PLEASE NOTE: All applications must be submitted through this link - https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2027

Position Title: Community Volunteer Ambassador – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Glacier National Park

242 Mather Dr., West Glacier, MT 59936

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 2/22/2027
• End Date: 2/4/2028
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hours (50 Weeks)

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career 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. 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.

Established by Congress on May 11, 1910, Glacier National Park was the 10th national park created and protects 1,600 square miles of the scenic northern Rocky Mountains in western Montana. The park displays 26 active, named glaciers, rugged peaks and crystalline turquoise lakes, and other remnants of extensive glaciation. Surrounded by wilderness, bordered by Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP) in Canada and two forks of the Flathead Wild and Scenic River, Glacier is part of one of the largest, most intact ecosystems in North America—the Crown of the Continent. Together with WLNP it is the world’s first international peace park (1932), a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1995), and a UNESCO biosphere reserve (1976). Glacier is also recognized by the International Dark Sky Association as an International Dark Sky Park (2017). Most of the park is also recommended wilderness.

Today, the park attracts up to 3 million or more visitors a year from all over the world. Boundless opportunities exist to experience solitude and truly dark night skies in the backcountry of Glacier. Approximately 746 miles of horse and foot trails interweave almost all sections of the park and allow visitors opportunities to experience the many facets of Glacier.

Glacier depends on dedicated volunteers to perform duties and complete projects that we simply could not do without them. Every year we have over 650 volunteers annually donate over 46,000 hours. From overseeing campgrounds to caring for native plants to patrolling over 700 miles of trails, our volunteers help protect our valuable resources and help visitors learn about, and safely enjoy, the many aspects of Glacier. The Volunteer Program office supports long-term volunteer programs parkwide, as well as individual volunteers that step up for immediate park needs. During the summer season, Volunteer Office staff, with support from the CVA, also host service groups from Montana and across the country to provide short-term volunteer opportunities to these visiting groups. The Volunteer Office also oversees the Artist-in-Residence program, coordinating with park staff and partners to host two month-long artist residencies in the park. Glacier seeks opportunities to create collaboration with our neighboring tribal nations and a particular focus for the CVA will be on tribal engagement and assisting with community events on the Blackfeet and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribal lands.

The CVA will be involved in all aspects of managing Glacier’s volunteer program, with an emphasis on completing an audit of volunteer trainings that are offered at Glacier with the intention of ensuring trainings are high quality and easily used by volunteers. The CVA will assist the Volunteer Program Coordinator in completing a volunteer needs assessment that will help to guide growth in Glacier’s volunteer program and with standardizing volunteer background checks across the park. Another large focus will be on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help to support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by other staff overseeing specific programs such as our Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteer Programs. They will be regularly engaging youths and seniors in their volunteer and education program duties. They will assist with community outreach efforts, such as the two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events. More information can be found on our website: https://www.nps.gov/glac/getinvolved/volunteer.htm

Glacier's CVA position will also assist with the park’s curriculum-based education programming. During the school year, when there are not many volunteer groups to assist with, the CVA will spend some of their time serving with the education team to connect with students from across the country, both virtually and in person. This includes leading field trips, conducting classroom visits, presenting distance learning programs, and participating in community outreach. Students are generally K-8 and follow program objectives listed at https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/education/rangerguided.htm

Description of Duties:

This unique CVA position will be directly involved in helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program that supports over 650 volunteers annually, as well as assisting with the park’s curriculum-based education program.

Responsibilities:

• Glacier’s CVA will arrive in February and split their time between the volunteer and education programs through the winter and into spring, focusing on volunteer office projects, administrative projects to get ready for a busy summer season, and training to gain knowledge of volunteer management.
• The CVA will receive training on how to serve with students and shadow curriculum-based education programs and then will start leading programs.
  • These programs include leading K-12 students on snowshoe hikes focused on winterecology, as well as presenting distance learning programs to students nationwide using green screen and video technology.
• At the end of April, and throughout May, education programs are normally conducted on trails in the Apgar area. The spring programs focus on habitats, animal adaptations, senses, and phenology. The CVA will receive training on spring education programming and shadow education staff to gain skills needed to lead their own programs, which will also be directly helpful in preparing for leading summer youth service groups with the volunteer office.
• All programming and service the CVA will be engaged with involves safety protocols. Programs will continually be evaluated and adjusted for staff and participant safety.
• Major projects the CVA will support during their entire term include completing an audit of volunteer trainings that are offered at Glacier with the intention of ensuring trainings are high quality and easily used by volunteers. The CVA will also identify where there are gaps in volunteer training and assist the Volunteer Program Coordinator in bridging those gaps
• The CVA will assist the Volunteer Program Coordinator in completing a volunteer needs assessment that will help to guide growth in Glacier’s volunteer program and with standardizing volunteer background checks across the park.
• Starting in late May, the CVA will transition to full-time service with all aspects of the volunteer program. The CVA will have a large emphasis on helping facilitate both our adult and youth service groups. They will help coordinate specific weeks of our MCC crews, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and other youth and adult service groups. This involves serving collaboratively with all divisions, arranging for camping reservations, scheduling service projects, and communicating with the group leaders to ensure the group has a great visit. They will give a park orientation to each group they coordinate, as well as identifying other educational opportunities for these groups where possible.
• The CVA will also help support individual adult and youth volunteers that are directly supervised by staff overseeing Citizen Science, Camp Hosts, Wilderness Patrol and Apgar Visitor Center Volunteers, and other volunteer Programs. This will include assisting with volunteer paperwork, uniforms, tracking volunteer hours, website management, other administrative duties and preparing and facilitating volunteer events such as appreciation potlucks and orientations. They will be the lead/co-lead for community outreach events such as the two annual GNP Adopt-a-Highway clean-up events.

