Night Sky Program Lead and Members - Death Valley National Park

Start Date: October 17, 2022 (flexibility may be available for the right candidate)
End Date: April 14, 2023 (or 26 weeks after start date)
*a 26 week minimum commitment is required *

Location: Death Valley National Park stretches across the states of Nevada and California. The park is home to the hottest, driest, and lowest elevation on the planet. Providing for extremely hot and dry desert conditions in the summer. During the months of October through April the park can present comfortably warm daytime temperatures and cool nights. Gift shops, gas, and convenient stores can be found within the park’s boundary. However, the closest amenities (major grocery stores, restaurants) are an hour outside of the park in the town of Pahrump. Cell service and Wi-Fi connectivity can be spotty. Las Vegas is two hours away and hosts a major airport and all big city amenities and entertainment.

For more information about Death Valley National Park, please visit https://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance. The Lead Program Member will receive $857.60/week and  the Program Members $692.40/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided housing at the cost of $204.34 biweekly (408.68/month) for the duration of the term. Housing is a shared dormitory with individual rooms, large shared kitchen and living room space. 

Scheduling: Members may work an irregular schedule of five (5) nine (9) hour days one week and four (4) nine (9) hour days the following week. Shifts will include working nights and evenings to deliver night sky programming and facilitate star party events.

Position Description: 

Primary duties of members will include the development of night sky accessible programming for the public, social media posts, and articles. This will entail the research of night sky concepts and themes, development of their individual night sky programs, and delivery of formal educational programs to the public. Additionally, selected members will conduct outreach and engagement events to various youth groups, schools, and accessibility students. The Program Lead will be expected to assist in coordination and organizing of logistics for programs and the two Night Sky Members.

Additional duties may include day to day operations of the park’s visitor center: opening and closing procedures, answering general inquiries from the public, facilitating informal education programming to small groups, junior ranging programs and other duties as assigned. Members will work with students who are blind or visually impaired and/or deaf or hard of hearing (BVI/DHH) and will utilize/adapt accessible resources through NASA, including tactile graphic books and 3D printing templates. 

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.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a hiring authority upon completion of their term of service.

PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility.

Qualifications: 

Required

• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with 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.
• Must be 21+. A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Comfortable with public speaking and facilitating educational programming to groups.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.

Preferred Skills:

• Competitive applicants for this position should have relevant experience in public engagement and group facilitation.
• Knowledge of program development and delivery.
• Interest in night sky and astronomy.

How to apply:

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here:

Program Lead: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/811777.html 

Program Members: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/811812.html 

Early consideration will be given as resumes 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 Recruitment Specialist, Victoria Yee, at vyee@usaconservation.org

EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.