NPS Historic Preservation Training Center - Historic Stewards Masonry Intern

Position Title: NPS Historic Preservation Training Center - Historic Stewards Masonry Intern

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Frederick, MD

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 3/3/2025
• Duration: 26 Weeks

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (STE) provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants work with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health.

This opportunity is brought in partnership with the NPS Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) which is dedicated to the safe preservation and maintenance of national parks or partner facilities by demonstrating outstanding leadership, delivering quality preservation services, and developing educational courses that fulfill the competency requirements of service employees in the career fields of Historic Preservation Skills, Risk Management, Maintenance, and Planning, Design, and Construction.

HPTC utilizes historic preservation projects as the main vehicle for teaching preservation philosophy and building crafts, technology, and project management skills. Our experiential learning approach emphasizes flexibility in addressing the unknown conditions encountered during the project and ensures that the goals of preservation are met.

Historic structures and features in our national parks are constantly in need of thoughtful and careful preservation, repair, and maintenance.  By assisting and working alongside HPTC on these preservation projects the Intern will directly improve the physical conditions of a nationally significant park space that is accessed and enjoyed by thousands of visitors a year.

The participant will benefit by gaining training in preservation masonry skills, learning basic safety standards in a variety of work environments, and being introduced to general preservation principals and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.  The outcome of each AmeriCorps Member’s efforts will be the improvement of a variety of historic structures and making them more enjoyable and accessible to the public.

The Stewards will be assigned to ongoing masonry projects with the Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC) preservation work crews.  Stewards will be encouraged and required to be a participating member of the working team.   Work tasks will be determined on a project by project basis and assigned by the project leader.  Assignments will be determined and assigned respective of the skill level and ability of each individual steward.                              

The participant will be exposed to a wide variety of preservation maintenance and trade tasks through job shadowing, on the job training, work experience, and formal training sessions. All work will include use of historic tools and techniques as well as modern instruments, equipment, and materials to complete a robust and active work schedule.

The Masonry Team takes extra steps to blend repairs with existing stone, concrete, or brick. The process includes analyzing the mortar, locating appropriate sand for the mortar, and finding similar replacement units. Projects can include: brick and stone repointing, monument repairs, bronze cleaning and repair, drystone walls, coastal fortifications. Tasks for participant include but are not limited to: assisting in mixing and pouring masonry cement, sand, and water in the construction of simple forms and for laying bricks, cinder blocks, or flagstone; patching and repairing historic buildings, walls and sites built of stone, mortar, and stucco; selecting and using tools such as trowels, rakes, brushes, tuck pointers, hammers, chisels, etc.

Each project undertaken by HPTC directly benefits the Historic Built Environment of Cultural Sites of which many are on listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Each project will provide an opportunity to directly impact the availability of these resources for future generations and directly fulfills the mission of the National Park Service. 

Description of Duties

• Clean and remove vegetation
• Rake and repoint joints
• Assist with replacement of deteriorated brick or stone
• Assist with the repair or replacement of cap stones
• Restore deteriorating masonry 
• Operate a pressure washer to clean surfaces
• Apply biological cleaner with a hand sprayer
• Use a hammer and chisel to remove mortar
• Mix materials to match historic mortar
• Point joints that were removed
• Cut and shape brick and stone

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Must be 18-30 years of age, maximum 35 for Veterans with DD-214
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school 
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Prior experience in trades or construction is preferred, but not required. 
• Open to current students and recent grads of historic preservation programs, previous TTAP members, and other applicants with background education or experience in historic trades
• Ability to commit to a 26-week experience of combined training and hands-on work
• Flexibility to work outside of traditional hours may be required
• Climb ladders, work from scaffolding or platforms, work on uneven or angled surfaces such as a roof, and/or be able to work in confined spaces.
• Ability to stoop, bend, kneel, climb and walk in all manners of environmental conditions such as rain, mud, and extreme heat or cold.
• Interest in traditional trades or historic preservation 
• Driver’s License & personal transportation will be required to report to job site
• Willingness to learn preservation skills and safety protocols. 
• Operate as a good team member within work crew and follow daily direction. 
• Follow HPTC's project agreement and safety plan. 
• Be respectful of all members or crew and supervisor staff

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 full time 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary depending on project details. 

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on a variety of preservation techniques.
• OSHA 10
• Opportunity to travel to different National Park Service sites.
• Opportunity to learn trade secrets from master craftsmen

Benefits:

• Pay Rate of $20/hr
• Overtime Eligible 
• Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Eligibility - must meet 640 hours of service 
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible

Evaluation and Reporting:

As a Stewards intern, performance will be evaluated on whether 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:

Kevin Record

Stewards Program Coordinator

681.666.3621

krecord@conservationlegacy.org

www.stewardslegacy.org

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. 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.

Salary : $20