Position Title: Mesa Verde National Park - Traditional Trades Advancement Program Individual Placement – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

Site Location: Mesa Verde National Park – NPS

1 Mesa Verde National, Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 7/7/2025
• End Date: 1/5/2026
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hours

Purpose:

The National Park Service (NPS) and Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) are seeking individuals to participate in the Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) at Mesa Verde National Park. These AmeriCorps position(s) will receive introductory training in preservation masonry, and earthen mortar usage, and will develop an understanding of historic resource stewardship while helping to preserve our nation’s historic resources. This AmeriCorps program provides participants with marketable skills and excellent exposure to the historic preservation career field within the NPS as well as the private sector.

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) Mission

It is the mission of the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps to lead our nations back to cultural and ecological well-being. The Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps is specifically designed to engage Native American youth and young adults.

National Park Service Mission:

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Description of Duties:

This internship position will work with archeologists and preservation masons on the Stabilization Crew to preserve Ancestral Pueblo sites in Mesa Verde National Park. This location is in Southwest Colorado. The park entrance is 10 miles from Cortez, Colorado, and 8 Miles from Mancos, Colorado. Mesa Verde NP shares its southern boundary with the Ute Mountain Ute Reservation. The duty station and housing are 20 miles (45-minute drive) into the park from the entrance. The position works 10-hour days for four days a week (Monday through Thursday). Dormitory style housing is available with a private bedroom and a shared kitchen, living area, bathrooms, and free laundry facilities.

Ancestral Pueblo stone structures in Mesa Verde date from around 600 CE to 1300 CE and include cliff dwellings and mesa top communities. The exceptional cultural and historical significance of Mesa Verde and the landscape’s continual connections with descendent communities was recognized when it was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978.

Essential functions and responsibilities:

Masonry focused projects requiring dry stone masonry, wet stone masonry, stone shaping, re-pointing, preparing amended and earthen mortar mixes. Major preservation projects this year include:

1) Opening Maintained Archeological Sites for the Season: This project will re-open sites for visitors on Chapin Mesa, including Far View Sites, Megalithic House, Mesa Top Loop sheltered sites, Cliff Palace, Balcony House, Square Tower House; and sites on Wetherill Mesa, including the Badger House Community Sites. Opening sites for the visitor season involves assessing sites to make sure they are safe for park visitors, weeding and removing overgrown brush, sweeping, assessing the sites for damage such as potential rock falls and damage from burrowing rodents, and opening the hurricane shutters on sheltered sites.

2) Stabilization and Preservation of Step House Cliff Dwelling: This project will repair and stabilize Step House, a cliff dwelling on Wetherill Mesa that was occupied from the early 600s CE to the 1200s. Step House alcove contains 6 known basket maker pit structures. In addition, the northern end of the alcove contains masonry pueblos with 27 rooms and 3 kivas. The project will address basic fabric repairs to site architecture.

3) Stabilization and Preservation of Long House Cliff Dwelling: This project will repair and stabilize Long House, a heavily visited Ancestral Pueblo site in Mesa Verde National Park. Long House is the second largest cliff dwelling at MVNP and includes approximately 150 rooms, 21 kivas, and a large ceremonial plaza. Long House is considered to have dually served as a large habitation and a gathering place for the surrounding community. The project directly addresses the preservation of this site and will treat 23+ masonry structures with activities to include pointing of eroded mortar joints, resetting of loose and displaced stone, replacement of deteriorated stone, the stabilization of trail material, and the mitigation of rock fall hazards in public areas.

Qualifications:

• Willingness to learn and work as part of a team
• Ability to follow oral and written instructions
• Positive Attitude
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check Must be 17-30 years of age, maximum 35 for Veterans with DD-214
• Driver's License with a clean driving record within the last 3 years
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award

Physical Requirements:

• Moderate to heavy physical effort is required for this position, including, lifting, or handling of objects over 50 lbs. using proper techniques.
• Ability to stand or kneel for long periods, climb ladders up to 20 feet tall, possible work from scaffolding or platforms, work on uneven or angled surfaces, and/or be able to work in small, confined spaces.
• Ability to work outdoors, 10-hour days in heat and sun. Temperatures can reach up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Ability to hike rough, uneven terrain

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Thursday, 10-hour days, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Professional development opportunities through National Park Service site.
• Opportunity to travel to Historic Preservation Training Center in Frederick, MD or Grand Tetons, WY
• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive an orientation on Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps Individual Placement Program – responsibilities and requirements of the program.
• Member will receive training with the National Park Service (NPS) – Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) on basic fundamental principles of Historic Preservation.
• Member will receive training on Defensive Driving via Conservation Legacy.

Benefits:

· Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50

· Living Allowance of $600 per week.

· Additional Benefit of $120 per week.

· Paid Professional Development Opportunities.

· Healthcare Coverage if Eligible

· Loan forbearance if Eligible

· Interest Payments if Eligible

· Eligible for the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Teiyanknei Chee – ALCC IP Program Coordinator | tchee@conservationlegacy.org

Chris McAllister – Acting Stabilization Manager, MEVE NP | christine_mcallister@nps.gov

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.