Position Title:  RTCA - Sleeping Bear Dunes NL Landscape Architect Individual Placement - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Sleeping Bear Dunes NL 9922 Front St, Empire MI 49630

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by Friday, March 7, 2025.

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 6/2/2025
• End Date: 8/22/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hour

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 the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will host a Landscape Architect Individual Placement.

This Landscape Architect Individual Placement is an AmeriCorps position that will support the NPS Mission of extending the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation. This project connects directly to the NPS mission to provide experiences for ALL Americans, including people with disabilities. The project will enable the Midwest Region Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance program and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to better understand, support and deliver inclusive experiences for people with disabilities.

The individual selected for this opportunity will develop a comprehensive list of inclusive park experiences for people with disabilities at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. They will work closely with park staff to inventory and develop recommendations that improve trail and lakeshore accessibility. The selected individual will:

1) Provide design solutions that provide accessible beach access at 3 points along the lakeshore

2) Develop site design solutions at a popular trailhead that improves accommodations for equestrian use while minimizing additional impervious surface and visual impact

3) investigate modern recreation technology to support staff that currently sell and confirm entrance passes; This work will be used as a study for future development at other areas of the National Lakeshore

4) Present final conceptual drawings and plans to Park Leadership, Park and Regional Accessibility Specialists and Regional RTCA Program Manager.

Description of Duties:

• Work closely with NPS staff to identify accessibility issues and barriers to address.
• Assistance with data collection, planning, and design.
• Develop concept design plans and visual support drawings for recommended site improvements.
• Develop maps, plans and graphics required for existing condition analysis and planned recommendations.
• Compile and present the final report and its findings to NPS staff and leadership.

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.
• Must be current student working to complete post-secondary degree (Associate’s or higher)
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience
• Strategic thinking ability
• The ability to self-start/work independently
• Flexibility/resourcefulness/entrepreneurial mindset
• The ability to adapt new skills, ideas, technologies, and processes to the public sector
• Willingness to collaborate with others, work in a team environment, and coordinate and lead meetings related to project.
• Ability to engage and work with park staff to develop park and conceptual plans and implement a planning process.
• Willingness to work in the field as work will require on site analysis and data collection.
• Seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree at an accredited institution of higher learning.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with AutoCAD or Civil3D
• Experience with GIS and LiDAR
• Experience in site design and park planning.
• Seeking an undergraduate or graduate degree in landscape architecture, community planning/development, environmental studies/science/policy/management/planning, natural resource management, or related field.
• Special consideration will be given to individuals between their 3rd and 4th year of their undergraduate degree or graduate students about to enter the final year of their degree program.

Benefits: 

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Up to $3,000 in Professional Development and Travel Allowance is budgeted for project completion.
• Additional Benefit of $125 per week.
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

Additional Position and Community Information

Please provide a brief description of the community that the position will be serving within. What is the housing situation? Rural? Urban? What access to amenities (grocery, medical) will the member have?

• Voted "The Most Beautiful Place in America" by Good Morning America, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is located in scenic and welcoming Northern Michigan. Known as a four-season recreation destination, the Lakeshore is within an easy one-day drive of several major population centers of the Midwest, including Detroit, Chicago, and Cleveland. Housing, medical facilities, shopping, churches, banks, daycare, and recreational opportunities are readily available within a 30 mile radius from park headquarters in Empire. High temperatures average between 80-90 degrees in the summer and low temperatures average between 10-20 degrees in winter. More information may be found at: http://www.nps.gov/slbe
• Applicant must have a valid driver’s license and a good driving record.
• A personal vehicle is recommended but not necessary for the position.

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.
• The individual selected will be provided on the job support to identify and access various resources, both in physical locations and in online resources, some of which will be managed by a federal agency, state/local government, or other institution, and land management.  The Individual Placement will meet the Regional Office Accessibility team and the Regional Facilities team. 
• $3,000 Professional Development and Travel Budget

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.

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 Friday, March 7, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on Friday, April 4, 2025.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

• Program Contact information: Emma Nehan-Springstead at enehan@conservationlegacy.org
• Service Site Contact information: Patrick Lydon at patrick_lydon@nps.gov or Matt Wieber at matt_wieber@nps.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.