2025 NPS Academy Social Science Member - Grand Teton National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Grand Teton 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 Date: 06/02/2025

Estimated End Date: 09/20/2025

*a 16 week 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: The Tetons are a magnificent mountain range in this northwestern region of Wyoming, with the small town of Jackson in the valley. Within the mountain range, Grand Teton rises to 13,775 feet, 7,000 feet above the valley floor. What is now known as Grand Teton National Park is rich in history of human cultures and biological diversity, being a part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Having a personal vehicle is not required, but highly recommended as the winter can be isolating. For more information about Grand Teton National Park, please visit the National Park Service website.

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

Position Overview: The social science member will support the park social scientist in interdisciplinary projects focused on understanding visitor experience and use patterns in Grand Teton National Park. Duties will include surveying visitors in face-to-face interviews, resource impact and trail use monitoring, data management, conducting analysis on preliminary results, and draft report writing. The member will conduct service both inside and outside, with the majority of the service being in an outdoor setting, sometimes in inclement weather. Longer hikes (4 miles one-way) with more than 2,000 feet elevation gain will sometimes be necessary to access backcountry sampling sites.

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 Academy member is expected to contribute ~40 hours a week. This is typically 8 hour days, 5 days a week. Service hours may occur on weekends, and the member will have two consecutive days off every week. There is the possibility of some early morning or evening research.

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:

• An important reminder, all skills needed for this position will be trained on the job. A good attitude, curiosity for learning, and a willingness to work hard contributing to the team are the only prerequisites to finding success.
• Essential skills: Ability to work alone and in a group; Clear communication both written and verbal; Willingness to hike long distances and be outside all day; Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Familiarity with GIS/mapping and statistics; being flexible and adaptable to changes in tasks for the day (i.e. sometimes we have to quickly address equipment failures and rearrange our day).
• Skills that members will gain from this position: An understanding of the importance of social science in National Parks and other public lands; surveying and monitoring techniques and protocols, how social science data fits into decision making, data management practices. ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

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: Work requires some physical effort and can involve extensive periods of standing and walking, in some cases over rough surfaces or inclines outdoors, and carrying backpacks or other loads up to 50 pounds.
• 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 [XX] lbs., ability to move up to [XX] pounds.
• Environmental: 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.)
• Travel: No overnight travel, travel within the park will occur regularly.

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. [Hazard specifics should be provided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Partner site.]

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: [can remove if vehicle/equipment use is never required] 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.