Community Volunteer Ambassador, Lake Mead National Recreation Area - AmeriCorps

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2025-fall-co Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 

Position Title:  Community Volunteer Ambassador, Lake Mead National Recreation Area - AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements 

Site Location: 601 Nevada Way, Boulder City, NV 89005 

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by June 13, 2025 

Terms of Service: 

Start Date: September 8, 2025 

End Date: August 7, 2026 

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour 

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. 

Located just 30 minutes from Las Vegas, Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a premier destination for millions of tourists and locals looking for a mix of adventure and natural beauty. More than 6 million people visit Lake Mead each year, making it the sixth most-visited unit of the National Park System. At 1.5 million acres, the park is also the third largest area of the National Park Service, outside Alaska. 

The two lakes provide 290 square miles of water on which to boat, fish, swim, water ski, sail and sun. 

Nearly 87 percent of the 1.5-million-acre area of Lake Mead is land, containing a wealth of natural and cultural resources in a setting of rugged mountains, desert washes, sheer cliffs, and colorful soils and rock formations. 

Created by Act of Congress in 1964 as the nation's first national recreation area, Lake Mead stretches 

along nearly 140 miles of the old Colorado River channel between Nevada and Arizona. It includes both Lake Mead, created by Hoover Dam, and Lake Mohave, created by Davis Dam. 

Lake Mead's temperatures range from the low 40's in the winter to 118 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. Fall and spring seasons have gorgeous weather conditions and are best suited for engaging the public to come and enjoy the many wonders the park has to offer through volunteer opportunities. 

Lake Mead's volunteer program is well established. We have approximately 1300 dedicated volunteers donating approximately 50,000 hours to the park. The CVA working at the park will gain valuable experience in how a volunteer program can benefit the park through building capacity to accomplish high priority projects. 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area's Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) position will be part of a team responsible for the overall management of the park's well established volunteer program. The CVA will be assisting with program administration, community outreach and volunteer recruitment, and event management. The Ambassador will be part of a team to engage the community and other park constituents in volunteer service and community engagement programs and activities. The CVA will bring a fresh perspective to the team and provide input in the program's operations by building capacity for the park. Leadership and developmental training opportunities will be provided throughout the Ambassador's tenure with the park. 

Lake Mead National Recreation Area is a large park that covers over 1.5 million acres and is situated in two states, Nevada, and Arizona. The Ambassador will work with the Volunteer Program Office staff to continue to develop and execute the park's volunteer work plan. The Ambassador will help support and increase community learning experiences through southern Nevada and western Arizona. 

Service projects and activities developed and/or implemented by the Ambassador will focus on increasing the number of people volunteering through developed programs and through projects that include both national events (i.e. National Trails Day, National Public Lands, Martin L. King Day, Junior Ranger Day, and Day of Service, etc.) and local events where a service component could easily be incorporated. This would include (but not be limited to) possibilities such as recurring group service opportunities like litter removal, landscape maintenance, habitat and vegetation management, and watershed restoration. 

Description of Duties: 

Volunteer Program Management (50%): 

Assist the Volunteer Program Manager with expanding capacity by developing and standing up new programs for the park. 

Research similar programs to provide a framework for the new program. 

Assist with developing and implementing the training plan. 

Develop support documents for the new program – SOP to manage the program, forms for tracking accomplishments, and recognition for the program. 

Mid-season and end of season reviews 

Programs that the CVA may assist with implementing will be determined by a park-wide volunteer needs assessment conducted during the summer of 2025. Programs may include a graffiti removal team, backcountry campground hosts, and others identified in the needs assessment. 

Volunteer event management (35%): 

Assist with and lead in all aspects of volunteer events management – CVA will be involved in event planning, pre- and post-event logistics, communication with participants, overseeing support event assistants, administrative responsibilities, determining site location, and hosting the volunteer event. 

Assist with 3-5 major events days such as National Public Lands Day, Great American Cleanup, Veteran’s Day project, Make a Difference Day, Love Lake Mead Days, and other identified events. 

Plan, host and oversee at least 3-5 small scale events with groups of 10-25 people 

Work with and lead event assistants to facilitate volunteer events 

Assist with and participate in existing programs managed by the Volunteer Program Office (15%): 

Operations Zero – Citizens Removing and Eliminating Waste (OZ CREWS) 

Assist with recruiting new volunteer groups for this program. 

