Trails Members Acadia National Park

Trails Members - Acadia National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience a nonprofit Conservation Corps in partnership with Acadia National Park is seeking two members to contribute to trail maintenance alongside National Park Service Staff.

For more information about ACE please visit the American Conservation Experience website.

Start Date: May 4 2026

Estimated End Date: August 22 2026*

*a 16-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/Description:

Acadia National Park:

Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor Maine serves as the duty station. Acadia National Park is located 50 miles southeast of Bangor Maine and 240 miles northeast of Boston Massachusetts. Acadia National Park protects a landscape of rare scenic beauty. Acadias mountains are the highest rocky headlands on the Atlantic shore of the United States and the vistas from these mountaintops encompass forested woodlands shimmering lakes quiet marshes bold rocky shores and coastal islands. Surrounding the park on all sides the ocean strongly influences the parks character. Visitation exceeds three million visits annually with the highest visitation occurring in July and August.

Cell reception is spotty within the park park headquarters and at government housing accommodations. Acadia Headquarters (office and work site) is approximately 3 miles east of the village of Bar Harbor where amenities are available such as grocery post office library fire/police restaurants and retail. Having access to a vehicle on personal time is advantageous for errands etc.

For more information about Acadia National Park please visit the National Park Service website.

Position Overview:

Acadia National Park: Bar Harbor ME (2 members 16 weeks) The Members position will serve their AmeriCorps term on a National Register historic trail system. The service requires very strenuous effort in moving heavy materials to and around the job site. The Member must be able to hike steep trails in all weather conditions transporting tools and personal gear and work in difficult terrain. Members routinely move items over 50 pounds.

The Members will assist with rehabilitating and maintaining the following trail related structures: wooden bridges log cribbing and steps water bars and culverts stone retaining walls and stone steps and other tread structures. May assist in cutting and shaping granite. May assist in repairs to steel pins and handrails also erecting signs. Tools will include a wide variety of hand and power tools such as various hammers shovels stone tools rock bars digging tools and power shop tools such as cut-off saws grinders and drill presses. May use powered tracked material haulers. Consistently moves heavy materials to and around the job site. Serves under the supervision of a Trail Work Leader or higher graded trail employee.

The Members will assist with aspects of trail maintenance and construction. Trail maintenance tasks include log out brushing and cleaning drainage structures. Trail construction tasks include bridge building from native materials fence construction construction of steps drains and retaining walls using native timber and/or drystone masonry techniques. Tools will include a wide variety of hand and power tools such as shovels hammers masonry chisels crosscuts pulaskis chainsaws and power drills. Serves under the supervision of a Trail Crew Leader or higher graded trails employee.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: Likely 4 ten-hour days (Monday through Thursday) and 3 days off (Friday through Sunday).

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/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: ACE members will be accommodated in provided housing at no cost for the duration of the term.

Relocation Reimbursement: ACE members will have access to up to $1000 to be used for eligible relocation expenses and can be requested with receipt documentation.

Gear Reimbursement: ACE members will have up to $200 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position includes safety toe boots and must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase and be supported with receipt documentation.

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 will include the use of overhead rigging systems trail construction practices motorized crawler carts Operational Leadership possibly CPR/AED.

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident 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 current and valid form of ID (will be required to provide copies of IDs upon hiring)
• 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.
• Members 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:

• Essential skills and experience: Ability to work in a small team setting experience hiking or other physically strenuous activities general interest in resource management and wilderness.
• Additional skills and experience that are helpful: Experience backpacking and camping. Experience working manual labor for extended periods of time.
• Skills and experience that members will gain from this position: log construction techniques dry stone masonry techniques NCSP chainsaw certification resource management techniques on mountain trails rocky mountain plant identification.
• Essential skills and experience: Ability to work well with others general interest in natural resource management plants and botany
• An important reminder: all skills needed for this position will be trained on the job; a good attitude curiosity for learning and plants and a willingness to positively contribute to the team are the only skill prerequisites to finding success.

Physical Demands Work Environment and Working Conditions:

Please use this information to determine personal ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.

• Physical Demands: The work is partially sedentary with prolonged standing walking and bending often required. Requires the ability to walk up to five miles over uneven terrain in extreme weather conditions and stand on their feet for lengthy periods of time and sometimes in wetlands (Acadia-waders provided)
• Vision Requirements: Requires adequate vision to walk on uneven rocky or terrain covered with vegetation. Must be able to operate a motor vehicle; close distance peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 pounds occasionally moves up to 50 pounds. Heavy items (e.g. equipment and packs up to 50 pounds) must be moved and carried on a routine basis.
• Environmental: The work environment varies constantly. Most work is outdoors and is performed in temperatures from 90 degrees F to below freezing. Severe mountain weather conditions can result in extreme heat rain snow and high winds. Work takes place both in indoor and outdoor settings. Work can include moderate risks or discomforts that require safety precautions (e.g. exposure to extreme temperatures climates rough terrain wild animals pests and insects. Summer temperatures range from 40-85 degrees.
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise such as gas powered chainsaws hand power tools small gas powered wheelbarrows All PPE will be provided
• Travel: Overnight backcountry travel is optional but available in Acadia. Backcountry overnight trips could vary from one night up to four nights if interested and could include tent camping or stays in a backcountry patrol cabin.

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.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties one will be provided by the National Park Service or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the National Park Service. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) typically provided by the National Park Service will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to National Park Service 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 ACEs 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 Program Manager Andrew Garcia.

ACE values an inclusive workforce - 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 hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability qualifications attitude and job-related factors. Every qualified employee 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 creed sex gender national origin pregnancy ancestry citizenship status genetic information (including of a family member) veteran or military status age physical or mental disability sexual orientation gender identity or expression 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.