Valley Forge Natural Resources Individual Placement

Title: ​Natural Resources Individual Placement​ 

Location: Valley Forge National Historical Park (King of Prussia, PA) 

Dates:  September 29th, 2026 – January 29th, 2027 (18 weeks) Tues – Sat schedule to start 

Positions Available: 1 Internship 

Pay: $720/week paid biweekly ($600/stipend + $120/additional benefit) 

Status: This is a full-time, temporary, 675-hour AmeriCorps national service position. 

Contact: ​Questions? Email ACCIPRecruiting@conservationlegacy.org​ 

Please submit a resume and cover letter with your Application. Accepting applicants on a rolling basis.

Appalachian jobshiringnearme.org Corps 

 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 jobshiringnearme.org Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.   

 As an AmeriCorps program, participants commit to a term of service at their placement site in order to gain hands-on experience and 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 the communities in which they serve.   

Position Details   

Valley Forge National Historical Park is seeking a Natural Resources Individual Placement who is passionate about animal and land conservation to assist with major natural resource initiatives. The Individual Placement will be involved in a variety of activities associated with natural resource preservation, become familiar with issues that face natural resource managers, and work closely with National Park Service staff and partners to monitor and address those issues. At the same time they will contribute to the collection of data and implementation of projects that benefit park resources and assist park managers in achieving management goals. 

The Natural Resources Individual Placement will serve with the Planning and Resource Management (PRM) Division at Valley Forge NHP. This division is responsible for natural (biotic and abiotic) and cultural (archaeology, cultural landscapes/structures & archives) Resource Management as well as planning for the park. In NRM, the mission is to preserve and protect the natural diversity, distribution, abundance, and communities found in Valley Forge NHP. 

During their term, the Natural Resources Individual Placement will be a part of multiple projects, mainly working in the field but with some in office data entry, reporting and communications projects. Some work tasks will be at our sister park, Hopewell Furnace NHS, about a 45-minute drive. On those days, time driving to and from Hopewell Furnace are service hours, and a government vehicle is required. 

Responsibilities include but aren’t limited to: 

• Prep for annual lethal white-tailed deer control-includes using GPS to locate and mark safety buffer, inventorying and organizing supplies and equipment.
• Assist with data collection and tissue sampling for White-Tailed deer.
• Assist with deer camera deployments at Hopewell Furnace.
• Assist with deer management planning at Hopewell Furnace.
• Work with park staff and volunteers to control invasive, non-native plant species and propagate native species within the park. Lead volunteers to control invasive plants and care for native plants.
• Optional-opportunity to receive PA Pesticide Applicator’s license at park’s expense-must be willing to apply pesticides to take advantage of this opportunity.
• Work on a team that includes members from state and federal agencies as well as park staff from all park divisions.
• Collect and analyze salamander coverboard data.
• Contribute to the development of park informational brochures and resource briefs on natural resource topics and management actions.
• Assist with Data Analysis and Report Writing.
• Assist in monitoring water quality in the Valley Creek Watershed with data.

The purpose of this internship is to provide students with a concentrated, practical experience in natural resource management that affords the opportunity to apply classroom theory through a “hands-on” experience with the National Park Service. The Intern will learn hands-on management techniques for invasive species suppression and native species restoration, leadership and teamwork skills, they will receive park orientation and site-specific safety trainings, if interested the intern may be offered the chance to obtain Operational Leadership Training and a PA Pesticide Applicators license. 

On Site Housing will be provided for this position.  

Benefits:  

• $720/week paid bi-weekly ($600/stipend + $120/additional benefit)
• On site housing
• Segal education award of $2,817.14 to be used towards future education or student loans at completion of term
• 5 days of time off
• $150 professional development/gear fund
• Federal student loan forbearance and interest payoff
• Non-competitive hiring eligibility for federal jobs through the Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority (640 hours needed)
• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, positions may fulfill internship requirements
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths

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. In addition, applicants must:  

• Possess a valid driver’s license

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Major in a field related to the Biological Sciences (e.g. wildlife and fisheries science, biology, forestry, environmental science, etc.) with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Comfortable working in a field and office environment
• Ability to work well as a member of a team
• Ability to hike up to 5-7 miles per day across varied terrain and to operate basic mechanical and electronic equipment (e.g. weed whip, GPS unit, etc.) and may include exposure to extreme weather conditions, herbicides, poisonous plants, stinging and biting insects and wild animals.

  Time Requirements: 

• These positions are full-time, 40 hour/week.
• This position will have a schedule of Tuesday – Saturday through October, and Mon-Fri with occasional weekend events through January. Some overnight shifts during deer operations. 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.

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. 

Our Commitment: 

jobshiringnearme.org Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.    

 Our Promise:   

jobshiringnearme.org 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.