Position Title: GIS NHL Cultural Resources Steward – AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Intermountain Regional Office, Denver, CO 80225 (Teleservice eligible within commuting distance to Lakewood, CO)
Application Due: July 3, 2026
Terms of Service:
- Start Date: 10/05/2026
- End Date: 01/22/2027
- AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450-Hour Slot
Purpose:
Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career internship opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the NPS GIS office is hosting a cohort of GIS stewards.
The NPS’s Heritage Partnerships Program (HPP) administers several cultural resource programs including one that supports National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The HPP team is seeking to hire a GIS Steward with a cultural resources GIS background to assist with two tasks: 1) plotting in GIS newly designated NHLs within the region and 2) reviewing older NHL nominations and existing GIS data for the region’s NHLs to ensure accuracy of existing data and find solutions to address inaccuracies. Previous NPS projects generated GIS spatial data for many of the region’s 265 NHLs, but additional work is required to ensure NHL boundaries are accurately plotted in ArcGIS. In addition to working with the HPP team, the project will likely include coordination with regional NPS GIS staff and park cultural resource specialists, providing an excellent opportunity to gain unique experience in a federal agency while helping to preserve cultural resources using advanced technologies.
By the end of this position the incumbent can expect to have increased proficiency in using ArcGIS Online and Portal.
Description of Duties:
The GIS Steward will work with HPP to review and make progress toward updating GIS data for National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) using standardized NPS geodatabases. The project may include:
- creation of spatial data from gray literature (reports, paper maps)
- modernization of legacy data sets (old shapefiles)
- serving existing NPS authoritative datasets
- improving and providing tools and applications for data editing
- migrating NHL spatial data to ArcGIS Pro and Portal, and
- updating technical documents.
The Steward will review, edit, update, and create point and polygon data for regional NHL locations and boundaries to help identify and address data discrepancies or errors. Using NHL nominations and other resources, the Steward will create GIS polygons in accordance with national data standards, prepare to share updated boundary data with NPS cultural resource GIS experts, and create static regional NHL maps. The Steward may make recommendations to HPP staff regarding best management practices for the collection of new cultural resource NHL data which could be used to inform supplemental mapping guidance for NHLs. Projects will be completed using ESRI ArcGIS (and/or QGIS) software providing the Steward with training in NPS GIS data management practices and the opportunity to learn how high-quality data contributes to management decisions.
Requirements:
- United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
- Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.
- 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
Entry to mid-level GIS skills and knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS (and/or QGIS) software and applications are required, whether gained through coursework or applied experience (Steward will most often work with ArcGIS Pro, NPS Portal, and ArcGIS Online). Applicants should have strong data management skills, including working with geodatabases and producing well-designed cartographic products (static maps, web-based mapping applications, etc.).
Applicants who have obtained or are pursuing a GIS degree or certificate and/or with GIS experience are preferred. Prior to starting this position, a federal government security background clearance will be required.
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.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35
- Living Allowance of $600 per week.
- Additional Benefit of $360 per week.
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: Skylar Bauer, Skylar_Bauer@nps.gov
Program Contact information: James Gasaway, 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.