Education and Outreach Member – Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Cades Cove)

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with National Park Service, is seeking ONE Education and Outreach Member. The ACE member will work alongside Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff to present education programs for students in grades K-12. This position will create interpretation/outreach programs for park visitors, rove trails, and assist with wildlife and traffic management. 

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: May 20th, 2024 (flexibility may be available)

Estimated End Date: November 16th, 2024 (or 26 weeks after start date)

* A 26-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/Description: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN

Cades Cove is a broad, grassy valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing and has a large collection of historic structures for visitors to explore. An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists and cyclists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace. 

For more information regarding Cades Cove and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or the National Park Service, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm and http://www.nps.gov/grsm/historyculture/cades-cove-history.htm.

Position Overview: 

• Independently provide high quality visitor services through contacts in Cades Cove, interpretative programs, and special events to improve the public’s understanding and appreciation for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Develop and thoroughly research programs that meet National Park Service standards and share information about the park’s natural and cultural resources.
• Lead curriculum-based education programs during the fall for students in grades K-12.
• Present programs to large groups of 20-100+ people.
• Write and create interpretive media including articles, social media posts, and bulletin board displays.
• Assist visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park by orienting them to recreational activities such as hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and other activities within the park.
• Manage traffic and wildlife jams independently or on a team using radio communications.
• Rove trails to provide hiker information, promote safety, and assist with clean-up.
• Initiate tactful conversations about park resources with visitors to encourage compliance with rules and regulations.
• Explore the work of the National Park Service by shadowing a variety of careers within the park based on the intern’s interests and future career goals.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: 5-4/9 schedule – work one 5-day work week and one 4-day work week each pay period.

Friday-Tuesday (days off Wednesday, Thursday and every other Friday) or Saturday-Wednesday (days off Thursday, Friday, and every other Wednesday). Hours – 7:30 am – 5 pm, one day every 2 weeks will be 7:30 am – 4 pm.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to cover the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 900 hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2023/24 grant year program, valued up to $3,447.50 upon successful completion of a complete service term and 900 hrs. 

Loan Forbearance: AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for federal loan forbearance. Additional enrollment steps are required.  

Qualifying Child Care Coverage:AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for qualifying child care coverage. Additional enrollment steps are required.  

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Housing: The ACE member will be accommodated in provided NPS housing at no cost for the duration of the term.

There is no cell phone reception in Cades Cove and a personal vehicle is required due to the site being remote with no reliable public transportation. The Member will have use of a government vehicle for project-related travel. Wi-Fi is available in the office and park housing areas but can be unreliable at times. 

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. 

Qualifications: 

Required:

• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required three-part criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Must be able and willing to serve outdoors in varying weather conditions.
• Must be able to hike up to 3 miles over rugged and uneven terrain.
• A hiking pace of 2 miles per hour is necessary for education programming.
• Must be able to lift and carry bins of program supplies weighing up to 15 lbs.
• Must be able to communicate clearly and concisely with resource professionals within NPS.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement or as defined by AmeriCorps
• Must have effective communication skills with diverse audiences.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as environmental education, interpretation, biological sciences, natural resource management, ecology, history, education, cultural resources, park management, or a related discipline.
• Knowledge and skills in the principles of education and interpretation.
• Knowledge of, or willing to research and learn more about the natural and cultural history of the Southern Appalachians.
• Excellent public speaking skills.
• Enthusiastic about serving with audiences of all ages.