POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4480
Position Title: Education Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Mount Rainier National Park, Ashford, Washington
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 02/07/2027
End Date: 05/02/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 1,956.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 675.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
- Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck) (pre-tax)
- Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
- Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, June 14, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2026, whichever occurs first.
KEYWORDS: Education; interpretation; information; geologic and hydrologic resources; stewardship
PURPOSE
This Education Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The SIP will be integral in communicating and sharing the park's resources and significance with a variety of audiences and stakeholders including park visitors, local community groups, and students while encouraging safe recreational enjoyment of the area and inspiring stewardship of the resource. This participant is anticipated to connect directly with ~250 students during field trips and in-class presentations, ~100 public visitors during formal snowshoe programs, and more than 3,000 people during visitor services tasks in visitor centers, roving, and correspondence. Many of the public snowshoe programs introduce beginners to the joy of snowshoeing, encouraging lifelong safe winter recreation. Many of the education groups are from rural, underserved schools with limited resources for field trips and special speakers. These local community schools' students and families rely on water resources that stem from the glaciers and snowpack on the mountain that form the headwaters of their watersheds. This connection of glacier and snow 'in your backyard' is a powerful concept that will serve as the foundation of the SIP's educational programs, enhancing the real-world connections to students' sense of place and value in stewardship goals. Education programs will include current data collection and scientific analysis to strengthen their understanding of scientific processes, bringing classroom learning to life with hands-on activities.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The SIP participants will be assisting in providing general public visitor services and education with a focus on geological and hydrologic resources in Mount Rainier National Park. The park is uniquely situated to offer exceptional winter recreation opportunities and unparallelled connection to major geologic and hydrologic resources including the active volcano that is home to 28 named glaciers and year-round snowpack that is the headwaters for 5 major watersheds that supports 3 major ecosystems (forest, subalpine, and alpine). At visitor centers and during informal roving/patrols, the SIP will provide park orientation and safety messaging while inspiring stewardship of public lands. During programs and correspondence, the SIP will communicate in-depth information and educational connections in formal interpretive programming, curriculum-based education at in-park school fieldtrips, and in-classroom education sessions. The SIP member will be mentored/trained on park resources, visitor services activities, how to create and facilitate public and curriculum-based programs and informal experiences using hands-on and audience-centered techniques, and how to safely travel and live in the park's winter environment.
DELIVERABLES
deliverables will include at least one new independently created and conducted interpretive program or curriculum-based program that will be facilitated multiple times and be available in our program library for future use by team members. This program will focus on the hydrologic connections with the volcano's watersheds, using current scientific research and data from park resource specialists on precipitation, snowpack and melt-out, and other related factors. The SIP's programs will follow standard NPS and audience-centered protocol for engaging public and educational groups. Records and statistics of their field contacts and formal programming attendance will be compiled with the park's annual report to support additional future similar activities.
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 host site.
- The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 12 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• Upper-level college coursework in elementary or secondary education, parks and recreation, and/or natural or cultural resources and science. • Good public speaking skill and a desire to engage with varied public and school-aged children's audiences. • Demonstrated skill cooperating in a team with successful communication with team members. • A desire to live and recreate in a winter environment. • Proficiency with computers and basic office equipment. • Be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident. • Willingness to submit to a standard background investigation as per National Park Service regulations.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
After initial training, time will be spent preparing and presenting formal curriculum-based education programs, public interpretive programs, and other visitor services such as assisting at a visitor center (information desk), roving (informal interpretation), and coaching/mentoring sessions with experienced staff mentors. Participants will be part of a team of approximately 5-8 fulltime interpreters/educators, 10+ intermittent volunteers, and 30+ permanent employees from other divisions. Service is accomplished both indoors and outside in frequently cold and raining/snowing weather and involves standing for long periods of time, walking over rough and uneven terrain, and serving and living in close quarters with other team members. Project planning and program creation will occur in an office setting, and programs will be conducted in the field and in classrooms.
Service projects are conducted in the West district of the park including Longmire and Paradise as well as in local community schools outside of the park. Travel to various project sites is conducted using government vehicles during the service day.
The Longmire duty station and housing location is a quiet, remote area in Winter, with only ~15 other residents and a small park lodge and restaurant. Longmire in the southwestern portion of the park at 2700 feet elevation in old growth forests of Douglas fir, western red cedar, and western hemlock. There is no reliable cell service in Longmire, but Wi-Fi is available at park offices and a community building in the housing area. There is cell service in Paradise. The nearby community of Ashford is 30 minutes away and offers limited services including a few restaurants, general stores, and gas. More services including grocery stores, doctors, restaurants, and a library are available in Eatonville and Puyallup, 1-1.5 hours from Longmire.
Mount Rainier stands 14,410 feet and holds over one cubic mile of glacial ice and snow. The park contains 3 major ecosystems: forest, subalpine, and alpine. Over 200 miles of hiking trails circle the mountain and provide outstanding day hiking and backpacking opportunities late spring through early fall. Many miles of snowshoeing, skiing, and lower-elevation hiking abound November through April. Summer's subalpine meadows are blanketed in deep snow December through April.
HOUSING
Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.
Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. This includes a private or shared room in a house with a shared kitchen, bath, and laundry facilities. Housing will be located within the park at Longmire. Housing is furnished, but the participant will need to bring bedding, towels, and other household items. Participant will be provided with basic kitchen dining/cooking equipment.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
- A personal vehicle is recommended for this position.
OUR COMMITMENT
Stewards Individual Placements and Conservation Legacy are 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 Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact Us!”
TIME REQUIREMENTS
- This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary based on project needs. Lunch breaks and days off 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
- Member will receive pertinent project and site training from the host site throughout the term.
- Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
- Access to free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff.
EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of minimum AmeriCorps 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, monthly accomplishment tracking, a mid-term report, and a final report.
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 (5) 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 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/.
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 Scientists in Parks program will host the Education Assistant at Mount Rainier National Park.
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 Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact Us!”
