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Urban Archaeology Corps Collections Assistant

Southeast Conservation Corps
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Position Title:  Urban Archaeology Corps(UAC) Collections Assistant – AmeriCorps Individual Placement  

Conservation Legacy Program: Southeast Conservation Corps

Site Location: Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

Address: 2332 Margaret Walker Alexander Drive, Jackson, MS 39213

Position Available: 1

 

Terms of Service:

Start Date: 02/10/25

End Date: 04/18/25

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 300 hr

 

Purpose:

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. This individual placement is in partnership with the National Park Service and is an AmeriCorps Position.

SECC empowers young adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility, and grit through community service, and environmental stewardship.  

SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, to complete conservation projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC programs encourage environmental stewardship, foster community partnerships, and emphasize experiential learning. SECC serves a diverse population that is representative of the Southeast, including youth, graduates, veterans, and a cross-section of ethnicities and income levels.  

The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument in Jackson, Mississippi, is a unit of the National Park Service honoring the life, service, and legacies of two important civil rights leaders: Medgar and Myrlie Evers.

The National Park Service (NPS) preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

This individual placement is within the park’s History Division, which is responsible for historical research and programming about the Evers family, the rehabilitation and preservation of the Evers Home, and cultural resource management (including collections management) at park sites.

 

Position Overview:

The Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument became a unit of the National Park Service in November 2020 via Section 2301 of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act of 2019. Park staff have spent the past few years developing interpretation, creating foundational documents, and building capacity for programs and partnerships. The park currently has a small collection comprised of artifacts uncovered during a 2023 archaeological survey—these items are stored at the Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) in Tallahassee, Florida.

Recently, the Evers family has expressed interest in donating a significant number of artifacts to the park, which will likely include archival materials, clothing, furnishings, and a variety of objects. The Collections individual placement 's primary focus will be conducting research and engaging in collections management service to support the acquisition of this new collection. Based on the individual placement’s interest and experience, they will also have the opportunity to help interpret MEMY’s existing collections and develop interpretive materials (including exhibits, digital media, and in-person tours) to share the park’s cultural resources with the public.

 

Description of Duties:

Help manage and document the MEMY collection, including archaeological materials housed at SEAC

  • Gain a comprehensive understanding of MEMY’s existing collections by becoming familiar with park foundational documents and procedures.
  • Photograph and document the collection as needed.
  • Conduct research about the objects in the collection where relevant.
  • Manage and update collections records in the Museum Collections Management System (MCMS).

Serve alongside the Historian, Curator, and regional staff members to manage the acquisition and processing of the new Evers family collection.

  • Assist with collections care, storage, documentation, and transportation
  • Travel to the location where the collection is currently stored to assist with processing and transporting the collection to its new storage location (schedule-dependent)
  • Conduct research about objects in the collection where relevant
  • Engage with the Evers family to learn more about collection items (through formal oral histories or informal conversations, schedule-dependent)

Develop interpretive materials to support public engagement in MEMY’s collections and cultural resources.

  • Using research conducted over the course of the individual placement, develop an interpretive product to share particular aspects of MEMY’s collections with the general public
  • Create the project using a medium of the individual placement’s choosing (physical exhibit, flyer/brochure, in-person program, digital humanities tools, video, audio storytelling, etc.)

 

Qualifications:

United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien

At least 18 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:

 Bachelor’s degree in history, archaeology, anthropology, or a related field; individual placement may be a junior or senior in college as well.

Strong applicants will have experience in one or more of the following: museums and archives, public history, archaeology, Civil Rights history, African American history and culture, or southern history and culture. Successful applicants will also have experience serving with museum collections, the ability to produce engaging and creative written content, and a passion for public-facing historical research.

 

Transportation:

A personal vehicle is not required but is strongly recommended due to the limited public transportation. NPS vehicles will be provided for transportation only. DOI Talent Defensive Driver course; one-on-one training with VICK law enforcement staff about driving safety is required for operation of park vehicles. The Individual Placement will be a driver.

 

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional 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. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

 

Time Requirements:

Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, 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.
  • Meeting with regional cultural resources and curatorial staff; MCMS training.
  • Consultation with park and regional staff; research on the Evers family guided by Historian and Curator.
  • Once the individual placement has chosen a topic and medium for their project, we will serve together to find training opportunities relevant to their project.

 

Benefits:

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $1,565.08
  • Living Allowance: $500 per week.
  • Additional Benefit: $200 per week.
  • Possible student loan forbearance.
  • Member Assistance Program – 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or service-life balance specialist.
  • Uniform shirts
  • Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths.

 

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
  • Monthly Accomplishment Report
  • Narrative Monthly Report.
  • Bi-Monthly Check-Ins
  • Midterm and Final Evals
  • Exiting Task

 

Substance Free:

In accordance with a drug-free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property. 

 

If you have questions about the position, please contact:

Nora Katz

Historian

Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument

nora_katz@nps.gov

 

If you have questions about the application process, please contact:

Ray Wilson

Individual Placement Coordinator

Southeast Conservation Corps

rwilson@conservationlegacy.org

 

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.