Community Volunteer Ambassador, Joshua Tree National Park - AmeriCorps

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2025-fall-co Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references. 

Position Title:  Community Volunteer Ambassador, Joshua Tree National Park - AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements 

Site Location: 74485 National Park Drive, Twentynine Palms, CA 92252 

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by June 13, 2025 

Terms of Service: 

Start Date: September 8, 2025 

End Date: August 7, 2026 

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour 

Purpose: 

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. The Community Volunteer Ambassador (CVA) Program combines the strength of a national leader in conservation service with the National Park Service to train emerging leaders to assist park units in building lasting connections to communities. 

Joshua Tree National Park was established to protect its diversity of plants and animals, as a National Monument in 1936 and then as a National Park in 1994. The park’s 800,000+ acres protect natural resources brought together by the junction of three environments: the Colorado Desert, Mojave Desert, and Little San Bernardino Mountains. The Colorado Desert is characterized by stands of spike-like ocotillo plants, cholla cactus, expansive sandy washes, and diverse bird species. The southern boundary of the Mojave Desert, reaching across the northern part of the park, is the habitat of the park’s namesake Joshua tree and features striking monzogranite rock formations, rugged canyons, and prime desert tortoise habitat. The Little San Bernardino Mountains are in the westernmost part of the park, above4,000 feet elevation, and provide habitat for a community of California juniper, pinyon pine, and desert tortoise. Humans have occupied this area for at least 5,000 years. The area’s traditionally associated communities include the Cahuilla, the Chemehuevi, the Mojave, and the Serrano. 

The park’s volunteers help protect these resources and support our visitors. Our program includes 

volunteers who support operations in the interpretation, maintenance, resources, and protection divisions. The program reports about 24,000 hours annually. We have approximately 150 position-based volunteers, 15 recurring volunteer positions, and about 200 event volunteers. 

The CVA will be an integral part of the robust volunteer program at Joshua Tree National Park! The goal of this position is to increase the park’s capacity for volunteers through meaningful service. The CVA’s work will support parkwide volunteer program management, volunteer engagement, community outreach, and especially volunteer group service projects. 

This position is highly collaborative and diverse. The CVA will work at the office with their supervisor and project managers, in the field with volunteers, and in the community. The CVA will work closely with many park programs including vegetation management, trail maintenance, and campground operations. They will have cross-training opportunities with other park roles, especially in the summer. 

Description of Duties: 

Develop and lead volunteer service projects including invasive plant treatment, basic trail maintenance, litter removal, and roadside brushing 

Facilitate placement of groups requesting service projects and lead or co-lead those projects when available 

Perform targeted community outreach to residents of the Coachella Valley and Morongo Basin to increase the park’s positive impact on our neighbors and facilitate park stewardship 

Assist with management of individual volunteer positions, 

Plan and lead programs to support outreach and volunteer service during special events, including National Volunteer Week, National Trails Day, Martin Luther King Jr. National Day of Service, Cesar Chavez Day of Service, and National Public Lands Day 

Provide administrative support to the volunteer program, including creating effective spreadsheets, filing paperwork, managing volunteer data, reporting program statistics, managing the volunteer program email inbox, and managing a volunteer.gov administrative account to access and manage applications and agreements 

Special projects including developing the monthly volunteer newsletter, creating volunteer trainings, and developing the volunteer group orientation materials 

Work with project leads to identify park needs that can be met by volunteers and help develop those programs 

Lead volunteer policy orientations for volunteers and park staff 

Manage the volunteer uniform cache, including identification badges 

Create new and bolster existing community partnerships through community outreach including at local events and local institutions 

Facilitate volunteer recognition and engagement, including annual volunteer appreciation picnic in February, National Volunteer Week activities in April, and hours-based recognition program throughout the year 

Respond to inquiries from the public, requests from current volunteers, and volunteer supervisor needs 

Collect and enter volunteer data including service agreements, timesheets, and inquiries 

Orient and onboard new volunteers 

Create written resources for volunteers and volunteer supervisors 

Work with supervisor to ensure programs are culturally relevant, developmentally appropriate, grounded in equity and empathy, and consistent with National Park Service values 

Wear CVA uniform when working with volunteers, performing community outreach, or in other circumstances in which the CVA is representing the park in a public setting 

Manage government-furnished equipment in accordance with federal standards, including laptop and Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card 

Support overall volunteer program operations 

Qualifications: 

Availability to work Fridays, Saturdays, and occasional Sundays throughout the internship 

Current driver’s license, safe driving record, and reliable personal vehicle 

Some college, but no degree required 

Professional writing and communication skills including writing emails and sharing technical information with new audiences 

Ability to plan, lead, and participate in service activities indoors and outdoors 

Comfortable with public speaking and presenting to small groups 

Confident in asking clarifying questions, rather than guessing 

Organized and detail-oriented 

Excellent time management skills including meeting deadlines and being on-time to work shifts and meetings 

Excellent communicator 

Honest and dependable 

Enjoy teamwork and collaboration 

United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien 

Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.  

Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of 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. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

Local applicants from the Morongo Basin or Coachella Valley 

Experience in community outreach, customer service, environmental education, and/or outdoor recreation 

Experience with Teams, Outlook, SharePoint, and other collaborative Microsoft programs 

Creative thinker 

Our Commitment: 

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: 

This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary.  

Lunch breaks 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. 

Week-long, in-person training on NPS volunteer program management and leadership skills. 

Year-long continuum of learning supporting professional development 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds   

Additional Position and Community Information 

Position requires a current driver’s license, safe driving record, and reliable personal vehicle 

Weekend work is required – Friday, Saturday, and occasional Sundays 

Park housing is 60 minutes from main duty station, so local applicants are preferred 

Cross-training opportunities with other NPS sites in the summer 

Occasional opportunities to telework 

Gain diverse experience with all aspects of NPS operations due to the diversity of our volunteer program 

Benefits:  

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 

Living Allowance of $600 per week. 

Additional Benefit of $150 per week, if housing is not provided 

Healthcare Coverage if Eligible  

Childcare Coverage if Eligible 

Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly) 

Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly) 

$1,200 in Professional Development Funds for training, networking, conferences, and/or travel 

Networking opportunities within the National Park Service and partnering organizations 

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority 

Week-long in-person training at NPS site with travel/meal expenses covered. 

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. 

How to Apply 
Please visit Community Volunteer Ambassador (cvainternships.org) to review “Member Positions” by region and find instructions on how to apply.  

The CVA position will start on Monday, September 8, 2025 and run for 48 weeks until Friday, August 7, 2026. 

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants will need to apply here: https://form.jotform.com/StewardsIPP/cva-member-application-2025-fall-co.  Application form requires a resume, cover letter, professional references.  

Please ensure your cover letter addresses how your experience aligns with the CVA program, your experience working with different populations, and position details for this park/position. You may submit one application for multiple positions by selecting all sites you are interested in. 

Application Timeline: Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. First review will occur in early June. Final deadline is Friday, July 4, 2025. 

For Application Questions: 

Please contact James Gasaway, Program Director at jgasaway@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, 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.