Education and Outreach Member - Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Cades Cove)

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

For the full announcement and to apply, please visit: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/1081476

Start Date: May 20th, 2024 (flexibility may be available)

Estimated End Date: November 16th, 2024 (or 26 weeks after start date)

 * A 26-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/Description: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Townsend, TN

Cades Cove is a broad, grassy valley surrounded by mountains and is one of the most popular destinations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It offers some of the best opportunities for wildlife viewing and has a large collection of historic structures for visitors to explore. An 11-mile, one-way loop road circles the cove, offering motorists and cyclists the opportunity to sightsee at a leisurely pace.

For more information regarding Cades Cove and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, or the National Park Service, please visit: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm and http://www.nps.gov/grsm/historyculture/cades-cove-history.htm.

Position Overview:

• Independently provide high quality visitor services through contacts in Cades Cove, interpretative programs, and special events to improve the public's understanding and appreciation for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
• Develop and thoroughly research programs that meet National Park Service standards and share information about the park's natural and cultural resources.
• Lead curriculum-based education programs during the fall for students in grades K-12.
• Present programs to large groups of 20-100+ people.
• Write and create interpretive media including articles, social media posts, and bulletin board displays.
• Assist visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park by orienting them to recreational activities such as hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and other activities within the park.
• Manage traffic and wildlife jams independently or on a team using radio communications.
• Rove trails to provide hiker information, promote safety, and assist with clean-up.
• Initiate tactful conversations about park resources with visitors to encourage compliance with rules and regulations.
• Explore the work of the National Park Service by shadowing a variety of careers within the park based on the intern's interests and future career goals.

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: 5-4/9 schedule - work one 5-day work week and one 4-day work week each pay period.

Friday-Tuesday (days off Wednesday, Thursday and every other Friday) or Saturday-Wednesday (days off Thursday, Friday, and every other Wednesday). Hours - 7:30 am - 5 pm, one day every 2 weeks will be 7:30 am - 4 pm.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to cover the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 900 hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2023/24 grant year program, valued up to $3,447.50 upon successful completion of a complete service term and 900 hrs.

Housing: The ACE member will be accommodated in provided NPS housing at no cost for the duration of the term.

There is no cell phone reception in Cades Cove and a personal vehicle is required due to the site being remote with no reliable public transportation. The Member will have use of a government vehicle for project-related travel. Wi-Fi is available in the office and park housing areas but can be unreliable at times.