Maintenance Member- Biscayne National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service is seeking ONE part-time Maintenance Member to contribute to visitor ready facilities through grounds and building maintenance projects alongside Biscayne National Park Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: Mid/late July 2025* Flexible based on candidate needs

Estimated End Date: 39 weeks after start

*a 39-week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/Description: Homestead, FL

Within sight of Miami, yet worlds away, Biscayne protects a rare combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and fish-bejeweled coral reefs. Evidence of 10,000 years of human history is here too; from prehistoric tribes to shipwrecks, and pineapple farmers to presidents. For many, the park is a boating, fishing, and diving destination, while others enjoy a warm breeze and peaceful scenery.

Biscayne National Park is located 30 miles south of Miami on the open waters of Biscayne Bay. Biscayne National Park is in a subtropical climate, which ensures year-round sunshine. Winters here are normally dry and mild, with occasional fronts bringing wind and rain. Summertime brings hot and humid weather with scattered thunderstorms in the afternoons and mosquitoes are often present. The Florida Keys and Homestead provide medical (including hospital), banking, groceries, and educational facilities. Miami provides all the educational, medical, sporting, and cultural features of a thriving multi-ethnic metropolitan area.

For more information about Biscayne National Park, please visit the parks website.

Position Overview: The member will focus on deferred maintenance work; will care for visitor picnic sites, visitor amenities, visitor boardwalks, visitor trails, visitor lawns, waterfront system, visitor parking areas, visitor roads, visitor campgrounds and facilities. Skills training and special emphasis will be focused on tree and shrub care, lawn care, installation and repair of benches, tables, fences, walkways, kiosks, signs, and maintaining the extensive elevated boardwalks that provide visitors access to park resources.

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 members' position will work weekends with days off during the normal work week, and hours may be adjusted to accommodate peak visitor season. The intern's expected schedule will be Friday through Monday for a total of 32 hours.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~32 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $544/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 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: Housing will not be provided by the park. It will be the responsibility of the member.

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 authorized to work in the United States. ACE does not provide sponsorship for employment visas.
• 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). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• 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.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of landscaping and general maintenance operations.
• Ability and willingness to work outdoors in various weather conditions.
• Deep interest in working in the outdoors and maintaining federal lands for future generations.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• The job requires indoor and outdoor work. The incumbent will be required to ride along in a park boat to work on the islands. The work involves frequent on-site fieldwork requiring some physical exertion such as walking over wet, rough, and uneven terrain, bending, crouching, stooping, reaching, lifting, or similar activities. Outdoor work may involve extreme temperatures and exposure to biting insects.
• Vision Requirements: Requires [close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus].
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 40 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.
• Noise Environment: [Moderate to high noise such gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools.] [Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.]
• Travel: This position does not require unique travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The member works inside and outside in temperatures ranging from 50 to 100 Fahrenheit. The work completed is primarily active and the member will be required to be on their feet most of the day. Travel via boat to Key locations is required. Humidity ranges from 50 to 100% with inclement weather and high winds. Employees will be required to work on the keys in mangrove forests and developed ground areas, where mosquito exposure is constant and sometimes severe.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS. 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.

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 ACE EPIC NPS Eastern Member Manager, Maya Opara-Nadi.

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 or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, 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, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, 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.