Visitor Services Member – Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service is seeking ONE Visitor Services Member to contribute to visitor services projects alongside NPS staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit the usaconservation website

Start Date: Early/Mid June 2024 start

End Date: 51 weeks after start

*a 51 week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/Descriptions: Flat Rock, NC

Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site preserves Connemara, the home of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and writer Carl Sandburg. Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site (CARL) is located in western North Carolina about 40 minutes southeast of Asheville, NC. The site is the last home of Carl Sandburg (1878 – 1967), poet, biographer, folk singer, social activist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning author. His wife and family raised champion dairy goats; the park continues to maintain a small herd. The 269-acre park features an historic home, barn and outbuildings and over five miles of wooded trails.

To learn more about Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, please visit the NPS website.

Position Overview: The ACE Members will directly assist the National Park Service engage the public regarding the history and significance of Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site. Members will share information and meanings behind natural and cultural resources, as well as provide other visitor services such as staffing the visitor center, collecting tour fees, and issuing park passes. They will also care for the farm’s goats.

Typical duties include:

• Staffing the visitor center desk, collecting fees, and selling Sandburg-related sales items in the park store
• Creating and presenting formal interpretive programs to a variety of audiences
• Leading tours of the historic Sandburg home
• Assisting in education programs
• Caring for 18 goats at the farm area of the park including cleaning the barn (raking manure, spreading sawdust, etc) and feeding.

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: The schedule will be 5 days a week, 8:45am to 5:15pm. It will include working on weekends and holidays. The member will get 2 consecutive weekdays off. The schedule will be determined at time of selection and is not expected to change during the season.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE member is expected to contribute ~ 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $680/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

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. 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 here.

Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and is not provided by ACE or NPS. Grocery stores, banks, pharmacies, libraries, and other infrastructure are spread out by 5 miles or more. The Member must have a driver’s license and a personal vehicle for personal commuting purposes.

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 a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by 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.
• If driving is required: A valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required two-part criminal history check
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• 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.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our usaconservation website

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 History, Public Speaking and English.
• Knowledge and skills in the principles of customer service, and public speaking.
• Bilingual applicants are encouraged and welcome.
• Ability and willingness to communicate effectively with diverse audiences.
• Deep interest in the field of natural and cultural resources

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: The duty stations are in a historic house on a historic farm. Frequent sitting, standing, and walking (including on steep uneven terrain and up and down steep stairs) is required. Member may assist with care and feeding of goats, so kneeling and bending is required.
• Vision Requirements: Member assists with tours and outdoor programs (including barn programs) and have assigned computer tasks. Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: May carry up to 25 pounds, on occasion-typically books for bookstore or food /water/sawdust/hay for goats.
• Environmental: May work outdoors in or walk outdoors between duty stations in extremes of weather (rain, snow, rain, wind) and temperature (freezing temps to over 90 Fahrenheit). Work environment conditions can change frequently. Indoor environment conditions (except barn) are climate controlled with good air quality.
• Noise Environment: [Moderate noise, especially when visitor center is crowded and cash registers are both in use.
• Travel: This position does not require unique travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the NPS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the NPS will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.