Qualifications:

• We are looking for a reliable, resourceful, and flexible person with an outgoing personality, who likes serving with youth, to join our team.
• The candidate must be comfortable speaking in front of groups, have strong and effective organization skills for managing complex details and projects, have sound judgement and adhere to safety policies.
• They will also need to be comfortable hiking and leading groups in a wilderness setting with grizzly bears, mountain lions, and other wild animals. As this is a developmental position, the CVA will not be doing this on their own until they are comfortable doing so. They will also receive bear training, and other skills to serve outside safely in the park. Much of the park has limited cell service.
• Many of the groups the CVA will sev\rve with are students and youth, so some experience working with this population is needed. This might include a day care center, after school program, youth camps, volunteer work at a school, babysitting, or similar experience.
• This CVA must have a high level of familiarity with using MS office products to track data and create reports. Knowledge of Excel is also helpful to track volunteer hours and numbers.
• Patience with people and technology and a willingness to learn are critical to this position.
• The CVA will also be required to be able to obtain first aid/CPR certification (provided after they arrive).
• Because of the remoteness of this area and the lack of public transportation the CVA must have a valid driver’s license and a personal car to get groceries, etc. Road conditions can be hazardous, and we can have winter driving conditions most months at high elevation. Driving a government vehicle on narrow, steep mountainous roads during service hours will be needed for this position.
• 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 veterans, 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

• To thrive in this environment the CVA will need to be able to serve independently, maintain professionalism in a high paced environment and stay highly organized while overseeing multiple projects.
• We are looking for someone with experience facilitating events or managing groups. Ideally this person might have been involved in service projects in their communities and are handy with painting, construction, and other project related skills.
• Involvement in their school in a leadership position where they show they have been comfortable speaking in front of groups is also valuable experience for this position.
• Since the position involves some service with the park’s education team, experience teaching or working with students would be beneficial.
• In addition, it would be fabulous for this person to have experience with Facebook and other social media platforms, as well as with website management, but these are not required, as we will provide training in these areas.

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 Vanessa Morrison at vmorrison@conservationlegacy.org

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 schools.
• Year-long Continuum of Learning supporting participant professional development.
• $750.00 in Professional Development Funds for travel and training.

Additional Position and Community Information:

Glacier’s CVA position is unique in that this person will be directly involved helping to manage all facets of Glacier National Park’s volunteer program, as well as helping deliver curriculum-based education programs for local school groups.

Winter work with the education staff will help tie the CVA in with the smaller winter community and similarly aged peers at the park right after they arrive.

This CVA will be on a maxi-flex schedule, to accommodate the need to occasionally work evenings and weekends.

Because of the remoteness of this area and the lack of public transportation the CVA must have a valid driver’s license and a personal car to get groceries, etc. Road conditions can be hazardous, and we can have winter driving conditions most months at high elevation. Driving a government vehicle on narrow, steep mountainous roads during work time will be needed for this position.

Although Glacier is surrounded by rural communities, it is only 20 minutes to Columbia Falls, and two large grocery stores, and about an hour at most to Kalispell, with a Costco and other large box stores.

Shared Park housing will be provided and is within walking distance of the Volunteer and Education office where the CVA will be working. Housing will be mostly furnished, with all the major furniture and appliances, including bed, refrigerator and stove. Staff need to bring their own kitchen supplies and bedding. There is no air-conditioning in any park housing. Staff must provide their own a/c unit if they wish. Most staff open their windows at night to let in cold air and then close their windows during the day to keep their houses cool. In Montana it gets cold enough at night, even in the summer, that this is an effective way to cool houses and keep them cool during the day. In park housing there is a Goodwill garage, where employees may leave any pots, pans, etc. that they don’t need for others to use. Many interns and seasonal employees use this resource. These homes are all maintained following park safety office standards, with up-to-date fire extinguishers, Carbon Monoxide detectors, etc. This housing also affords the CVA access to the park community, including laundry facilities, the park library, archives, and Wi-Fi at the visitor center and community building. The CVA may choose to pay to have their own Wi-Fi installed at their house, the cost of which is generally about $50 per month depending on the carrier and if one is sharing the Wi-Fi with housemates.

They are also in the hub of our park staff residential area, within walking distance to West Glacier and easy access to park functions and other people to recreate and socialize with. Brown Bag lunch presentations happen throughout the summer in the community building near both housing and the office. Often there are also pick-up soccer games, potlucks and other social events organized by staff living in the headquarters area where the CVA will live.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00
• Living Allowance of $700.00 per week.
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• 10 Federal Holidays, 10 Days Personal Leave, 10 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.

Program Contact Information:

Please contact James Gasaway at the contact information below with any questions.

Stewards 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 manage