Job Listing
🔗Traditional Trades Advancement Program Landscape Stewardship Corps – Internship FORT DONELSON NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD (Dover, TN)
Website American Conservation Experience
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities, seeks young adults interested in exploring the Traditional Trades in partnership with the National Park Service. Learn and advance your horticulture and landscape management skills to become the next leaders in managing historic landscapes in our National Parks! For more information the American Conservation Experience please visit: www.usaconservation.org
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities, seeks young adults interested in exploring the Traditional Trades in partnership with the National Park Service. Learn and advance your horticulture and landscape management skills to become the next leaders in managing historic landscapes in our National Parks! For more information the American Conservation Experience please visit: www.usaconservation.org
The Traditional Trades Advancement Program-Landscape Stewardship Corps intern will work alongside a professional team at Fort Donelson National Battlefield to care for historic landscapes in Dover, TN, learning about plant and cultural landscape management. No background or experience is necessary. A 26-week commitment is required.
By assisting with cultural landscape preservation projects, participants directly improve the physical conditions of nationally significant park landscapes enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year. Participants gain practical, hands-on experience and the foundation for a career in historic cultural landscape preservation. Learning the fundamentals of landscape preservation and receiving on-the-job training in one or more traditional landscape trades such as horticulture, arboriculture, urban forestry, and more. The program is committed to providing all aspiring preservationists—especially those underrepresented in these fields—with a unique opportunity to work on important real-world projects while building professional experience in America’s national parks.
For more information about the National Park Service’s Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP) – Landscape Stewardship Corps please visit: Landscape Stewardship Corps – Historic Preservation Training Center (U.S. National Park Service)
LOCATION: Spanning both south-central Kentucky and north-central Tennessee, Fort Donelson National Battlefield preserves the final resting place of thousands of United States veterans and the beautiful rolling hills of the Cumberland River valley where General Grant and his troops created a pathway to Union victory during the Civil War. The Fort Donelson battlefield and national cemetery are in the rural community of Dover, Tennessee which is on the Cumberland River and offers many outdoor recreation opportunities. The nearest major city is Nashville, 1.5 hours away. Clarksville, Tennessee, (pop. +/- 167,000) is about 40 minutes away. A personal vehicle is recommended for regular commute to the site.
For more information about Fort Donelson National Battlefield, please visit the NPS website.
POSITION OVERVIEW: As part of the team, you will play a vital role in historic preservation and landscape improvement projects, working closely with dedicated NPS staff to help preserve this important site for future generations. The National Park Service staff at Fort Donelson National Battlefield is dedicated to best practices in cultural landscape management in their care of the battlefield’s trees, plantings, and monuments that honor the thousands of veterans who are buried in its hallowed ground.
40 hours a week, Monday – Friday, 7:00 am – 3:30 pm
Using power and hand tools.
General tree care
Turf management
Mulching, mowing, weeding, pruning
Other tasks as needed
BENEFITS:
A weekly stipend of $720, dispersed bi-weekly.
$1,000 in professional development funds for training, networking, and/or conferences.
Professional mentorship learning about turf management, arboriculture, and historic preservation.
Hands-on experience in maintaining sustainable landscapes, including plant care and identification, tree pruning, and much more.
All expenses paid trip to a week-long professional development event with other Landscape Stewardship Corps interns from NPS sites across the country.
Career readiness and professional networking opportunities.
Public Land Corps Hiring Authority certification that can help secure a permanent federal job within the Department of the Interior. Learn more about the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority.
POSITION REQUIREMENTS: TTAP-Landscape Stewardship Corps requires candidates to:
Learn and work as part of a team in positive and productive ways
Strictly adhere to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification, and safety protocols
Have a strong interest in history, horticulture and/or the environment and working outdoors.
Participate in NPS’s Landscape Stewardship Corps’ week-long in-person training.
Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident
Be 18-30 years old at time of service (veterans up to 35 years old)
Have a High School Diploma/GED
Pass fingerprint-based FBI, state criminal, and a national sex offender check
Be able to provide proof of a driver’s license and complete an MVR check
Local candidates are encouraged to apply, but being local is not required
To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.
