2025 NPS Academy Youth Conservation Corps Crew Lead Member - Acadia National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Acadia National Park, is seeking ONE member to contribute to the 2025 NPS Academy program alongside the National Park Service Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

About NPS Academy: National Park Service Academy aims to support the development of a more representative NPS workforce by connecting dynamic, young adults through an experiential program designed around three themes - Connections, Diversity, and Legacy. Through participation, members build their conservation ethic, intercultural awareness, and career readiness skills and competencies. NPS Academy introduces participants to the NPS Universal Competencies that are foundational to all NPS career paths within a cohort of like-minded peers.

Program Goals:

The main goals of NPS Academy are:

• Connect a diversity of young adults sharing a passion and curiosity for careers within the NPS
• Deepen participants' knowledge of and personal network within the NPS by fostering an NPS mentorship relationships
• Develop a network of emerging conservation and park leaders by building ambassadorship, storytelling, and leadership skills
• Create a more inclusive and representative future for public lands

Start and End dates

Start Date: 06/03/2025

Estimated End Date: 08/23/2025

*a 12 minimum commitment is required and participation in the orientation (March 17th - 21st, 2025) are required for each position*

Start and end dates are potentially flexible for the right candidate and are dependent on the Park needs. If your availability falls mostly within these dates, please apply. More information regarding specific dates will be shared in the interview process.

Location Details/Description:

Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, serves as the duty station. Acadia National Park is located 50 miles southeast of Bangor, Maine, and 240 miles northeast of Boston, Massachusetts. Acadia National Park protects a landscape of rare scenic beauty. Acadia's mountains are the highest rocky headlands on the Atlantic shore of the United States, and the vistas from these mountaintops encompass forested woodlands, shimmering lakes, quiet marshes, bold rocky shores, and coastal islands. Surrounding the park on all sides, the ocean strongly influences the park's character. Visitation exceeds three million visits annually, with the highest visitation occurring in July and August.

Cell reception is spotty within the park, park headquarters, and at government housing accommodations. Acadia Headquarters (office and work site) is approximately 3 miles east of the village of Bar Harbor, where amenities are available such as, grocery, post office, library, fire/police, restaurants, and retail.

*Having access to a vehicle on personal time is advantageous for errands, etc.

For more information about Acadia National Park, please visit the National Park Service website.

Position Overview: The Assistant Crew Leader always supports the Crew Leaders in the physical and emotional safety of AYCC program participants. They supervise the safe completion of conservation and maintenance projects, teaching resource education, problem-solving, motivating crews, and participating in physically demanding projects. The Assistant Crew Leader is expected to demonstrate active leadership and be a role model for AYCC participants. The NPS Academy member will also be responsible for the documentation of AYCC activities through photos and videos. Additional duties in support of the program, such as administrative tasks, may be required for this position.

Projects may include trail and carriage road maintenance, vegetation management, social science data collection, painting, and other projects. Training is provided for most, if not all, of the projects before and during the season.

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: Length of service days will typically be 8 hours, 7:30-4:00, for a total of 40 hours per week. Occasionally, work projects off-island require overnight stays and staffing during the evening hours.

Position Benefits

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

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 450-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2024/25 grant year program, valued up to $1,956.35 upon successful completion of [a complete service term and 450 hrs]. Please note, AmeriCorps position eligibility is not guaranteed and may not be available for all positions.

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 (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

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

Relocation Allowance: ACE members will have access to up to $1000 to be used for eligible relocation expenses. Further details regarding distribution of these funds will be provided during the interview process.

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.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
• 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.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement or as defined by AmeriCorps.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.

Preferred:

• Ability to work well with others, willingness to learn and work hard, as well as a general interest in working with youth and in support of conservation efforts.
• Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Experience with landscaping/yard work or background working with youth.
• Skills and experience that members will gain from this position: Experience leading youth, trail and carriage road maintenance skills, a better understanding of social science, networking opportunities with park staff and park partners, as well as with other interns, Leave No Trace training, outdoor recreation experiences, and much more.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

Please use this information to determine personal ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing, walking, and bending often required. Ability to lift or carry 25 pounds for up to a mile. Capable of walking up to five miles over uneven terrain in extreme weather conditions and standing on their feet for lengthy periods of time, and sometimes in wetlands (waders provided). Exposure to biting insects and ticks.
• Vision Requirements: Must have adequate vision to walk on uneven, rocky, or terrain covered with vegetation. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle. Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 pounds, occasionally moves up to 50 pounds.
• Environmental: The work environment varies constantly. Most work is outdoors and is performed in temperatures from 40-85 degrees F to below freezing. Severe mountain weather conditions can result in extreme heat, rain, snow, and high winds. Work takes place both in indoor and outdoor settings. Work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g., exposure to extreme temperatures, climates, rough terrain, wild animals, pests, and insects.)
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise such as gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools.
• Travel: Overnight backcountry travel is optional but available. Backcountry overnight trips could vary from one night up to four nights if interested and could include tent camping or stays in a backcountry patrol cabin. Occasional overnight travel to other areas of the park may occur.

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: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the National Park Service or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the National Park Service. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the National Park Service, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to National Park Service and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACE's online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact NPS Academy Member Manager, Deja Charles.

ACE values an inclusive workforce - if you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications, we want to hear from you! ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information (including of a family member), veteran or military status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.