Wayside Cataloger

National Park Service • Hayneville, AL

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The Wayside Cataloger is an unpaid student volunteer position with the Semester of Service Program at the Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail. The volunteer will locate and assess wayside exhibits along the 54-mile trail and document which exhibits need repair, cleaning, updating, or removal. The resulting information will help the trail develop a contracting package to update its signage.

The position is based at the trail site in Hayneville, Alabama, and is in-office or at the work site only. The opportunity is for a 90-day term during Spring 2027, between mid-January and mid-June. Volunteers commit to 8–20 hours per week. Two positions are available. This is an unpaid volunteer experience; it provides no compensation, stipend, or hiring preference, and volunteers are not Federal employees.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national studying in the United States or abroad, or an international student on a valid U.S. student visa who meets applicable immigration, visa, and agency requirements.
• International students must have maintained continuous residence in the United States for three years to be eligible for the background check needed to access government equipment and buildings.
• Be enrolled at least half-time in an accredited educational institution throughout the 90-day opportunity; qualifying institutions must be located within the United States.
• Be in good academic standing as defined by the educational institution.
• Students graduating before May 1, 2027, are not eligible.
• Commit to volunteering 8–20 hours per week for at least 90 days.
• Complete required onboarding documentation assigned by the Department of the Interior and the academic institution.
• Agree to volunteer in an unpaid capacity and understand that volunteers are not Federal employees.
• Not be a current Federal employee.
• Have a high school diploma.
• Submit a copy of transcripts for enrollment verification.
• Any remote work must be completed domestically within the United States.

Responsibilities

• Locate each wayside exhibit along the 54-mile Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail.
• Assess the condition of each wayside exhibit.
• Document waysides that need to be fixed, cleaned, updated, or removed.
• Support development of a contracting package to update signage at the site.

Benefits

• Meaningful project work with clear deliverables, regular supervision, and Federal mentorship.
• Hands-on application of academic knowledge in real-world Federal operations.
• Exposure to Federal missions, workplace culture, and potential career pathways.
• Coverage under the Federal Tort Claims Act.
• Workers' compensation for service-related injuries.
• Structured onboarding and ongoing supervision.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: High school or GED