WORK ENVIRONMENT: Caring for historic cultural landscapes in National Parks will require working outdoors for extended periods of time in possibly rough terrain, or in periods of heat or cold. Insects may bite and wildlife is not always predictable. Certain landscape tools require manual dexterity, and interns should be able to lift to 50 pounds. National Parks are public spaces and positive visitor interaction is expected.
Benefits
All NCPE interns received an hourly stipend, the rate is listed at each position description. Additionally, interns receive paid time off (PTO), paid Federal holidays if working full-time, and access to NCPE's Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for career and personal counseling, coaching, and referrals. Project sites may also offer a housing allowance and/or commuting stipend; this information is also listed in the description or offered during the interview.
Eligible NCPE interns who successfully complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. To be eligible to earn a PLC certificate, an intern must be 30 years old or younger (or 35 if a veteran). Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Successful completion of a NCPE internship does not guarantee Federal employment. Contact manager@preservenet.org for more details.
Eligibility
To be eligible, applicants must be
*at least 18 years old;
*no older than 30 years of age (or 35 years if a Veteran) when beginning the internship; applicants who are 31 or older (or 36 or older if a Veteran) are not eligible;
*currently enrolled in a degree-seeking academic program at the college level (or recently graduated within the past 12 months)
*be a U.S. Citizen or permanent resident.
Interns are not allowed to work more than 1200 hours total in the program; previous interns must stay within this overall limit. The length of an internship can vary from 10 to 30 weeks if full-time (40 hours per week) or longer if on a part-time schedule. If selected, the exact starting date will be determined by you and the NPS supervisor. The stipend rate is $17.00 per hour unless otherwise listed.
The successful candidate is responsible for finding and paying for travel to and housing at the internship location; some exceptions apply. The supervising office may be able to assist in locating housing but it is ultimately up to the individual accepting the internship to find accommodation.
The National Council requires all interns working in-person at Federal facilities and/or with Federal employees receive the Covid-19 vaccination. Please be advised that you may also be required to wear a mask, depending on the protocols adopted by your work site. Also be aware that, due to Government-wide security requirements, a background check will be required if you are selected for a position. This will include providing information about recent housing and employment history. The position supervisor will have more information about these requirements and procedures at the time of hiring. You may direct any questions to NCPE's Internship Program Director, Julee Johnson, at manager@preservenet.org.
Please note that interns are not NCPE or NPS employees. Stipends are academic awards and taxes are not withheld, nor are social security contributions made on your behalf. These funds may be taxable, however, so consult a tax preparation professional if you have questions.
How to Apply
You may review NCPE's internship opportunities anytime without registering. Use the search function to find listings by location, keyword, or area of interest/category. Once you identify one or more positions of interest, there is a 3-step application process.
Step 1: Click on the Apply for Job button, then select Universal Application. Click on Register to create a User Account, which requires a username and email. A link will be sent to you from manager@preservenet.org to create a password. We suggest that you add this email to your safe senders list so you don't miss receiving this important link. You will be instructed to Log In to Preservenet using your username or email and password, which will take you back to the Universal Application.
Step 2: The Universal Application is required to apply for all NCPE internships. You fill out this form only once. In addition to contact information, educational status, work history, and experience, it requires two attachments: (1) the 2 most recent years of academic transcripts. These may be unofficial transcripts if official versions are unavailable. A PDF is preferred, labeled Your Your Last Name_Your First Name_Transcript. (2) a resume or CV (curriculum vitae). Please limit to a maximum of 4 pages; 2 pages are preferred. A PDF is preferred but jpg, png, doc, or docx file types are accepted. Label Your Last Name_Your First Name_Resume. This form may be saved as a draft and completed later. Use the link provided to return to the form.
Step 3: Once you submit the Universal Application, you may browse and apply for NCPE internships using the link provided. Complete the application process by clicking on the Apply for job button found at each internship listing and upload the required Essay. Use the essay to explain why you are applying for an internship, including how your interest areas will benefit the National Park Service (NPS) and how the internship will further your studies and career goals. Be as specific as possible; there is a 400-word maximum length. Submit the essay to finish the application for that position. You may apply for a maximum of 6 internships during an application round; there is no limit at other times of the year. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP!
Logging in with a Registered User Account and completing the Universal Application is required to apply for NCPE Internships. Please visit the Universal Application page to register for an account and complete the form. After logging in and completing the form, refreshing this listing will display the Job Application to apply online.