Position Title: Science Communication Assistant
Number of positions available: 1
Primary natural resource discipline: Social Sciences
Position keywords: Park Planning, Visitor Use Management, Socioeconomics, Visitor Services Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Can this position be fully remote: Yes COVID-19 NOTICE As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to change and evolve, project timelines and structure remain flexible and it may be necessary to postpone start dates, begin work remotely, or reformulate the project’s description. Should any development in the COVID-19 outbreak impair a project’s timeline or results, the SIP Team will work with the park and project mentors to assess the situation and determine the best course of action at that time.

POSITION DESCRIPTION AND WORK PRODUCTS

Position Description: The Denver Service Center Planning Division works to collaboratively advance the stewardship of resources and visitor experiences by providing servicewide planning expertise and products for parks and programs. The intern will work as a project specialist with the Visitor Use Management and Socioeconomic Team within the Planning Division. This position helps park staff, in collaboration with the public, to develop short and long-term strategies providing for and managing visitor use. Visitor Use Management is about encouraging access, enhancing experiences, and helping the public make meaningful connections to NPS units, while also protecting resources and values that draw people to these places. Providing for and managing visitor use is always dynamic and evolving. This is a particularly dynamic time associated with the pandemic. Given the current needs of the planning division, the workload during the internship will be focused on park projects related to visitor use management, social science, and socioeconomics. The intern will work collaboratively with the team on a special project for planning implementation evaluation to understand implementation of completed plans with a strong Visitor Use Management component. The intern will research and evaluate previous projects to make recommendations for incorporation into future projects. In addition, the intern will assemble and analyze technical information to support planning and compliance processes, including applying the knowledge of applicable research. The intern will also participate in all phases of the planning process for a variety of park projects; serve as a project specialist on interdisciplinary project teams; write sections of planning and compliance documents; possibly participate in internal, public, and stakeholder meetings and workshops; and gain professional contacts and relationships within the field of planning.
The intern will support a wide variety of park planning projects with a focus on Visitor Use Management and Socioeconomics. The intern will gain knowledge and experience in writing and editing planning documents that parks will use for future management. The work on the special project for implementation evaluation could also be applied to other aspects of the Planning Division to incorporate findings and recommendations into other projects. The work performed by the intern will help lead the way for future planning efforts. 1

This position is offered through the National Park Service’s Scientists in Parks (SIP) Program in partnership with Stewards Individual Placement Program (Stewards) and The Geological Society of America (GSA).
Work Products: The intern will develop a survey with targeted questions to understand successes and challenges parks have had during the implementation phase of Visitor Use Management plans. They will collect responses from parks and analyze the results for the teamto use to inform future planning efforts. The effort will focus on how plans in park units directly influenced implementation of Visitor Use Management strategies and actions. There will be opportunities for these deliverables to be reviewed and discussed with interdisciplinary teams as they are developed. In addition, the intern will also have the opportunity to participate on interdisciplinary project teams to write and edit planning and compliance documents.

QUALIFICATIONS
Seeking a graduate level student with background in the field of social science. The focus of the research and deliverables is around visitor use management planning and socioeconomics. The ideal candidate is highly motivated, a good analyst, writer, communicator, and enjoys working in a highly collaborative team environment. The candidate should have an interest in pursuing a career with a federal land management agency focusing on resource preservation, planning and management, or park operations. Computer skills and comfort with virtual meetings will contribute to success of the intern.

The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident (“green-card-holder”) between the ages of 18 and 30 years old, inclusive, or veterans up to age 35. Prior to starting this position, a government security background clearance will be required.

VEHICLE AND DRIVER LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
Applicant will not need to drive a government vehicle.
A personal vehicle is NOT required for this position.
If the SIP is required to drive a park vehicle for their position, Stewards will perform a driving records search, and the SIP’s ability to drive a park vehicle during work hours will be contingent upon the results. SIPs will have to have had their license for 3 years or be over the age of 21 to be insured as drivers under Stewards insurance policy. Examples of things that will preclude a SIP from driving a park vehicle include: SIP under the age of 21 years old that has been licensed less than three years, DUIs, multiple moving vehicle violations, suspended or revoked license, or three or more accidents (regardless of fault) in the last 3 years. If the driver’s search is favorable, Stewards will provide driver’s liability insurance while the intern is driving a NPS vehicle for their SIP position. If the SIP is denied coverage by Stewards, they will not be permitted to drive during work hours.

HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The intern may be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area. This internship may take place virtually or in person, depending on the office policy by the time of the internship commencement. If the internship occurs in person, housing opportunities exist within walking distance of the Lakewood office. Alternatively, housing opportunities exist throughout the Denver metro area with commute times around 20 minutes by car and 50 minutes by public transit. Short term rentals range between $600 and $800 per month.

NATURAL AND PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT Physical/Natural Environment: This internship may take place virtually or in person, depending on the office policy by the time of the internship commencement. If the internship occurs virtually, the intern may be located anywhere within the United States and would be working in Mountain Time. If the internship occurs in person, the intern would be required to report to the office in Lakewood, Colorado during working hours. Occasional work trips to parks may occur as well, involving site visits which take place outside in varying conditions. Local Area Details: Lakewood Colorado is a suburb on the western edge of the Denver metro area up against the foothills and mountains of the Front Range. Both Lakewood and Denver metro are directly adjacent to the foothills, open space, and associated recreation opportunities including hiking, mountain biking, watersports, and walking paths. There are several housing and shopping amenities in close proximity. INTERNSHIP DATES Start

Date: 10/3/2021 Number of Weeks: 20 Flexible Start Date: Yes LIVING

ALLOWANCE 20 Weeks ($525/week = $10,500)

RELOCATION ALLOWANCE
$350 (Mainland Only) AMERICORPS PROGRAM AmeriCorps is a program that engages individuals in intensive community service work with the goal of “helping others and meeting critical needs in the community”. The SIP Program is supported through AmeriCorps by providing a Segal Education Award in addition to the SIP’s living stipend and relocation allowance.
Upon successful completion of the SIP position, the SIPs (AmeriCorps members) are eligible for a $1,678 – $6,345 pre-tax education award that can be used for paying back student loans or for continuing their education. The amount of the education award is based on the length of the position.
AmeriCorps limits the number of terms an individual can serve to 4 terms. If an applicant has previously completed 4 SIP or other AmeriCorps positions, they will not be eligible to apply for an additional SIP position.

SUPERVISORS/MENTORS Primary:
Kerri Cahill
Branch Chief kerri_cahill@nps.gov

Secondary:
Maureen Finnerty
Project Specialist maureen_finnerty@nps.gov