AmeriCorps Professional Development Internship

~ American Conservation Experience, a Non-Profit Conservation Corps based in Santa Cruz, CA, is currently hiring energetic, ambitious young adults to participate as AmeriCorps members in a two-month outdoor skills training program. ~

Participation prepares corp memners for careers in resource management with ACE, with other conservation corps, or with public agencies such as the National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Fish and Wildlife, or the Bureau of Land Management. 

Position Overview  

ACE is currently hiring corps members for an AmeriCorps fall term in 2014: 

• Start Date: August 9, 2014
• End Date: November 15, 2014 

A 450-hour, 14-week commitment is required. There may be opportunities available to continue with ACE after the 14-week period for the best crew members. 

Location: 

• Projects will take place at various locations throughout California. All participants must be flexible and willing to be assigned to a variety of locations and for multiple agencies, wherever community need is the highest.
• Project assignments vary in length from one week to two months so Members will experience a range of opportunities during their three-month term.  

Position Description & Responsibilities 

• AmeriCorps Professional Development Members will spend just over 3 months training on complex trail construction, forestry, and environmental restoration projects under the guidance of ACE's most highly skilled staff members. 

• The goal of the position is to accomplish meaningful project work for a variety of agencies while becoming proficient in advanced field techniques such as trail construction, ecological restoration, dry stone masonry, and chainsaw use.

• AmeriCorps Professional Development Members will also gain leadership skills while helping to supervise, train, and generally support ACE Conservation Volunteers who are rotated into long-term projects. All work is physically demanding, often requiring stints in the backcountry and/or extended stays in the field. This position requires hiking, backpacking, camping and cooking outdoors while at front country and wilderness spike camps.

Qualifications   

• Professional Development Members should have an established interest in conservation issues and should take joy in tackling challenging situations with a positive mindset.
• Applicants must be willing to undertake arduous physical work in all types of weather and terrain, and to participate as a team member dedicated to ACE's mission.
• ACE's Professional Development Program is meant as a stepping stone to environmental careers and as a gateway to potential advancement within ACE, not only as an interesting and rewarding way to spend three months working in beautiful locations.
• Drug users, including users of marijuana, should not consider applying as ACE reserves the right to require drug testing and absolutely abhors the presence of drug users in our program. 

Other Requirements: 

• Program is available to US Citizens and Green Card holders only.
• You must be 18-25 years old.
• Members must have personal medical insurance for the duration of their participation with ACE. 
• ACE will provide tents to all Members (upon request) but all other camping items such as sturdy boots, sleeping bags, backpacks, and raingear must be provided by the applicant.
• Due to fire hazard conditions in ACE, smoking is not permitted in many sensitive field worksites. 

Training

• Trainings may include a variety of technical project and outdoor skills such as retaining wall construction, rock step construction, rock drilling, splitting and shaping, setting up rigging systems, tread and switchback construction, installing water bars, check dams and other erosion control devices, chainsaw training, GPS use. 
• Certifiable training such as CPR/First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, and Leave No Trace Training, may be included, dependent on project scheduling, available classes, and training staff. 
• Practical work and environmental training abound, we encourage the growth of our short-term corps members to continue and develop to eventually be present for future certifications that become available with an extended commitment.

Compensation: Upon successful completion of the program, members receive an AmeriCorps/EAP education award of up to $1,400 to be used to pay tuition or student loans. Food is provided on project days, and housing (volunteer housing, tents, primitive facilities) is included both on and off projects.   

To Apply

Please use the email address below to send your resume, cover letter, and 3 professional references to Marcel Coppolino. Type "August 450 AmeriCorps Professional Development Internship" in the subject heading of your email.

Or, click here and select "CALIFORNIA" as your preferred location, select AUGUST as your desired start date. We will email you next steps in the application process ASAP.

Check out our website and our Facebook page for more details about ACE! 

Positions open until filled, but are in high demand. Apply now!