PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2026 Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.

Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador, White Sands National Park – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements Program

Site Location: White Sands National Park

19955 Hwy 70 W, Alamogordo, NM 88310

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 2/23/2026
• End Date: 2/5/2027
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour Slot

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities.

White Sands National Park is the largest and most visited National Park unit in New Mexico. In 2024, White Sands welcomed 702,236 visitors from the U.S. and points all around the globe. Great wave-like dunes of gypsum sand have engulfed 275 square miles of desert, creating the world's largest gypsum dunefield. White Sands National Park preserves a major portion of this unique dunefield, along with the plants and animals that live here. White Sands has a small but thriving volunteer program that has plenty of room to grow. In 2024, the volunteer program welcomed 22 volunteers that donated 2,557 hours to the interpretation and maintenance divisions.

By leveraging interests, skills and abilities of differing individuals and groups, the (CVA) Community Volunteer Ambassador of White Sands National Park will support both the park and its visitors. They will help the park build lasting relationships with the local community through outreach and establish partnerships with local stakeholders. The CVA will help the park build a robust local volunteer that will serve multiple divisions within the park. The CVA will also help conduct a comprehensive volunteer program needs assessment during their term. This assessment will help identify current gaps and opportunities, guiding the development of a strategic plan to strengthen and expand the Volunteers-In-Parks program. Additionally, the CVA will create a robust suite of planning documents and operational resources—including position descriptions, interview questionnaires, reference check templates, and training checklists. These materials will be organized into a centralized document database, providing a clear, user-friendly framework for supervisors and future volunteer coordinators to follow.

Description of Duties:

· Assist with processing volunteer paperwork.

· Assist with entering, analyzing, interpreting information in the Volunteer (VIP) Database Assist with communications to volunteers and paid staff.

· Assist with organization / planning / co-facilitation of VIP Recognition events.

· Help plan, develop, co-lead training opportunities for volunteers and supervisors.

· Help address volunteer and VIP supervisor questions and issues that arise.

· Maintain inventory / provision of uniforms, tools, program supplies.

· Assist supervisor with conducting a volunteer program needs assessment.

· Conduct outreach in the park's local communities of Alamogordo and Las Cruces to help build a local volunteer program.

· Network with organizations (places of worship, career centers, art hubs, special interest groups) to connect with people of differing perspectives and cultural, ethnic, religious, creative backgrounds.

· Work with Supervisor to develop a ‘vision plan’ based on ideas & feedback of Employees/Volunteers.

· Create and update a suite of planning documents and operational resources—including position descriptions, interview questionnaires, reference check templates, and training checklists.

Qualifications:

• Strong work ethic and commitment to excellence in all endeavors.
• Enjoy working independently as well as with others.
• Comfortable shifting between detail-driven administrative work and collaborative, creative visioning for special projects.
• Helpful personal qualities to possess for this position include: an outgoing nature, having an affinity for varied groups of people, excitement about both office & field projects, and commitment to detail.
• Eagerness to learn.
• Associate's degree.
• Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete a MVR check. Must be over 21 years old or have had license for at least 3 years to be insured in this position.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• 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
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Public speaking experience.

· Effective written and verbal communication skills.

· Experience engaging varied groups that are part of the general public.

· Confidence working with and analyzing numbers / statistics.

· Strong organizational and planning skills.

· Possess the ability to 'shift gears' as needed to successfully complete projects and meet changing deadlines.

· Be consistent and able to follow work projects through to completion.

· Skill and experience working in Microsoft Office Suite.

· Ability to enter, analyze and interpret data using Excel spreadsheets.

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve 40 hours per week, 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:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills
• Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development
• $750.00 in Professional Development Funds for travel and training

Additional Position and Community Information:

Schedule may include weekends and evenings.

Requires driver's license and personal vehicle.

NPS Host Site does not provide housing for CVA. Affordable housing is available in both Alamogordo (15-20 minutes from the park) and Las Cruces (45 minutes – 1 hour).

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $150.00 per week if housing is NOT provided by NPS host site at no cost to the participant.
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• 10 Federal Holidays, 13 days Personal Leave, 13 days Sick Leave

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.

How to Apply
Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.

The CVA position will start on Monday, February 23, 2026 and run for 50 weeks until Friday, February 5, 2027.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2026

Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.

Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with different populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in.

Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Final deadline is Friday, January 9, 2026.

For Application Questions:

Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org

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, 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.