TITLE: GRAND CANYON TRAILS INTERN
START/END DATE: June 7, 2021 - October 8, 2021
LIVING STIPEND: $500/week
TERM: 675-hour AmeriCorps Service Term, full-time, temporary
LOCATION: Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, AZ.
BENEFITS: AmeriCorps Education Award
JOB DESCRIPTION: This position will work with the AZCC Grand Canyon crew and participate in project planning and crew support for AZCC crews at the Grand Canyon National Park.
The Trails Intern ‘s primary responsibilities are assisting with the management and implementation of projects in the field. Trails Intern will help ensure AZCC programming, policies, and procedures are implemented effectively in the field by cooperating with NPS staff, Crew Leaders and AZCC Program staff. The primary focus for this position is supporting crews and projects based out of the Flagstaff office working at the Grand Canyon National Park. Both office and field work are required in this position, with frequent and prolonged trips to the field. The ability to work a flexible schedule is critical.
This work will provide the intern the opportunity to gain hands on experience in providing young adults and/or veterans with structured, safe and challenging work and educational opportunities through projects that promote personal growth, the development of life skills, and an ethic of natural resource stewardship.
The Trails Intern will start two week before the AZCC crews hitch sessions begin. Training and orientation will be provided during the first week of the field season. The position will start in June 2021 for 18 weeks through November 2021. Crews typically work a hitch schedule, which consists of eight days on project with six days off. During the “hitch” crews work together during the day, eat and camp together in the evening and learn together throughout. The Trails Intern will occasionally break away from the crew for any necessary office work or to scope out the next project.
PRIMARY DUTIES FOR THE TRAILS INTERN POSITION INCLUDE: FIELD SUPPORT • Works with crew during scheduled hitches at designated project areas within the Grand Canyon National Park. • Provides trail expertise during training and hitch schedule. • Assists with the development of Corpsmember and Crew Leader trails skills • Maintains a staff presence in the field, including frequent overnight stays. • Ensures crews are operating safely and effectively • Lends project management expertise to projects • Conducts in-the-field assessments, ensures data collected follows NPS and AZCC protocols and standards. • Supports and performs complex dry stone masonry projects meeting Grand Canyon National Park trail standards
PROJECT SUPPORT • Works with NPS staff to determine and develop project expectations and specifications.
• Communicates work plans to AZCC Program Staff, ensuring that the crews are prepared and knowledgeable of projects prior to implementation. • Actively engages in quality control and risk management through all phases of project planning, implementation, and evaluation. • Helps ensure collection of reliable qualitative and quantitative data on the project • Scouts projects prior to crews’ work to generate project specifications, provide photos and scouting reports to AZCC Program staff, and determine logistical needs • Communicates work plans to Crew Leaders, ensuring they are prepared for projects in advance • Communicates progress and any concerns or issues to AZCC and NPS staff.
PARTICIPANT ESSENTIAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your particular position.
PARTICIPATION AND EXPEDITION BEHAVIOR • Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences. • Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason. • Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training and national service. Members must commit to participating in all crew/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable. • Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues and organization staff. • Have the cognitive ability to learn necessary skills and apply them to effectively carry out the service work requirements • Appropriately represent the Program and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all times.
SAFETY AND JUDGMENT • Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. You must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds. • Effectively perceive, understand and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard. • Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions • Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by others.
• Respond appropriately to stress or crises. • If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others.
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS • Learn and practice ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate) • Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries. • Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several weeks. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and/or trying weather. The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps more than 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.
SUBSTANCE FREE • In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.
Required Skills
Required Qualifications: • Leadership experience with youth or young adults. • Be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record. • All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. • Excellent organization and communication skills. • Practices appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned. • Physically fit and able to work long days (10-12 hour days) in all types of weather including adverse conditions. • Willing to camp overnight outdoors in wilderness areas near work sites for short or extended periods of time. • High School diploma or GED certificate. • Must have a clean driving record to operate AZCC vehicles.
PREFERRED/HIGHLY DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: • Previous work experience overseeing and managing a crew • Previous work experience in trail construction and maintenance • Undergraduate degree, coursework, and experience in plant biology, plant taxonomy, the use of regional floras in identifying plant species, and field botany courses • Ability to learn and apply new skills in environmental conservation, restoration, and outdoor living • Experience teaching outdoor experiential and/or environmental education, and facilitation and team-building in diverse groups of people. • Previous employment experience with Conservation Corps or Youth Corps. • Self-motivated, energetic and tenacious – you understand the value of hard work in the outdoors and are driven to excellence in conservation
Required Experience
Required Qualifications: • Leadership experience with youth or young adults. • Be at least 21 years old with a clean driving record. • All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. • Excellent organization and communication skills. • Practices appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned. • Physically fit and able to work long days (10-12 hour days) in all types of weather including adverse conditions. • Willing to camp overnight outdoors in wilderness areas near work sites for short or extended periods of time. • High School diploma or GED certificate. • Must have a clean driving record to operate AZCC vehicles.
PREFERRED/HIGHLY DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: • Previous work experience overseeing and managing a crew • Previous work experience in trail construction and maintenance • Undergraduate degree, coursework, and experience in plant biology, plant taxonomy, the use of regional floras in identifying plant species, and field botany courses • Ability to learn and apply new skills in environmental conservation, restoration, and outdoor living • Experience teaching outdoor experiential and/or environmental education, and facilitation and team-building in diverse groups of people. • Previous employment experience with Conservation Corps or Youth Corps. • Self-motivated, energetic and tenacious – you understand the value of hard work in the outdoors and are driven to excellence in conservation