Youth Engagement Fellow - National Parks of New York Harbor - Build Up Technical Internship Program

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service, is seeking TWO Youth Engagement Fellows to contribute to historical preservation projects alongside NPS Staff.

About Build Up Technical Internship Program: This position is part of the Build Up Technical Internship Program facilitated by the Historic Preservation Training Center. The Build Up Technical Internship Program is working to expand the National Park Service workforce while addressing critical maintenance needs by providing professional experiences in technical fields to students and recent graduates.

For more information about the Build Up Technical Internship Program, please visit the NPS website.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: May 2026

Estimated End Date: 26 weeks after start date

*a 26-week minimum commitment is required *

Location Details/Description: The National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) is a unique programmatic office that supports the efforts of the 12 National Park sites in the NY-NJ Harbor area, as well as offering original youth and volunteer programming. NPNH offers accredited volunteer internships to students, participates in the national Trails&Rails volunteer program, organizes meaningful paid internships in a variety of fields, and contributes hands-on to historic preservation projects throughout the Northeast.

The duty station for this position is Federal Hall National Monument, New York, NY.

For more information about the National Parks of New York Harbor, please visit the National Parks of New York Harbor website

Position Overview: In this position, the Youth Engagement Fellow will help coordinate our summer youth crews working on A250 related historic preservation projects. The intern will assist NPNH staff in coordinating the ordering of project materials, developing project schedules based on condition assessments, serving as a mentor and leader for youth when out in the field, assisting youth with completing final projects, and overall completing basic administrative tasks related to conducting project work.

Schedule: Monday - Friday 8am-4:30pm, with a 30-minute lunch

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $1000 week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

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

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position-specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. Specific training provided by the NPS may include on-the-job training-and job-specific safety training necessary to preform directed tasks, OSHA-10 Certification, First Aid-CPR-AED Certification (Potentially Wilderness First Aid), Supervising Youth Training, Project Management Training, and Defensive Driving Training.

Qualifications

Required:

• Must be a United States Citizen, United States National or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the United States as required by 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). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a minimum of a Bachelor Degree in:

• Engineering, Architecture, Landscape Architecture or Construction Management or similar

• Education, Sociology, Psychology, Social Work or similar

• Knowledge and/or skills in design, construction, or project management.

• Ability and willingness to work as part of a team, and be independently motivated.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain.

• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.

• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 15 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.

• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.

• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise such as gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools. Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.

• Travel: This position may require domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.

The work environment includes frequent travel to NPS urban and rural project sites and workshop spaces with occasional conventional office work required. The work involves moderate risk and exposure to moving equipment or machines, engine exhaust, associated high levels of noise, and outdoor weather conditions involving exposure to cold/hot, rain/sun, and a variety of other natural conditions such as streams, harbors, rivers, or other bodies of water. Safety precautions may be required such as hard hats and steel toed boots. Work may take place in remote locations with limited access to cellphone service and modern infrastructure.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the NPS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the NPS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACE's online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact ACE EPIC NPS Eastern Program Manager, Molly Nash.

If you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications, we want to hear from you!

ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are enrolled in a program to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.