FY27 Visitor Services and Interpretation Volunteer

The individual will volunteer with the interpretation and education program at Effigy Mounds National Monument on a full- or part-time basis. The volunteer works under the supervision of the park’s interpretation and education program manager and is duty stationed at the park’s visitor center. Major duties may include

• working in the visitor center (VC) and at the information desk to provide information and orientations to visitors as well as assist with park store operations and sales;
• developing and delivering interpretive talks, demonstrations, and programs either inside the visitor center or outside on the grounds of the visitor center;
• leading guided hikes of two or more miles for groups of up to 50, including school field trips, on sometimes steep trails;
• roving park trails to provide informal interpretive experiences; or
• representing the park at off-site events or delivering off-site programs at, for instance, nearby state parks, other federal agencies, or schools.

The work schedule is flexible and could include shifts of between two and eight hours per day for as many as five days per week. The volunteer will wear the standardized VIP uniform described in the park volunteer handbook. The park provides the VIP shirt, patch, and name tag. The volunteer provides all other required uniform items without compensation.

A background check known as a Special Agency Check (SAC) is required before the volunteer is permitted to staff the visitor center desk without immediate supervision; a more extensive background check is required for a volunteer who is authorized for unsupervised access to park buildings, provided with access to government computers and networks, or who works unsupervised with children. Unless authorized, the volunteer will not be issued keys or access codes to the VC or any park facilities.

The volunteer is expected to comply with the standards and expectations outlined in the volunteer handbook as well as the NPS customer service standards. All equipment required to perform this work will be provided by the park. The volunteer is authorized to operate the park’s Eastern National (EN) store cash register, including credit card machine, and handle funds on behalf of EN.

A minimum of 8 hours of park orientation and 16 hours of on duty individualized training will be provided to the volunteer prior to their performance of duties. The position is uncompensated without any reimbursement available. Unless authorized in advance following a successful background investigation, the individual is not authorized to operate a government vehicle or access a government computer on the DOI network. Limited shared park housing may be available for volunteers working full-time on a first-come, first-served basis, though pets are not permitted.