Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Build Up Professional Services Member – AmeriCorps

Nichols College; Dudley; On-site; USD 30,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Nichols College offers a unique internship opportunity as an AmeriCorps member with the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This position allows you to gain hands-on experience working alongside professional staff in various capacities related to engineering, planning, and project management while contributing to the conservation of cultural and natural resources. Ideal candidates possess strong communication and organizational skills, along with a commitment to community support.

Benefits

Living stipend of $600/week

Segal Education Award upon completion

Professional development opportunities

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen, national, or lawful permanent resident.
• Ages 18-30 (up to 35 with veteran status).
• Very strong skills in communication and organization required.

Responsibilities

• Support planning, design, construction, and management operations.
• Assist with data collection and project management.
• Provide advice on facility management and construction technologies.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Independence

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Recent degree in Engineering/Landscape Architect/Architect/Civil Engineering/Mechanical Engineering

Tools

MS Office

AutoCAD

Job description

Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Build Up Professional Services Member – AmeriCorps

Recruitment began on January 10, 2025

and the job listing Expires on July 10, 2025

Internship Exploring General Business & Beyond

Position Title: Great Smoky Mountains National Park – Build Up Professional Services Member – AmeriCorps

Site Location: Gatlinburg, TN

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: January/February 2025
• End Date: May/June 2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hours

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (STE) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our cultural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health.

The Great Smoky Mountain National Park Facilities and Management Division Professional Services Branch implements the park’s comprehensive development management plans, with a goal of improving visitor experience and protecting and restoring cultural and natural resources.

The individual selected for this opportunity will learn to work with an interdisciplinary team across different divisions to meet park goals while learning the roles and responsibilities of a Contracting Officer’s Representative. Duties will include working closely with Professional Services staff in the office and field sites. Learning opportunities include, daily park operations, project development, data collection.

Description of Duties:

• Supporting NPS staff by providing engineering, architectural, landscape architectural, or project management advice on planning, design, construction, expansion, rehabilitation and/or repurposing of existing and/or new structures.
• Assistance with planning, review, design, CADD, data collection, and construction management
• Assist the facility manager and professional staff by providing technical support on design issues, planning issues, construction technologies.
• Develop plans, specifications, and cost estimates

Minimum Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Ages 18-30 (Up to 35 with veteran status documentation)
• 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.
• Very strong communication skills (writing/editing)
• Very strong organizational skills
• Ability to work independently
• Possess a valid driver’s license
• Willingness to work in the field as work may require overseeing construction operations or hiking into project sites.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Recent degree or enrolled in Engineering/Landscape Architect/Architect/Civil Engineering/Mechanical Engineering Program with a 3.0 GPA minimum
• Proficiency in MS Office (word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Adobe
• Experience with AutoCAD

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. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday through Friday, 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.
• Involvement in dynamic team, get experience in and have impact on a national program in the National Park Service
• Exposure to many individuals in youth programs, historic preservation, and training world of National Park Service
• Ample professional and individual development opportunities to be determined by intern and supervisor
• $600/wk living stipend + $240/wk additional benefit (equivalent to $21/hr)
• Segal Education Award upon completion of required hours: $1,956.35
• Upon graduation, planning fellows who successfully complete their internship are eligible for non-competitive hiring into the NPS
• Travel to National Park Service sites available
• Networking across the National Park Service

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:

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 application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.