American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit Conservation Corps based in Flagstaff, AZ, is currently hiring energetic, ambitious young adults to participate as AmeriCorps members in a paid 6 month skills training program preparing them for outdoor careers with ACE, with other conservation corps, or with land management agencies such as the National Park Service, US Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management.
Positions begin January 3, 2009. Position Description: Professional Development Interns will spend 6 months training on complex trail construction, forestry or environmental restoration projects under the guidance of ACEs most highly skilled staff members. The goal of the position is to accomplish meaningful project work for a variety of agencies while becoming proficient in advanced field techniques such as trail construction, dry stone masonry, fencing, chainsaw use, and GPS/Survey method. Professional Development Interns will also gain leadership skills while helping to supervise, train, and generally support ACE volunteers who are rotated into long term projects. Each Professional Development Intern will also be required to coordinate one volunteer event, recruiting a minimum of 10 members of the local Flagstaff community to participate in a volunteer day alongside ACE crews. All work is physically demanding, requiring stints of up to 10 days in the backcountry. Location: Interns will be based in Flagstaff, AZ. Projects take place at various locations throughout Arizona, with an emphasis on Grand Canyon National Park. ACE crews work throughout the Southwest, so occasional projects in surrounding states such as southern Utah, southern Nevada, and southern California are likely. All participants must be flexible and willing to be assigned to a variety of locations and for multiple agencies. Project assignments vary in length from 2 weeks to 3 months so interns will experience a range of opportunities throughout their 6 month term. Compensation: Professional Development Interns are AmeriCorps members receiving a living allowance of $6,250 for 900 hours of work. Upon successful completion of the program, interns also receive an AmeriCorps education award of $2,675 to be used to pay tuition or student loans. Food is provided on project days. Interns are responsible for finding their own housing in Flagstaff and are encouraged to team up with the other 20 Professional Development participants to rent shared housing. Qualifications: Professional Development Interns must have an established interest in conservation issues and should take evident joy in tackling challenging situations with a positive mindset. Applicants must be willing to undertake arduous physical work in all types of weather and terrain, and to participate as a team member, dedicated to ACEs mission. Preference will be given to former and graduating ACE volunteers, graduated members of other conservation corps, and those with a history of committed engagement in similar volunteer and outdoors activities. ACEs Professional Development Program is meant as a stepping stone to environmental careers and as a gateway to potential advancement within ACE, not only as an interesting and rewarding way to spend 6 months working in beautiful locations. Drug users, including recreational smokers of marijuana, should not consider applying, as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and generally abhors the presence of drug users in our program. Age: 18 to 35 Training: Trainings include technical project and outdoor skills such as retaining wall construction, rock step construction, rock drilling, splitting and shaping, setting up rigging systems, tread and switchback construction, installing water bars, check dams and other erosion control devises, chainsaw certification, fence construction technique, GPS use, wildlife survey technique, and CPR/First Aid. Interns will also be certified in First Aid/CPR and will develop interpersonal and leadership skills while serving as mentors to ACE volunteers and as support for ACE and agency staff. Start Date: January 3, 2009 Application Deadline: November 30, 2009 Positions will be filled by December 7 with all applicants notified accordingly. To Apply: Please email a full resume with 2 references and a supporting letter detailing what you hope to achieve through participation in ACEs Professional Development Program to Chris Baker at [email protected]. Write PDC Intern ECOLOG-L referred in the subject line of your email.
