Community Volunteer Ambassador - Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve: AmeriCorps
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2026 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.
Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador, Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve – AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements Program
Site Location: Oregon Caves National Monument & Preserve
19000 Caves Hwy, Cave Junction, OR 97523
Terms of Service:
Start Date: 2/23/2026
End Date: 2/5/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour Slot
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities.
Oregon Caves National Monument and Preserve is in southwestern Oregon, a remote mountainous region with many outdoor recreational opportunities. The elevation is 4,000 feet. For persons with a love of the outdoors the surrounding mountains offer miles of trails, rivers, and more.
Oregon Caves has a very small volunteer program currently only hosting two official positional Volunteers-in-Parks (VIPs) and a slew of other episodic VIP opportunities. We are hopeful that a CVA will help create a solid foundation to build a more robust and sustainable VIP program.
We anticipate that the role of the Oregon Caves' CVA will be to help lay a solid foundation in order to build and grow a more sustainable VIP program. The CVA will work alongside the VIP coordinator and park supervisors to develop new VIP opportunities, help to administer volunteer.gov, and to create a volunteer handbook for the park. The CVA will also play a supporting role with the park's special events and community outreach initiatives.
Description of Duties:
Work with supervisors to add new VIP opportunities
VIP recruitment, training, and recognition
Volunteer.gov administration
Create a VIP handbook for the park
Assist with recruitment campaigns and outreach activities
Support special events and community initiatives.
Qualifications:
Organized
Reliable
Team-oriented
Outgoing
Eager
United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
At least 17 years of age
Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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
Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
Preferred Qualifications:
Community outreach and engagement
Strong communication and interpersonal skills
Passion for community service and volunteerism
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to work with current and seek new partnerships.
Our Commitment:
Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.
Time Requirements:
Typically, this position is expected to serve 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break 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.
Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills
Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development
$750.00 in Professional Development Funds for travel and training
Additional Position and Community Information:
The park is a 30-minute, or 20 mile, drive up a winding mountain highway from the community of Cave Junction, Oregon. Cave Junction small town of about 2,500 people, with about 10,000 people in the surrounding area. This community is one hour to the Redwoods and the Pacific Ocean and two and a half hours to Crater Lake. Two supermarkets, several restaurants, three gas stations, a clinic, and other basic services are found in town. Thirty minutes northeast of Cave Junction is Grants Pass, a community of 40,000 people, which offers large retail stores, a movie theater, hospital, and most other conveniences of a large town.
A unique opportunity with this position is being a part of laying the groundwork for our VIP program. There are so many untapped opportunities within our community. The schedule could include some evening and weekend work. The duty station is remote and does require a driver's license and a car. Housing is provided and shared, but you will have your own bedroom.
Benefits:
Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00
Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
Additional Benefit of $150.00 per week if housing is NOT provided by NPS host site at no cost to the participant.
Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
Childcare Coverage if Eligible
Loan forbearance if Eligible
Interest Payments if Eligible
10 Federal Holidays, 13 days Personal Leave, 13 days Sick Leave
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
Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.
The CVA position will start on Monday, February 23, 2026 and run for 50 weeks until Friday, February 5, 2027.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2026
Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.
Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with different populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in.
Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Final deadline is Friday, January 9, 2026.
For Application Questions:
Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org
Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.