Interpretation and Digital Outreach Member Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

Interpretation and Digital Outreach Member - Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience a nonprofit Conservation Corps in partnership with National Park Service (NPS) is seeking THREE Members to contribute to interpretation and digital outreach alongside NPS Staff.

For more information about ACE please visit our website.

Start Date: June 2026

Estimated End Date: September/October 2026

*a 17-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/Description: Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (BRVB; Topeka KS)

The position is located in Topeka Kansas the vibrant capital of Kansas about 30 minutes west of Lawrence and sixty miles west of Kansas City. Topeka is a medium-sized city home to Washburn University with ample affordable housing. The Kansas City metro area is a World Cup soccer site in June-July 2026. While there are some public transportation options and walkability having a personal vehicle is highly recommended for commuting as well as to access groceries and other amenities on days off. Amtrak serves Topeka on a limited basis too and the nearest commercial airport is Kansas City MO (MCI).

Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (BRVB) is the only national park unit devoted specifically to a US Supreme Court 1954 the court decided five cases from South Carolina Kansas Virginia Delaware and the District of Columbia together declaring that segregation is inherently unequal and that segregation by race in public schools is therefore unconstitutional. The park interprets the history and events leading up to the decision and the legacies of the decision since 1954. Also Congress expanded the park in 2022 to include a new unit in Summerton SC (under development) and five affiliated areas in Virginia Delaware and Washington DC.

For more information about the BRVB subpage on the NPS website.

Position Overview:

In addition to adding a new unit and renaming the park the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act of 2022 added to the mission of the park to honor the civil rights stories of struggle perseverance and activism in the pursuit of education our efforts to fulfill that charge the park has been digitizing audio and video recordings-mostly oral history interviews-and editing transcripts so that we can make them available on the park web page. We are also preparing a large collection of photographs for posting on our web page going back to the early history of the park in 1992 and progressing up to recent events. The park also has an ongoing records management project to organize and digitize the parks administrative records.

In order to contribute to interpretation and digital outreach efforts the Member can expect the following duties:

• Under the supervision of the visual information specialist adding metadata to born-digital photographs and uploading them to NPGallery the National Park Service content management system.
• Reviewing transcripts received from contractors for accuracy.
• Assisting the parks interpretation education and visitor services staff with special events at the park and in the community (such as Juneteenth).
• Scanning paper documents and photographic prints for inclusion in the parks digital archive.
• Researching and writing articles on topics of interest to the Member and the park for the NPS web site.

The position is intended to be an introduction to National Park Service interpretation programs park operations and archival collection preservation and management at a small but growing historical park. The Member will also have opportunities to engage the park superintendent (a historian with museum management experience) and with other NPS parks and offices such as the Midwest Archeological Center and the multi-park museum collection facility in Independence MO.

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: Monday - Friday 9 AM - 5 PM.

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 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 NPS. A $500/month housing reimbursement is available upon approval (4 months total).

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.

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be authorized to work in the United States. ACE does not provide sponsorship for employment visas.
• 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.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a bachelors degree in museum studies history or digital editing and writing.
• Knowledge of modern American history African American studies writing and editing.
• Ability and willingness to complete tasks that require precision and accuracy.
• Deep interest in the Civil Rights Movement in American history.

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.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close distance peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Ability to move up to 15 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 noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: This position does not require unique 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. Hazard specifics should be provided on a case-by-case basis in consultation with the Partner site.

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 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 Program Manager Andrew Garcia.

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.