Communications Liaison Individual Placement – Shenandoah National Park

Job Overview

Title: Communications Liaison Individual Placement 

Location: Shenandoah National Park (Luray, VA)

Position Dates: May 13th– November 8th, 2024 (26 weeks) 

Pay Rate: $600/week stipend + on-site housing OR $120/week housing allowance + AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of 900-hour term 

Status: 40 hours/week, Full-Time/Temporary  

Contact: [email protected] 

Applications for this position will be accepted until March 1st, 2024 via our website, www.appalachiancc.org/individualplacements 

About Us: 

Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.  ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.  

Individual Placements gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as provides a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent their communities.   

Position Summary: 

Calling all visual storytellers! 

The Communications Liaison Individual Placement is an internship position based at Shenandoah National Park (SHEN) in Virginia. Shenandoah National Park is a 200,000 acre national park with over 500 miles of hiking trails and rich natural and cultural history. This position is in the visual media department which creates all the visual media (print, exhibits, social media, web, film, etc.) for the park. 

Throughout their term, this intern will serve as a liaison between the visual information department and their counterpart at the Shenandoah National Park Trust, our philanthropic partner. The Shenandoah National Park Trust invests in projects within the park such as conservation, internship positions, trails & overlooks, as well as education programs. This intern will provide media coverage to promote this important work. Additionally, they will assist the visual media team in other work. The intern will get to interact with park and partner staff, volunteers, and other interns to seek out and tell various stories through visual media. 

Main Responsibilities: 

• Maintain effective communication with the Communication’s team and representatives of SNPT through check ins and a project workplan. 
• Follow a communications plan that will lay out responsibilities for promoting the Trust projects completed at the park. 
• Create videos, flyers, social media posts, and other communications from concept to storyboard to capturing assets to editing to exporting using Adobe Suite applications. 
• Produce other visual media as needed and perform other work within the purview of the visual media department. 

IPs receive formal training in verbal and written communications, graphic design, and working in a team atmosphere. Additional training and professional development opportunities may also be available. If you love storytelling, and working hard in a team environment, this positions is incredibly rewarding. 

On-site shared park housing is available for this position. If the member chooses to live off-site, they will receive a weekly housing allowance of $120. 

General Qualifications: 

To qualify, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Valid driver’s license 
• Demonstrated proficiency in Adobe Suite, graphic design, photography, and videography 
• Professionalism and good interpersonal communication skills 
• Interest in pursuing a career with a public land management agency 
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team 

Benefits:  

• $600/week living stipend, paid bi-weekly 
• Option of on-site park housing OR a $120/week housing allowance 
• $3,447.50 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of a 900 hour service to be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)  
• Certificate of Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority Non-Competitive Hiring Eligibility at completion of term (raises eligibility when applying for federal jobs) 
• Student loan forbearance during term 
• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist  
• On-the-job training 
• Additional subject-specific certifications and trainings may be offered 
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, Individual Placement positions may fulfill academic internship requirements  
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths  

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. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, 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 a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.