Job Listing
🔗Cultural Resources Inventory Intern – 640 hours
Website National Park Service/NCPE Internship Program
Vicksburg National Military Park (VICK) was established in 1899 by the War Department to commemorate the 1862-1863 campaign, siege, and defense of Vicksburg during the Civil War and to preserve the history of the battles and operations of the siege and defense on the ground where they were fought and carried out. In 1933, the Park was transferred to the National Park Service. The Park and National Cemetery encompass more than 1,800 acres. Above-ground cultural resources include more than 1,340 monuments, two pre-Civil War buildings, other historic park and cemetery buildings, the U.S.S. Cairo gunboat and museum, sixteen miles of historic tour road and historic bridges, a single reconstructed Union tunnel, Civil War cannon, and numerous original and reconstructed earthen fortifications and trenches. As of 1990, the Park contained 37 major stone monuments including State memorials and 628 iron and bronze markers.
The primary task of this internship will be to take the lead in adding to and updating the Cultural Resources Inventory System for historic buildings, structures, and objects (CRIS-HS) that exist within the Park. The CRIS-HS is the baseline inventory system for the National Park Service’s cultural resource information. At VICK and all National Parks, it represents an essential data set for evaluating the condition of each of the historically significant cultural resources, establishing assessment criteria, and justifying rehabilitation and restoration priorities, as well as aiding with long-term preservation and public accountability concerning the perpetual care of these assets. CRIS-HS can be added to and revised from anywhere in the world on behalf of individual national parks and includes more than 26,000 historic buildings, structures, and objects in total.
For the first 160 hours (4 weeks) of this internship, the selected candidate will be based at the Park in park-provided housing in Vicksburg, MS. The intern will need to be proficient at inventorying and photo-documenting historic buildings, structures, and objects, some of which may be partially obscured by vegetation, be able to identify and gather critical information from primary archival documents and historical photographs, etc., from the Park’s archives and curation facilities as well as from other regional archives, libraries, and museums.
For the subsequent 480 hours (3 months) of remote work, the selected intern must have reliable, secure, high-speed internet access, and be able to enter data efficiently and accurately into the CRIS-HS and attend regularly scheduled meetings remotely with supervisory staff at VICK. The intern’s work is essential, as the Park has fallen behind in updating and adding to this critically important inventory.
This position is part of the Internship Program administered by the National Council for Preservation Education (NCPE). The program is a partnership between the National Park Service and NCPE. The successful applicants must be 30 years of age or younger (or 35 years or younger if a Veteran) when they begin the internship. Other eligibility requirements apply; visit https://preservenet.org/ncpe-internships/ for details and instructions on how to apply.
Qualified NCPE interns who complete their internships may count their position towards earning a Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-Competitive Hiring Authority certificate. Once earned, the PLC hiring authority certificate may be used to apply for eligible Federal temporary, term, or permanent positions. Visit the website listed above for details about this benefit. Successful completion of the internship does not guarantee Federal employment.
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!
Once the deadline for submission has passed, NPS supervisors will review the applications and may contact candidates for a phone interview. Candidates who are not selected will be notified. Please allow about 4 weeks after the deadline before inquiring about the status of your application.
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.