Visitor Services

Description: The Interpretation & Education Volunteer plays an important role in the Interpretation & Education Division by providing excellent customer service and educational and recreational opportunities for the park’s visitors. Volunteers will learn and interpret the John Day Fossil Beds paleontological story, as well as the human history of eastern Oregon.

John Day Fossil Beds National Monument is located in rural eastern Oregon, about 2.5 hours east of Bend, OR an 1 hour West of John Day, OR. The monument is divided into three separate units, Clarno, Painted Hills, and Sheep Rock, each about 1-2 hours apart. The Cant Ranch Historic Home & Museum and the Thomas Condon Paleontology Center are located in the Sheep Rock Unit.

Duties: The I&E Volunteer will primarily answer questions at the Thomas Condon Visitor Center and rove trails.

Volunteers will:

• Greet visitors and record number of contacts
• Answer visitor questions and provide basic information on the monument and region
• Rove trails to make visitor contacts
• May give brief presentations on the park
• May assist with or conduct interpretive walks & demonstrations
• Restock brochures and fliers, check on facilities
• May assist with park-hosted events and busy holiday weekend operations
• Wear a Volunteer-in-Parks uniform provided by the National Park Service

Time Commitment: Service will be flexible. Training on the history and interpretive themes of John Day Fossil Beds N.M. will be provided.

Housing: There is one RV pad for volunteers, located in the Sheep Rock Unit, with full hookups and 50 amps available. The RV pad is a short walk from the Cant Ranch and Thomas Condon Paleontology Center.

Shared housing may be available in Dayville Oregon, a short drive from the visitor center in Sheep Rock. Another shared house may be available in the Painted Hills Unit. Rent and utilities may be included if the volunteer completes 32 hours of service weekly.

Services: Cell phone service in the area is spotty. There is public Wi-Fi at the visitor center available. Most staff that require Wi-Fi use starlink or Hughes net. Other services can be a drive. John Day has a grocery store, small hospital, hotels and some restaurants. Dayville has a seasonal café and a gas station. Mitchell near the painted hills has a restaurant and general store. More services can be found in Prineville, Redmond, and Bend, OR.

Qualifications:

• Be friendly and outgoing
• Enjoy engaging with the public
• Excellent customer service and public speaking skills
• Have knowledge of and interest in science and/or history
• Be a good representative of the National Park Service
• Work well both as a team and independently
• Must have a valid driver’s license if driving a government vehicle

Work Environment:

The volunteer will mainly work indoors in a climate-controlled building. Some work may be outdoors under a variety of conditions: hot, cold, windy, humid, and rainy. The monument is situated in a high desert environment where triple-digit temperatures are common during the summer.

Supervisor: Chief of Interpretation