Position Description and Application Information
Summary
American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS) is seeking ONE National Trails GIS Fellow interested in dedicating 12 months to support the National Trails Office with digitization, map production, data management, and GIS platforms to assist the public in getting out on the trails.
For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.
Start Date: ASAP
Estimated End Date: 52 weeks from start date
Duration: 52 weeks
Location: National Trails Office (NTIR), Santa Fe, New Mexico
National Trails administers ten national historic trails and one historic highway that, combined, stretch for more than 29,000 miles across 24 states. The National Trails Office works with a diversity of partners to protect, develop, and promote these special places. Their staff of interdisciplinary experts assist community groups, private landowners, nonprofit organizations, tribes, and federal, state, county, and local agencies with site planning and design, on-the-ground trail mapping, educational opportunities, and identifying resources.
The ACE Fellow must be comfortable working for the federal government within existing policies, procedures, contracts and agreements. These may involve working with different partners, contractors, and fabricators. May involve products like signs fabricated from various contractors including those who employ prison labor.
For more information about the National Trails Office (NTIR) based out of Santa Fe, NM, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1453/index.htm
Position Overview: The ACE Fellow will be provided real world experience in the GIS field including digitization, map production, data management, and GIS platforms like ArcGIS Online and ArcGIS software. Duties will include:
- Develop a more complete recreational/retracement trail dataset for the National Historic Trails (NHTs) and trail maps that will assist the public in getting out on the trails
- Plan for and develop national historic trails (NHTs) through road/pedestrian signing along all nine trails that NTIR administers
- Provide daily communication with a range of federal, state, non-profit organizations, and other trail partners to collaborate on signing and development activities
- Assist trail partners and communities with development of draft sign plans, including use of online sign-planning tools
- Provide technical assistance to partners seeking local or state department of transportation approval to install signs
- Gain real world experience working with public and private entities along the NHTs
- Gain communication skills interacting with communities, trail partners, and agency staff, as well as exposure to technical skills like ArcGIS, InDesign, and Photoshop
- As time allows, provide support to NTIR staff and partners at public events and other office priorities
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 position is primarily on-site at the Old Santa Fe Trail Building in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The ACE Fellow is expected to work 40 hours per week Monday through Friday unless on travel/doing fieldwork when more than 40 hours may be worked and the extra time will be applied to the following week. These 40 hours a week do not include a daily required 30 minute lunch break. The typical day will be either from 7:30/8 AM MT to 4/4:30 PM MT. Teleworking may be an option for up to 2 days a week depending on approval. Other NTIR fellows/interns may have different work schedules and may be remote.
Position Benefits
Living Allowance: ACE Fellow is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week (see above schedule) and will receive a living allowance of $425/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. This position does not provide health insurance.
AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for a 1700-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2022/23 grant year program, valued up to $6,495 upon successful completion of a complete service term and 1700 hours.
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.
Housing Allowance: Housing is not provided by ACE or NPS. A reimbursement not to exceed $1,400/month will be provided to help offset the cost of housing.
Relocation Allowance: A reimbursement not to exceed $700 will be provided to help offset the cost of relocation.
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:
- Knowledge and experience using: ArcGIS Pro/ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, Microsoft Word and Excel
- Strong writing, communication, outreach, and organizational skills
- Detail oriented, self-motivated, and ability to multitask
- Willingness and ability to travel
- 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
- US Citizen or Permanent Resident
- 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 three-part criminal history checks
- Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation
- ACE Member/Fellow 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/Fellow 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 https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.
Preferred:
- Knowledge and experience using: ESRI field applications Field Maps/Collector, Survey123, external GPS receivers, InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator
Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:
- Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of tablets, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain during field data collection.
- 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 10 pounds, ability to move up to 50 lbs.
- Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates may exist when conducting fieldwork. Work is mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
- Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
- Travel: This position requires some domestic travel.
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: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/. 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 Recruitment and Outreach Manager, 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.