ACE Grand Canyon Conservation Vacation Crew Leader Internship

Grand Canyon National Park – Conservation Vacation Crew Leader

Summary:  American Conservation Experience, a nationwide nonprofit Conservation Corps, is seeking an ACE Conservation Vacation Crew Leader intern to dedicate 6 weeks (over 13 weeks) to the supervision of its Conservation Vacation crews at Grand Canyon National Park, AZ. The Crew Leader will supervise and facilitate the service projects of the participants, completing projects as directed by The National Park Service. This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic young professionals with a deep interest in advancing their career goals.

Start Date:    May 26^th 2014 (training), June 2^nd 2014 (as Crew Leader of Conservation Vacation)

End Date:    August 22^nd 2014 (end of 13-week internship)

A 13-week commitment is required

During the period there will be a minimum of 6 weeks as Crew Leader (240 hrs) and 1 week of training and orientation (40 hrs), a minimum total of 280 hrs.

Conservation Vacation Crew Leader Dates: June 2-June 13; July 14-July 25; August 11-August 22.

As the season progresses there may be the opportunity for additional work as Crew Leader on Catalina Island, or on Conservation Vacation Tours at Golden Gate National Recreation Area (San Francisco), Yosemite National Park, or Zion National Park.

Location:  Grand Canyon National Park is located in northern Arizona, about 70 miles North West of Flagstaff. Flagstaff is 130 miles north of the Arizona's largest city, Phoenix.

Project Website: For more information regarding ACE's Conservation Vacation program please visit http://discover.acecvusa.org/grandcanyon or http://www.usaconservation.org/vacations/vacations.html

Grand Canyon National Park's official website is:  http://www.nps.gov/grca

Compensation:  $8 per hour when serving as Crew Leader or training for the position.  Depending on performance additional hours assisting with program support may be added as the season progresses.

Housing will be provided in the form of tent accommodations at Grand Canyon NP during the Conservation Vacations, and at ACE's shared housing in Flagstaff, AZ, in between Conservation Vacations. Food will be provided during the Conservation Vacations.

Progression: This position provides an excellent opportunity to gain work experience within one of the United States largest and most visited National Parks. All service projects will be completed alongside National Park Service Personnel and therefore this position would be suitable for someone who is interested in a career with the National Park Service. Furthermore, ACE Conservation Vacations is a developing program with huge potential. As the program grows the number of participants and project locations will increase. It is therefore possible that successful Crew Leaders will be offered more projects in additional locations, or offered to return for another season.

Position Description:  ACE's Conservation Vacation program aims to attract a diverse group of volunteer participants to America's National Parks to assist the National Park Service (NPS) with their conservation and restoration efforts. Each Conservation Vacation is 12 days in length, running from a Monday until the following Friday.

From the moment the paying participants arrive at the meeting point to begin their service project until the moment they leave, the Crew Leader is responsible for the safety and supervision of the participants, and ensuring that they have a comfortable, enjoyable and beneficial stay with ACE.

Each day of the Conservation Vacation (except for weekends, which are free time) will involve 8 hours of volunteer service (07:30-15:30), the exact nature of which will be directed by the NPS, who will work with the group at all times. The service projects will involve working with the revegetation team, managing native plants and removing invasive species.

Specific duties and responsibilities may include:  

• Effective leadership and supervision of volunteers
• Conducting an orientation (purpose of trip, program rules and a safety briefing) to incoming volunteers
• Maintaining the ACE campsite (clean, organized, safe)
• Liaising with our partner agencies at the NPS
• Coordinate project details with NPS staff and the participants
• Completing conservation projects; Restoration and revegetation work
• Direction and management of participants for the duration of the service project
• Educating the participants (materials, syllabus, and information will be provided)

Project Background and Objectives: Information about Grand Canyon's revegetation program can be found below:

NPS Vegetation Program – Division of Science and Resource Management – Natural Resources Program

• Goal is to restore and repair land in the park impacted by foot traffic and development

 Projects provided on the North and South Rims of Grand Canyon National Park

• Native plant salvage
• Nursery and plant propagation
• Outplanting – seed, salvage, propagated plants
• Exotic/Invasive species removal

ACE participants will help support the objectives of the revegetation program by participating in the ACE Conservation Vacation. The Conservation Vacation Crew Leader will facilitate this through effective leadership, support, and management of participants.

Training Provided:  The intern will receive training at Grand Canyon National Park during the week commencing May 26^th 2014 alongside in-house training at ACE's Flagstaff Office to include report writing, safety training, and other skills related to the position.  ACE and the NPS are committed to providing the most educational, rewarding, and challenging experience possible to best prepare interns for future careers in the stewardship of America's public and private lands. 

Qualifications:  Applicants should have a degree or a combination of relevant educational and appropriate experience. Ideally the applicant's degree will be in Biological Sciences, Geography, Wilderness Management and/or Policy, GIS, Natural Resource Management, Recreation Resource Management, Botany, Engineering, Education and Interpretation, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.  Other degree subjects will be considered. A combination of relevant education and appropriate experience is also acceptable. Resumes must contain enough information to show that the applicant has the skills and experience as defined in this announcement. This opportunity is intended for U.S. citizens or Green Card Holders. 

Required Skills:

• Must have effective communication skills with diverse audiences
• Must have the ability to lead and motivate a diverse group of international participants
• Must be approachable and friendly and receptive to participant's needs
• Must have proficiency in hand tool use (e.g. shovel, Pulaski, handsaw)
• Must have a valid driver's license, a clean driving record, and the ability to provide documentation.
• Must be able to able and willing to live and work outdoors, in varying weather conditions, and be able to lift 50 lbs.
• Must be able to take initiative, work independently, and participate effectively in collaborative efforts.
• Must be proficient in English.
• Must have excellent organizational skills.
• Must demonstrate leadership, self-motivation, initiative, and reliability.

 Preferred Qualifications: 

• Bilingual applicants are encouraged and welcome;
• Experience working in an environmental or cultural education setting;
• A demonstrated interest and/or education in the field of natural and cultural resources; 
• Writing, research, and public speaking skills.

To Apply: Please submit a thoughtful resume and cover letter along with 3 professional references using the APPLY NOW section on the upper-right side of your screen.

NOTE: Early consideration will be given as applications are received.  If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact the ACE EPIC Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator, Peter Woodruff at (801) 989-7069 or pwoodruff@usaconservation.org.

Current Openings for ACE Grand Canyon Conservation Vacation Crew Leader Internship Jobs at American Conservation Experience - Staff