Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Visitor Use Management Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Buffalo National River, Harrison, Arkansas

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 05/05/2025

End Date: 09/22/2025

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.00 upon successful completion of position.
  • Living Allowance of $565.00 per week.
  • Relocation Allowance of $400.00 distributed as a one-time lump sum.
  • Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly).
    • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly).

APPLICATION TIMELINE

The position will close after receiving 75 applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, 19 January, 2025, whichever occurs first. The review of applications will begin after Sunday, 19 January, 2025.

PURPOSE

This Visitor Use Management Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will generate information to inform the ongoing River Management Planning (RMP) process and will serve as part of the basis for decisions affecting future management of the park. This position ties directly to the National Park Service/Buffalo National River mission “to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.' by contributing to our understanding of how visitors use the park, potential negative impacts to natural and cultural resources and how to prevent or minimize them. The SIP's work will assist park managers in making informed, data-driven decisions about visitor use, capacity, and infrastructure in the park based on sound science. The member will be able to work with and learn from the regional programs that are also part of the RMP planning process.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Buffalo National River is searching for a well-rounded individual who is interested in being part of an interdisciplinary team of natural resource professionals working to solve real-world visitor use, river access and management issues. The primary duties of the Social Scientist Member will be working with natural resource and administrative staff to gather, clean, process, analyze, compile, and summarize visitor use data of different types. Existing data sources to be processed include 1) concessioner rental and shuttle data, 2) traffic counter data, 3) camera trap data, 4) campground reservation and fee data, and 5) cell phone location data. Of particular interest is determining accurate visitation numbers and discerning between the number of private river users compared to those using commercial services to access the river. If existing data sources cannot be used to discern desired visitor use patterns, the incumbent may design and collect additional data to address this information need.


KEYWORDS: Visitor Capacity Analysis, Visitor Numbers, River Management Plan, Strategic Planning, Social Science

DELIVERABLES

The SIP would complete a number of deliverables; however, the primary would be a report summarizing available visitor use data over time from 2000-2024 as a minimum and additional data as available. Additional deliverables include cleaned and properly filed data, spatial data products that demonstrate areas of high or low concentration of visitor use by season, illustrative graphics, and associated analysis summary including methods and R code as applicable. Member will gain an understanding of the NPS mission and visitor use management. Member will create and deliver a presentation to park management team and Denver Service Center's RMP planning team summarizing position accomplishments and project results. The member would have opportunities to engage in other relevant natural resource working groups as desired, including various natural resources, water quality monitoring, and compliance teams.


QUALIFICATIONS

  • United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
  • Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of 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.
  • Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the NPS site location.
  • The applicant must be available to participate for 20 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The best qualified applicants will have or be pursuing an undergraduate or graduate degree in the areas such as environmental science or policy, social science, or statistics. Data management and analysis skills are desirable, including proficiency in Excel, GIS, and R. The ability to work both independently and as part of a team is a must. The individual selected for this position should possess the physical ability to hike in relatively steep terrain over long distances. Strong oral and written communication skills are also desired. Prior to starting this position, a government security background clearance will be required.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

This position is primarily office-based. The member will be provided a desk and computer in a shared natural resource office space. There may be limited opportunities for field work. Footwear appropriate for hiking should be worn while in the field. Natural Environment: The river is flanked by multi-colored bluffs of eroded sandstone, limestone and dolomite that tower in some places to heights over 400 feet. The karst geology of the region is reflected in a landscape marked by numerous caves, cliffs, sinkholes, waterfalls, springs, and rock formations. A wide variety of plant and animal species are supported by the diversity of habitats found along the river, influenced by varied elevations, soil types, moisture levels and exposure. A diverse range of cultural resources and historic sites are protected within the national river, including prehistoric village and shelter sites, historic farmsteads, mining sites, and Civilian Conservation Corps structures. Park headquarters is located in Harrison (Boone County), Arkansas. Park visitation has averaged more than 1 million visitors over the past several years. Along with water-based activities, the park offers more than 100 miles of hiking trails.


VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
  • A personal vehicle is REQUIRED for this position.

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. Park housing will be available in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house with shared kitchen in Jasper, Arkansas. Other options may be available upon request. The member will share a furnished single-family home with seasonal park staff members and/or other members but will have access to their own private lockable bedroom. The kitchen, bathroom, and living room will be shared between house occupants. The member will need to bring kitchen, bathroom, and bed linens. Some dishes and utensils will be available, but the member may wish to bring additional kitchen items. Limited groceries and amenities are available in Jasper, and more selections and services are available 30 minutes’ drive away in Harrison, Arkansas. Park headquarters is approximately a 30-minute (17 miles) drive from park housing.


HOW TO APPLY

Apply online, all Scientists in Parks positions are listed at: https://conservation-legacy.breezy.hr/. Complete the application for this position, highlighting why you are interested in the position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. Be prepared to upload your resume and unofficial transcript as part of completing the application questionnaire.

Once you begin applying for a position, the application must be completed in one sitting. You cannot save and return later to complete it. Applicants can apply for up to five Scientists in Parks positions per season. You need to complete a separate application for each position in order to be considered. You should receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting an application. Sometimes institutional email filters/settings can redirect or block emails related to the application. We recommend watching spam, junk, and promotional email folders in case your email service delivers messages there. Please visit How to Apply for additional resources and information about applying (i.e., learn what materials to have ready for applying, find a worksheet that previews application questions, etc.). Learn more about Scientists in Parks at: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/.


ADDITIONAL DETAILS


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

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.


TIME REQUIREMENTS

  • This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary.
  • Lunch breaks will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.
  • Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

ORIENTATION AND TRAINING

  • Orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
  • Pertinent training from the NPS site location throughout the term of service.
  • Access to free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff or the Ecological Society of America.
  • Opportunity to join one (or more) SIP Affinity Groups. Groups include: DEIJ Change Makers, Women+ in Science, BIPOC, or Pride in STEM.
  • Opportunity to present the outcomes from the SIP position at national scientific meetings held by the Ecological Society of America and Geological Society of America.

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.


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. Stewards in partnership with the Buffalo National River will host a Visitor Use Management Assistant.


Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements.


If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact us!”

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