Going out as a deckhand when scheduled. 

Adopt-A-Spot program 

CVA will assist the Volunteer Program Coordinator with recruiting and training volunteers for this program. 

Assist with the bi-annual volunteer recognition events – Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 

Develop social media posts to promote the volunteer program and recognize groups that accomplished work at events. 

Continue to connect through outreach opportunities with the surrounding communities to engage individuals and groups to volunteer at Lake Mead. 

Qualifications: 

We are looking for someone to join our team who is professional, reliable, and organized that can work in a fast-paced environment and loves the outdoors when working with park staff and volunteers. The CVA intern must possess the following: 

College degree 

Possess a driver’s license from the state they reside 

Experience with Microsoft products 

Willing to work as a team and independently 

Ability to work with others, especially those from diverse populations 

Enjoy working in the outdoors 

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

Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.  

Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of 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:  

The CVA intern will need to be able to balance working in a team environment when putting on volunteer events and be able to transition to work independently when providing administrative support to the various programs. The person must be organized, flexible and able to oversee multiple projects. The CVA will need to possess the following transferable skills: 

Managing large and small groups of people to accomplish priority work. 

Excellent communication skills - Comfortable to speak in front of groups of people (20 to 100 people) to effectively communicate the safety hazards the volunteers may encounter and how to mitigate those hazards through onsite briefings. 

Bi-lingual (not required) 

Experience working with populations of different backgrounds 

Draft and compose volunteer management documents that support a program. 

Developing a positive relationship with community volunteers so they will come again to another volunteer event. 

Excellent problem-solving skills, so to anticipate problems before they occur. 

Detailed oriented 

Working in a collaborative team environment. 

Seeking opportunities for professional development in a safe and supportive environment.  Making a mistake is not seen as a failure, but an opportunity to learn and grow. 

Enjoy working in a natural setting, especially around water 

Our Commitment: 

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: 

This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary.  

Lunch breaks 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 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds   

Additional Position and Community Information 

Government housing is provided. Housing accommodations are located within the park with a beautiful view of the lake with the sun rising in the mornings over the lake and the sun setting on the mountains in the west behind the house. The accommodation is shared with another park employee or intern. The furnished house is a two-bedroom home with central air and heat. Utilities (electric, water, and sewer) are paid by the park. 

The CVA will have their own bedroom space furnished with a twin bed, nightstand, writing desk, dresser, and closet. The CVA and roommate will share a furnished common living room, bathroom, and kitchen/dining area. Stove, microwave, refrigerator, washer and dryer, central heating and AC are available in the residence. Some cookware left by previous tenants can be found in the space; although, there is no guarantee what is in the assigned home. Wi-Fi is not provided by the park, but available for purchase for a nominal fee. 

The CVA will need their own transportation to and from their residence to the office, located in Boulder City, NV which is approximately 8 miles away. Boulder City has two grocery stores, many restaurants, a library, several gas stations, and other businesses (ie: banks, gyms, Starbucks, etc.). During specific times of the year, various free art festivals and fairs come to Boulder City in which the CVA could attend if they are interested. 

Within a 30 to 60-minute drive from the CVA’s residence, the CVA can find many hiking trails both in the park and outside the park. The area is surrounded by city, county, state, and other federal public lands. The CVA can also find rock climbing facilities, gyms, major shopping centers and night life within an hour’s drive from their home. Within a half a day’s drive, the CVA could visit other National Parks such as Zion, Grand Canyon, Death Valley and more. 

Lake Mead can provide the CVA intern with a variety of developmental opportunities. Volunteer 

Management (all aspects) will be the prevailing developmental opportunity; although, the supervisor will discuss with the intern what developmental areas they would like to experience while in the internship. Lake Mead holds many training opportunities for the CVA intern. We provide training in safety, volunteer management, and various resource management opportunities. 

Benefits:  

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 

Living Allowance of $600 per week. 

Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided 

Healthcare Coverage if Eligible  

Childcare Coverage if Eligible 

Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly) 

Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly) 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel 

Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations 

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority 

Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered. 

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, September 8, 2025 and run for 48 weeks until Friday, August 7, 2026. 

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2025-fall-co.  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. First review will occur in early June. Final deadline is Friday, July 4, 2025. 

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.