Job Description

Title: Education and Interpretation Individual Placements 

Location: Shenandoah National Park; Luray, VA 

Positions Available: 2 Internships 

Position Dates: February 26th, 2024 – September 6th, 2024 OR April 21st, 2024– November 1st, 2024 (28 weeks) 

Pay Rate: $600/week + shared housing + AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of 900-hour term 

Status: 40 hours/week, Full-Time/Temporary  

Contact: ac***********@co****************.org 

Position listing will remain open until January 31st.   

Appalachian Conservation Corps:  

Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.  

Individual Placements gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as provides a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.  

Placement Site: 

Shenandoah National Park is in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Western Virginia. The Park boasts over 500 miles of hiking trails with peaks, rivers, and wildlife. This is black bear habitat. There are many small towns outside the Park that offer stores and restaurants and it is within a couple-hour drive of multiple major airports and cities including Washington, DC. This position may be placed at multiple locations in the Park. 

Position Summary: 

The Education and Interpretation Individual Placements are internship positions based at Shenandoah National Park (SHEN) in Virginia. Interns may work out of Dickey Ridge Visitor Center (North District, mile 4.6), Byrd Visitor Center (Central District, mile 51) or the Education Office (Park Headquarters). The Individual Placement (IP) will work with and report directly to National Park Service Staff. 

Interpretation and Education Individual Placements are responsible for preparing and presenting programs for the general public and educational groups including guided walks and hikes, interpretive talks, Junior Ranger programs, curriculum-based education programs, and illustrated evening programs on the Park’s interpretive themes (wildlife, geology, ecology, history, climate change, ecology). In addition, IPs will prepare and present recorded virtual programs and live distance learning programs for delivery on the internet. These programs are presented in a diversity of Park locations including amphitheaters, trails, visitor centers, and historic buildings. Regular public interaction and public speaking will be a requirement. Interns also staff visitor centers and provide information and informal interpretation to visitors during fixed station and roving assignments. 

The interns will spend the first half of their term working with the Education department, and the second half with Interpretation, providing a well-rounded and in depth look into public facing roles at a park. 

IPs receive formal training in resource interpretation and education skills, natural and cultural resources, customer service, and safety plus on-the-job training in presenting interpretive and education programs and park operations. Additional training and professional development opportunities may also be available. If you love learning, sharing what you’ve learned with others, and working hard in a team environment, these positions are incredibly rewarding. 

On-site shared housing for this position is provided. 

Benefits:  

• $600/week living stipend, paid bi-weekly 
• Park housing is available for this position. 
• $3,447.50 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of a 900-hour service to be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)  
• Possible student loan forbearance  
• Public Lands Corps Non-Competitive Hiring Eligibility for federal jobs 
• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist  
• On-the-job training 
• Additional subject-specific certifications and trainings may be offered 
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, Individual Placement positions may fulfill academic internship requirements  
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths  

How to Apply

Job Categories: Equal Opportunities. Job Types: Internship. Job Tags: Education, Interpretation, national park, and public speaking. Salaries: Less than 20,000.

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