Special Projects Fellow
Position Title: Special Projects Fellow – AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: City of Smithers, WV
2 Greyhound Lane, Smithers, West Virginia 25186-0489
Apply Here: conservationlegacy:Career Search
Terms of Service:
- Start Date: 07/07/2025
- End Date: 12/26/2025 (24 Weeks)
- AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour Slot
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and protect our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting the health of our natural areas. Stewards, in partnership with the CITY OF SMITHERS, WV, are seeking a service member to team with the dynamic Mayor of a small rural town. This member will help to support the ongoing successful partnership building, grant applications, reporting, and will assist in nurturing organizational efforts for community improvements.
With the transition from a coal extraction culture to a growing tourism economy, the overarching goal of the project work is to help in protecting the importance of history and people involved in creating the areas important coal heritage. This position will require a service member that is interested in celebrating coal mining heritage, environmental conservation, and small-town economic development.
Description of Duties:
- Plan a scope of work and goals/touchstones to be reported periodically as to progress and future needs with city staff.
- Be proactive in engaging city staff, volunteers, and others to learn about the local coal heritage, support related revitalization efforts, identify pictures and memorabilia for possible donation to the city museum and to guide identification of historically architecturally relevant new public lodging ideas.
- Find ways to meet members of public for discussion and feedback. Assist in identifying effective modes of communication to the public, come up with a plan for this, implement it, and evaluate its challenges and successes.
- Maintain and share a record of data/measurements, written reports, photographs, videos, etc., to support follow-through by the city even after the current AmeriCorps assignment ends.
- Practice being responsive as much as reasonably possible to requests from the mayor to take on additional duties within the realm of the project work that may arise unexpectedly.
Qualifications:
- 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.
- Bachelors’ degree with suitable transferable skills or demonstrates experience in the types of work this position entails (environmental science/conservation, historical research, coal mining, public administration, and/or community and economic development)
- Ability and willingness to plan and work towards meeting multiple deadlines.
- Flexibility to be a team player willing to help pitch in to address appropriate needs and tasks when assigned by supervisor
- Social media experience and skills to promulgate local public communications
- Ability and willingness to plan and work towards meeting multiple deadlines
- Self-starter, while cooperating and getting directions and permissions from supervisor
- Project information gathering skills
- Excellent organizational skills
- Respectful and polite
- Report writing
- Excellent people skills
- Verbal and written communication skills
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 a 35-to-40-hour workday, 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.
- Mayor will strive to accommodate member with any guidance or training need that arises.
- Mayor will approve participation (on-line or in-person) in suitable professional development opportunities.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2817.14
- Living Allowance of $592 per week.
- Additional Benefit of $200 per week.
- No on-site housing available
- Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
- Childcare Coverage if Eligible
- Loan forbearance if Eligible
- Interest Payments if Eligible
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.
Supervisor Name and Contact Information:
STE Program Staff:
Kahla Stewart
Program Coordinator
Stewards Individual Placements
(423) 402-6004
kstewart@conservationlegacy.org
Service Site Staff:
D. Anne Cavalier, Ed. D.
Mayor
City of Smithers, WV
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.