Placements will work 5 days a week, 8 hours a day normally 9:00 am – 5:30 pm. exact days of work will be determined once season starts and will likely include weekends. The visitor center is staffed seven days a week with two or three staff members at the site each day performing the following duties: providing information about the Bighorn National Forest and surrounding area, engaging the public and providing interpretation of the geology, paleontology, flora and fauna, and other displays set up in the visitor center, as well as other things found on the forest or in the area. Interpretation is usually initiated by the public's interests and questions. Maintenance of facility includes cleaning restrooms (multiple times daily), mopping, sweeping or vacuuming of floors and walkways, grounds keeping, emptying of trash cans. Placements will have an individual project relating to interpretation of the site. The best part of the position is talking with and answering questions from visitors that come from around the world that are on their way to Yellowstone National Park which is just a couple of hours away. Being a people person is a must. The site can get fairly busy during peak vacation season. If interested and the placement is doing a great job for us we try to get them out occasionally to help with other recreation related activities like trail maintenance and construction, interpretation at the sacred Native American site the Medicine Wheel, campground maintenance etc. Interns may also be able to go out with other Forest Service specialists like wildlife biologists, archaeologists or range specialists if they desire and the opportunity arises. Although the work occurs primarily in the visitor center building, we may not have air conditioning during the 2020 season. The afternoons in July and August can get up to the low 90's F.
Compensation
– $250/week* Living Allowance
– $1,100* To/From Travel Allowance, paid once with first paycheck
– USFS bunkhouse Housing provided on-site
– Eligible for AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,718, received upon successful completion of position
– Eligible for the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority upon successful completion of position (640hrs minimum of service)
*All Allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes
AmeriCorps Background Check
It is SCA's policy that all AmeriCorps-required background checks must return cleared results prior to the position's start; this includes being fingerprinted for the FBI check. Otherwise, the AmeriCorps award will be removed, or the position's start date will be delayed due to non-compliance.
*For SCA's COVID-19 guidance, please refer to www.thesca.org/covid
Position ID: PO-00734313
Expected Dates: May 15, 2023 - September 3, 2023
Training Provided: Intern will attend Forest orientation that includes; First Aid/CPR, defensive driving, ethics and conduct, and Forest information. Will learn about the geology, paleontology, archaeology, flora, and fauna of the Bighorns.
Educational/Recreational Opportunities: Assist in developing new interpretive materials, providing interpretation, possible opportunities to work with other Forest specialists, May work at the Medicine Wheel which is a national historic landmak. Many other opportunities are in the area.
Handicap Accessible?: Yes
Main Area of Focus: Visitor Services and Site Operations
Further Details
AmeriCorps Eligible: Eligible
Driving Logistics: Recommended
No other transportation is available to reach shopping facilities from housing location. Distances are too far to walk. Interns arriving without a vehicle are responsible for finding their own transportation.
Housing or Stipend Provided?
A. Partner will provide suitable housing for the member
Forest Service compound with housing is approximately 6.5 miles from the site. Transportation is provided to and from the site for work. Housing is usually in a co -ed bunkhouse or cabin and may or may not have a roomate, shared living areas-kitchens and bathrooms. Cellular reception is not available at the living quarters or at the work site. WiFi will be available, but access will be limited to low-data-use activities such as checking email, websites, weather, etc. No streaming or download services will be allowed. The living quarters are at the Shell Ranger Station, located at the head of Shell Canyon. Occasionally trailers are provided for housing. Approximately 33 miles to the small town of Greybull, 66 miles to Lovell, or 66 miles to Sheridan for services. Cookware and utensils are provided. Inters need to bring all personal items: toiletries, bedding/sleeping bag, etc.. Intern must have personal vehicle to go shopping and to get around for personal use as it may be difficult otherwise.
The living quarters are surrounded by the scenic Bighorn Mountains and vast tracts of Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Parks Service, and State of Wyoming public lands, with many opportunities for hiking, fishing, camping, rockhounding, mountain biking, and even rock climbing in Ten Sleep Canyon (requires a ~2 hour drive). Yellowstone National Park is approximately 3 hours to the west, and the Black Hills are approximately 4 hours to the east.
Indoor/Outdoor: Combination
US Citizenship: No