Career Center

Summary: American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service, is seeking ONE Gardening Member to assist with garden maintenance and design alongside the Jimmy Carter NHP Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: January 2, 2023

End Date: December 29, 2023

*a 52-week minimum commitment is required *

Location: Jimmy Carter National Historic Park, Plains, GA

The Jimmy Carter National Historical Park preserves sites associated with James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. (born 1924), 39th president of the United States. These include his residence, boyhood farm, school, and the town railroad depot, which served as his campaign headquarters during the 1976 election. The building which used to be Plains High School (opened in 1921 and closed in 1979) serves as the park's museum and visitor center. Plains is a rural community in Southwest Georgia with full services available in Americus, GA (10 miles); Albany, GA (40 miles); and Columbus, GA (50 miles).

For more information about Jimmy Carter National Historic Park, please visit: https://www.nps.gov/jica/index.htm.

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. They will also have access to a $600 reimbursable travel allowance to aid in the costs of relocation and commuting to the duty station.

Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or NPS.

AmeriCorps: This position may be eligible for a 1700-hr AmeriCorps Education Award ($6,495.00) upon successful completion of service hours. Additional enrollment steps are required.

Scheduling: The ACE Member will work full-time, 40 hours a week, from Monday to Friday, ~7:00 am to 3:30pm.

Position Description:

The ACE Member will work with the park gardener to maintain designed landscape spaces at the park primarily in the Carter Home and Garden area, but will also assist at spaces located at the other Park locations which include Plains High School Visitor Center, Plains Depot, and The Boyhood Home.

Duties may include:

• Maintain designed landscape spaces such as Memorial Garden, Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail Gardens and other established gardens and flower beds within the Park.
• Support creation of additional butterfly garden at Plains Depot, and other gardens as needed.
• Additional Duties include Greenhouse Gardening, applying pine straw or mulch, pulling weeds, and applying chemicals under the supervision of NPS staff

This position is located in Plains, Georgia where the climate has hot, humid summers and in the winter can have cold days. There are insects, bees and wasp, and snakes that inhabit the area as well. The position requires mainly outdoor work dealing with the aforementioned conditions. During inclement weather, you will be provided indoor tasks.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility.

Qualifications:

Required

• Members must be US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks, including US Secret Service clearance to enter the Carter Compound
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.
• Additional Requirements: Selectee is required to get themself to and from duty station each day
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website here.

Preferred Skills:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a minimum of a high school diploma and/or have relevant experience in areas such as biology, gardening, landscaping, and construction.
• Laborer or maintenance experience
• Ability to multitask and shift schedule and priorities to meet changing conditions.
• Is comfortable working outside in varying weather conditions and at heights.
• Have a willingness to work hard and get dirty.
• Have the ability to think critically and creatively.
• Knowledge of plants, shrubs, flowers, trees and the diseases and insects that may affect them, and the proper treatment of such.
• Ability and willingness to maintain existing landscape, help design new landscape areas as needed, and work well with fellow employees.
• Deep interest in Horticulture

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/. Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC Recruitment and Outreach Manager, Victoria Yee at vyee@usaconservation.org.

EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.