POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4557
Position Title: Education Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Denali National Park and Preserve, Denali Park, Alaska
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 36 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 01/11/2027
End Date: 09/20/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 5,176.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 675.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
- Relocation Allowance: $ 1,100.00 (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: Outreach, Communication, Education, Media, Youth
PURPOSE
This Education Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The SIP will contribute to fulfilling science outreach objectives for Denali National Park and Preserve. Denali serves 600,000 in-person visitors and countless virtual visitors each year. The participant will help the Denali education, interpretation, media, and research teams share park science in engaging and digestable ways.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Denali National Park and Preserve seeks a Science Communication SIP to create inspiring, digestable, and interactive materials that engage visitors with current park science and stewardship messages. The candidate will also help instruct indoor and outdoor education programs for youth and assist with visitor center services. The ideal candidate is skilled at and passionate about engaging the public – particularly youth – with science and land stewardship, both in-person and virtually.
DELIVERABLES
The participant will complete one or more science communication projects and assist with instructing youth programs.
The projects for the position will be selected based on the aptitudes and interests of the selected candidate. Projects may include creating and updating exhibits, formatting science reports, developing Junior Ranger activities and materials, writing exciting content to be featured on Denali's website, documenting research and education events using photography and videography, sharing exciting science stories with the world through various platforms, and designing interactive elements for the MSLC exhibit area that will inspire visitors.
In the summer the SIP will co-instruct at least three multi-day outdoor experiential education camps or curriculum-based programs for youth. Programs that the participant will instruct in the winter include curriculum-based distance learning programs. The participant may also assist with frontline visitor services approximately one day per week.
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 36 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
1. Background in science communication, interpretation, education, journalism, or any related field.
2. Strong written communication skills.
3. Strong digital media skills.
4. Outdoor education and customer service experience.
5. Desire to make science relevant to park visitors of all ages and demographics, with emphasis on youth aged 5-20.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Denali National Park and Preserve protects over six million acres of remote subarctic wilderness in interior Alaska. The park is filled with extensive glaciers and braided rivers, miles of tundra plateaus, and countless glacial lakes and ponds, all capped by the magnificent 20,310’ Denali peak at the center of the Alaska Range. The park is a spectacular outdoor playground for anyone fond of hiking and exploring. While the setting is rural, there are hundreds of year-round and seasonal employees living locally with whom to socialize and recreate.
The position is based out of the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) adjacent to the Denali Visitor Center. The MSLC is a year-round facility with classrooms and administrative offices. During the summer, the building serves as an operations base for registration-based educational programs. During the winter, it is open to the public as the Winter Visitor Center. The participant's space will be a shared office. The participant’s supervisor is located in the same building. The participant will be a member of the MSLC education team, which includes year-round park and partner education staff and seasonal education staff.
HOUSING
Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.
Winter housing is in single- or double-occupancy cabins one mile from the MSLC. Cabins have kitchens outfitted with cooking equipment, but no running water. Showers/restrooms are communal.
In the summer, housing is located adjacent to the Murie Science and Learning Center (MSLC) and consists of small, condominium-style units. The participant will have a private room with a bunk bed, dorm size refrigerator, microwave, and either table or desk. Showers/restrooms are communal. An employee dining hall is located near the housing area and provides meals for purchase, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Tenants must provide any household goods - linens, blankets, towels, pillow, clock, cleaning supplies - they need to make their stay comfortable.
Some food and community services are available in Nenana Canyon outside the park entrance and in Healy (10 miles north of the park). Larger city services are located in Fairbanks (120 miles north of the park).
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
- A personal vehicle is not required 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 Denali National Park and Preserve.
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!”
