Mesa Verde National Park Interpretive Ranger Intern - Individual Placement

Position Title:  Interpretive Ranger Intern – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

Site Location: Mesa Verde National Park

        1 Mesa Verde National, Mesa Verde National Park, CO 81330

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 05/10/2025
• End Date: 08/16/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hours

Purpose:

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps Mission

Our vision is to lead our Nations back to ecological and cultural well-being by engaging underrepresented Indigenous youth and young adults in conservation service programs that reconnect participants to the land, their cultural heritage, and their traditions. We work to remove barriers to participation, education, and employment by partnering with local community organizations, agencies, and institutes of higher learning to create paid service and career training opportunities, personal and professional development, and pathways to postsecondary education and employment. Native American applicants are encouraged to apply.

National Park Service Mission

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations.

Description of Duties:

This internship is designed for members of one of Mesa Verde’s associated Pueblos and Tribes who are interested in sharing and interpreting the Indigenous history and archeology of Mesa Verde National Park. In this position, you will work in ancestral sites and cliff dwellings like Cliff Palace, Balcony House, and Square Tower House. You will hike trails, climb ladders, lead tours, and provide formal and informal interpretation to the visiting public. Interns will work alongside park rangers to provide front line visitor services including staffing the visitor center desk, answering visitors’ questions, politely enforcing rules designed to protect sites, and assisting in emergencies. Interns will also pursue job shadowing and career development activities along with projects to promote the inclusion of Indigenous perspectives in the interpretation of Mesa Verde National Park.

The interpretive ranger internship is perfect for recent high school graduates and college students looking to gain experience working with the National Park Service in public land management, interpretation, and education.

Essential functions and responsibilities:

• • Location: Mesa Verde National Park, located in southwest Colorado, with elevations ranging from 6,000 to 8,500 feet above sea level. The Park receives up to 4,000 visitors each day from diverse nationalities, ages, educational backgrounds, etc.
  • Physical Demands: Duties require extensive walking, standing, climbing steep inclines, and hiking undeveloped trails. Most trails include hiking along cliff edges, descending and ascending 100 ft. or more into canyons, and climbing ladders. One ladder is 32-ft tall; however, most are 10-20 ft. tall. Strenuous physical exertion may be required during medical assists.
  • Potential Discomforts: Work is performed outdoors, under a variety of conditions that include temperature/weather extremes. Summers can be very hot, sunny, dry, and dusty, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Early spring and fall conditions can be cold, windy, and may be snowy.
  • This is a frontline position that will include frequent visitor contact with repetitive questions.
  • Interns must be physically able to climb wooden ladders up to 32 feet in height, crawl through tunnels, and negotiate uneven steps and trails and steep drop-offs.

Interns must comply with all DOI and park-specific guidance regarding Covid-19 safety procedures.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• 18 years of age or older
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Must be able to stand and walk for extensive periods, and in some cases, over rough surfaces or inclines carrying backpacks, tools, rescue equipment, etc.
• Must be able to climb ladders, including ladders up to 32-feet tall.
• Must be able to work full days outside in high or low temperatures, or adverse weather conditions.
• Must be comfortable and proficient speaking to large groups of people.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be comfortable driving steep and windy roads.
• Must be available to work evenings, weekends, holidays, shift work.
• Participate in occasional offsite in person/virtual meetings, trainings, and presentations.

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $120 per week.
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Ancestral Lands Individual Placements Program Coordinator, Teiyanknei Chee tchee@conservationlegacy.org

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

Salary : $120 - $600