Cave Guide Interpreter

Internship - Cave Guide Interpreter

#402 | Posted 01/30/2024

Cave Junction, Oregon

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Job Description

Program Dates: 05/06/2024 – 11/03/2024 (26 weeks)

About us: 
The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is the largest provider of hands-on environmental conservation programs for youth and young adults. Program participants protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks, and community green spaces across the country.

Program Description:
Cave Guide Interpreters prepare and present interpretive tours of the Oregon Caves, assist our education program, and represent the park at outreach events. The primary focus for our guides is the presentation of up to three 90-minute interpretive ‘Discovery Cave Tours.’ The focus of these tours is cave geology and the earth sciences in general. Guides also present a 60-minute ‘Adventure Candlelight Tour” in historical costume. During the spring months, the guide will present curriculum-driven environmental education geology and cave tour education programs for elementary school students and watershed programs for middle school students.  The guides will attend occasional community outreach events to represent the park, including festivals and parades. Enthusiasm, good customer service skills, public speaking, and the ability to gain in-depth knowledge of the earth sciences, especially geology, are essential to succeeding in the position. Guides receive interpretive development program training, attend sessions about the earth sciences of the cave, education program training, and tour operations training. Applicants must be mentally and physically able to lead as many as four 90-minute cave tours daily. The complete tour is almost a mile long. It involves twisting and bending through narrow cave passages, including ceilings as low as 45”, sometimes with flashlights in dark “blackout” conditions.

Member Benefits:

• $600/week* Living Allowance
• $1,100* To/From Travel Allowance, paid once with first paycheck
• Housing is provided on-site.
  • Park housing is in a dorm or shared-house setting. Living at Oregon Caves is a social environment. Individual rooms are shared (usually) or private and have a twin bed, dresser, and closet space for each person.
• Eligible for AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,447, received upon completing position and 900 service hours.
• Eligible for the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority upon successful completion of position (640hrs minimum of service)

*All Allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes

Internship perks:

• Professional development and experience in a Federal Land Management Agency
• Mentorship and guidance in career path choices
• Develop an appreciation for the cultural and natural history of the area.
• The Oregon Caves National Monument is 4,000 feet in the rugged and beautiful Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains of southwestern Oregon, a region widely recognized for its complex geology and biological diversity.
• Interpretive program development training
• Tour operations training

Member Qualifications:

• Valid driver’s license 
• Personal vehicle required.
• Professionalism when contacting visitors, including in high-use areas.
• Preference is given to candidates with a significant degree or professional experience with Biology, Earth Science, Communication, and/or Education.
• Competency with Customer Service, Public Speaking, and working with children required.

Additional: 
Must be eligible to serve as an AmeriCorps Member. This includes:  

• Being a citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States.
• Being at least 18 years or older.
• Having a high school diploma or equivalent.
• Being willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks.