Interpretation Member - Ft. Vancouver National Historic Site

EPIC • Vancouver, WA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, is seeking 1 Member to contribute to Interpretive visitor service projects alongside NPS Staff. For more information about ACE, please visit our website. Start Date: ASAP Estimated End Date: 40 weeks after the starting date a 40-week minimum commitment is required Location Details/Description: Located in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site is in Vancouver, WA, along the Columbia River. Fort Vancouver is a significant cultural and historic landmark and serves a popular recreational area. Along with being a recreational area for the community, the site serves as a major landmark for indigenous people history, the fur trade story, and early U.S Army history. The site includes a reconstructed fur trading post, air museum, and visitor center. The primary location site for the member will be at the visitor center. For more information about Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, please visit the NPS website Position Overview: The Member participates closely with National Park rangers to provide a quality visitor experience for the public. The Member will also have opportunities to design, deliver, and evaluate programs in the park. Projects may include developing new materials, maintaining program statistics, and creating visual aids. The Member will conduct basic research of topics for the purpose of developing and presenting interpretative programs, both orally and/or in writing. The Member will present a variety of formal and informal programs, including orientation talks, conducted walks, and cultural demonstrations. Main areas of responsibility will be to staff the park's visitor center and the reconstructed fort's contact station. The Member will be exposed to a variety of interpretive and public service-related experiences, including supporting fee collection operations such as the sale and distribution of America the Beautiful passes. The Member will learn park resources by reviewing published maps, park research materials, and other documents previously prepared by park rangers and other professionals, as well as by talking with park staff. The Member may also assist with one-time or annual celebrations related to park programs and themes, as well as other special events. Duties include meeting and greeting the public visitors at the Visitor Center, enthusiastically answering questions and offering interpretation about Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and the surrounding area. Greets visitors and responds to a variety of inquiries regarding park activities, programs, exhibits, facilities, policies, and functions. Ensures that the information desk at the visitor center is always staffed, answers the phone, radio and relays messages. Performs regular daily activities for the visitor center, including but not limited to, daily opening and closing of the facility, light exhibit cleaning duties, raising and lowering the flag, etc. Provides guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities. Monitors and reports statistics such as visitor numbers and activities for project planning. Assist visitors with information about the Interagency America the Beautiful Pass Program. Administrative work including computer programs, paperwork, filing, cleaning and organization at the Visitor Information desk Participates with staff specialists and public affairs office to provide the latest, most accurate and appropriate information to the public. Provides visitors with effective instructions on security and safety procedures and informs the supervisor of visitor needs 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 schedule is 5, 8-hour day shifts with two consecutive days off. The anticipated schedule is Tuesday-Saturday.

Requirements

• 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 current and valid form of ID (will be required to provide copies of ID's upon hiring)
• 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

Nice To Haves

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a minimum of an associates or bachelor's degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as interpretation, education, history, conservation, parks and recreation management.
• Comfortable speaking in front of audiences.
• Ability and willingness to work with school-aged visitors, and visitors of all ages and backgrounds.
• Ability and willingness to talk about complex topics
• Interest in history and the National Park Service
• Familiar with the local area and Ft. Vancouver's historical significance or willingness to learn

Responsibilities

• Staff the park's visitor center and the reconstructed fort's contact station.
• Design, deliver, and evaluate programs in the park.
• Develop new materials, maintaining program statistics, and creating visual aids.
• Conduct basic research of topics for the purpose of developing and presenting interpretative programs, both orally and/or in writing.
• Present a variety of formal and informal programs, including orientation talks, conducted walks, and cultural demonstrations.
• Support fee collection operations such as the sale and distribution of America the Beautiful passes.
• Learn park resources by reviewing published maps, park research materials, and other documents previously prepared by park rangers and other professionals, as well as by talking with park staff.
• Assist with one-time or annual celebrations related to park programs and themes, as well as other special events.
• Meet and greet the public visitors at the Visitor Center, enthusiastically answering questions and offering interpretation about Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and the surrounding area.
• Greet visitors and responds to a variety of inquiries regarding park activities, programs, exhibits, facilities, policies, and functions.
• Ensure that the information desk at the visitor center is always staffed, answers the phone, radio and relays messages.
• Perform regular daily activities for the visitor center, including but not limited to, daily opening and closing of the facility, light exhibit cleaning duties, raising and lowering the flag, etc.
• Provide guidance to the public on rules and regulations regarding on-unit activities.
• Monitor and report statistics such as visitor numbers and activities for project planning.
• Assist visitors with information about the Interagency America the Beautiful Pass Program.
• Administrative work including computer programs, paperwork, filing, cleaning and organization at the Visitor Information desk
• Participate with staff specialists and public affairs office to provide the latest, most accurate and appropriate information to the public.
• Provide visitors with effective instructions on security and safety procedures and informs the supervisor of visitor needs

Benefits

• Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $695/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 and citizenship.
• Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided housing for the duration of the term.
• 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. Specific training may include the fundamentals of interpretation and resource based training.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees