Job Listing
🔗Cockayne Farmstead – Preserve WV AmeriCorps
Website Preservation Alliance of West Virginia
Preserve history and serve with AmeriCorps! The Preservation Alliance of West Virginia is the state's leading grassroots nonprofit dedicated to historic preservation. The Alliance administers the Preserve WV AmeriCorps program, which helps main streets thrive and preserves local history.
This is a 6-month AmeriCorps opportunity with a chance to renew for a one-year full-time term upon completion of a successful term. The ideal agreement period will be March – November 2026, with the one year renewal occurring in November 2026.
Do you love history and sharing this passion with people of all ages and backgrounds?
Step back in time with the Cockayne Farmstead, a 19th century historic property managed by the Marshall County Historical Society – a grassroots organization charged with preserving historic buildings and a vast collection of over 3500 19th and early 20th century artifacts. Join their team as the AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator where you can make a positive impact on the local community by providing, expanding, and developing programming.
The historic Cockayne Farmstead is a unique historic site unlike any other in Marshall County, West Virginia. The Farmstead consists of an historic, National Register listed farmhouse built ca. 1850, a prehistoric earthen mound, and a large collection of 19th Century family artifacts and documents spanning the Cockayne family’s residence from 1850-2001. The 1850 farmhouse has been described as “frozen in time,” with the last major renovation occurring around the turn of the 20th century. The exterior house has been restored, but the interior has been preserved in place.
The Heritage Coordinator will serve at the Cockayne Farmstead about 30-35 hours per week. Generally, service will occur Monday through Friday between the hours of 9 am – 5 pm. Occasional evening and weekend service hours will be required due to special events. The main duties of the AmeriCorps Heritage Coordinator will include:
- Help to expand, provide, and develop digital content
- Conduct outreach to local schools
- Provide tours to visitors
- Recruit and manage volunteers
- Engage the public through innovative programming and outreach to increase public awareness and use of the historic resources
- Promote the Farmstead as heritage tourism venues via social media, other communications, and at events/fairs/festivals
- Light conservation and assist with museums collection management
- Assist with planning a group project to rehabilitate deteriorated windows in the historic farmhouse
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.