are part of the North Dakota State Historical Society and is connected to the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The Fort Mandan replica was built by local community members in 1972 as a remembrance of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. The Interpretive Center was built in 1997 leading up to the bicentennial celebration of the Expedition. The mission of the sites is to not only inform and inspire our visitors of the extraordinary accomplishments of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, but also highlight this area of a crossroads of culture and commerce where Indigenous Peoples, explorers, Euro-American fur traders/trappers, and many more met and shared ideas and goods with each other. Through exhibits, displays, living history and special events, this interpretive center is actively working to create space in interpretive programming on the inclusive history and culture of the Lewis and Clark story in North Dakota.

Stewards, in partnership with Lewis and Clark Interpretative Center and Fort Mandan National Historic site, is seeking an AmeriCorps service member to identify, preserve, interpret, and promote the heritage of North Dakota and its people, specifically the history of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

Description of Duties:

• Provide Interpretative Tours and Programs.
• Welcome and orient visitors by actively listening, answering questions, and familiarizing them with the State Historical Society Mission and our connected sites.
• Plan, develop, and present interpretative programming (in-person/virtual outreach) and guided tours.
• Assess and aid visitors with special needs, such as appropriate services for the elderly, disabled, and foreign visitors.
• Assist Interpretative Resource Specialist in maintenance and care of historical props.
• Perform on site store operations such as keeping merchandise neatly displayed and dusted, keeping track of inventory, operation of cash register, and appropriate forms, policies, procedures as instructed by the store manager.
• Perform Garden Care and Maintenance.
• Clean and tidy facilities including work areas, public areas, and bathrooms. Perform other light maintenance tasks which might include watering and weeding outdoor plants, dusting, and emptying trash receptacles.
• Assist with event planning and setting up.
• Aid with special programming, events, and exhibits.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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.

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 Monday through Friday from February until April and Tuesday through Saturday from April until June.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
•  Members must commit to a 36-to-40-hour work week schedule to meet AmeriCorps Ed Award Requirements

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
•  Member will receive a Stewards New Member Orientation with assigned program support.
• Stewards will provide at Stewards 101 Training within the beginning of the term ‘s start to familiarize member with Stewards Model and service expectations amongst peers.
• Member will receive training, be provided with resources to study, and work directly with Lewis and Clark interpretative Center and Fort Mandan Historic Site’s Interpretative Coordinator and Interpretative Resource Specialist.  

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50
• Living Allowance of $530 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $200 per week.
• Professional Development Benefit of $320

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.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

STE Program Staff:

Kahla Stewart

Program Coordinator

Stewards Individual Placements

(423) 402-6004

kstewart@conservationlegacy.org

Service Site Staff:

Dana Morrison

Site Supervisor, CIT

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan Historic Site

dmmorrison@nd.gov 

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. 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.