Community Planning Fellow

Position Title: Community Planning Fellow – Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements Program

Site Location: 1100 N. Mineral Springs Road, Porter, IN 46304

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 5/22/2026

Dates of Employment:

· Start Date: June 29, 2026

· End Date: June 30, 2028

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements, a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with internships service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. In partnership with the National Park Service – Rivers, Trails & Conservation Assistance (NPS-RTCA) and Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (NPS-GLRI) Programs will host a Community Planning Fellow.

This Community Planning Fellow is an hourly fellowship position that will perform work involving review, analysis, evaluation, and coordination of matters related to community planning, outdoor recreation, and landscape architecture. 

This fellowship is being established for the NPS-GLRI and -RTCA programs to foster opportunities for activating recreational spaces as restoration and remediation efforts take place in Great Lakes Areas of Concern, with a focus on the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern (AOC) in Northwest Indiana. The position will support other locally led conservation and outdoor recreation GLRI and RTCA projects in the Midwest Region, as well as GLRI-related

work at Indiana Dunes National Park. The position will also work to secure additional GLRI projects to support regional priorities, NPS park units, and external partners.

The Community Planning Fellow will be tasked with advancing previous discussions around recreation in the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern, coordinating with local partners and stakeholders on where and how to thoughtfully activate recreational spaces given ongoing restoration and remediation efforts. 

This includes determining how NPS-RTCA can provide meaningful technical assistance to advance said recreation efforts through efforts like trail planning, placemaking, educational programming, park development, and promoting existing greenspaces.

Description of Duties:

· Facilitate multi-disciplinary teams in the development of recreation projects located within Great Lakes Areas of Concern, with a focus on the Grand Calumet River Area of Concern in Northwest Indiana

· Provide technical planning assistance, coordination, and leadership on cooperative conservation and recreation planning projects for the National Park Service’s Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance programs

· Other duties include working with federal, state and local governments to plan trails and river projects

· Support local organizations to develop planning alternatives while engaging local communities throughout the process

Qualifications:

· United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien

· Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a background check

· Willing to travel within northern Lake and Porter Counties (Indiana) for meetings and project work, with the potential for infrequent travel to other Great Lakes locations

Preferred Qualifications:

· Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Landscape Architecture, Planning, Geography, Natural Resource Management, or other related fields

· Experience with and knowledge of the principles of community and/or outdoor recreation planning

· Experience with and knowledge of document production and graphic design programs such as MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, Mural, and other communication tools

· Experience with developing work products such as landscape concept design renderings, master plans, site layout plans, planting plans

· Experience with, or knowledge of, GIS mapping tools such as GPS, ArcGIS, StoryMaps

Our Commitment:

Conservation 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.

Time requirements:

· This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary

Additional Position and Community Information

· The position will be serving in an urban setting in Northwest Indiana. The cities that fall within the focal Grand Calumet River Area of Concern include Whiting, Hammond, East Chicago, and Gary, all along the south shore of Lake Michigan.

· As an urban location, the area offers several grocery stores and medical facilities. Other amenities include 45 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, the Indiana Dunes National and State Parks, and close proximity to Chicago.

· Housing is not provided.

· It is important that the Fellow have access to a personal vehicle to make site visits and attend meetings in the area when agency vehicles are not available.

Benefits:

· Hourly Wage: $30 / hour

· Healthcare Coverage if Eligible

· Professional Development Fund of $15,000 for Travel and Training

How to Apply:  Apply on-line here

 In addition to your resume, please submit a one-page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position.

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by 5/22/2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on 6/5/2026.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

· Program Contact information: Emma Nehan-Springstead at enehan@conservationlegacy.org · Service Site Contact information: Christopher Morgan, chris_morgan@nps.gov

Conservation 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