Individual Placement - Parks and Trails Assistant

Position Summary 

The SCA Parks and Trails Assistant will help to maintain and steward Scenic Hudson’s network of parks and other conserved lands through weekly inspections, general maintenance and improvement projects. Work will include frequent and regular visitation to the parks (40% independently, 60% supervised) to ensure a high level of cleanliness and order that is a hallmark of our parks. This includes inspecting and maintaining park gateways, trail systems, infrastructure and other amenities, often requiring the use of hand and small power tools. When in the field, the Parks and Trails Assistant is expected to engage visitors in a friendly manner to answer questions and to provide basic information about Scenic Hudson’s mission and the ecological and historical resources of the parks. The assistant will monitor park gateway and trail conditions and develop work orders that will be entered into our database. They will communicate any issues found in the field to other parks team members, and report findings and work outcomes at weekly team meetings. The candidate will also assist with Scenic Hudson programming and events that may require them to work occasional evening and weekend hours.

Hosting Organization

Scenic Hudson, Inc.

Location 

Poughkeepsie, NY

• This position is primarily in a front country setting where emergency services are accessible, but may be delayed by 1-2 hours. SCA Members regularly interact with members of the public. Access to public transportation at work site is limited or not possible. Cell phone reception maybe limited, spotty, or not available.
• This position may conduct work in an urban setting where emergency services, public transportation, and cell phone reception are readily accessible. Interactions with members of the public are regular and frequent.

Schedule 

January 25, 2027 - November 19, 2027

Weekly Schedule

M-F 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, on rare occasions some weekend or evening hours will be required.

Corps members are expected to serve approximately 40 hours a week for a period of 10 months.

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

• Routine visitation of Scenic Hudson parks (60% of workload) will include work such as:
  • Ensuring the park is clear of litter and the trailhead kiosks, interpretive signs and other park signs are clean of debris, cobwebs, and dirt
• Monitoring and maintaining all park trails
• Inspecting and repairing infrastructure (i.e., benches, bridges, boardwalks, kiosks, entry signs)
• Reporting and responding to issues of vandalism and graffiti
• Safely use hand and power tools to perform necessary park maintenance tasks.
• Learn to identify park and trail improvement projects and implement improvements with other team members
• Assist with the management of parks and other conserved lands including but not limited to removing potential safety hazards, monitoring and securing boundaries, mowing and gateway maintenance
• Perform administrative duties (timesheets, meetings, etc.), participate in safety training, enter field observations into our work log (15% of workload)
• Assist members of the Climate, Science and Stewardship Team to control invasive plants and other related projects (5% of workload)
• Assist with public events and community programming in Scenic Hudson parks as needed (5% of workload)
• Participate in all SCA Corps-wide trainings and service projects, as well as project evaluation and reporting (15% of workload)

Marginal Duties 

• Reporting Requirements: Members are required to submit timesheets on a Weekly/Bi-weekly basis via SCA’s timekeeping system, ADP • Monthly Data Reports: Members are required to submit weekly output reports; training is provided. • Quarterly Narrative Reports: Member narratives are collected on a monthly basis in the members’ output report.

Required Qualifications 

This position is part of a specialized SCA AmeriCorps program and if you are selected, you will be serving as an SCA AmeriCorps member. To be eligible for this position you must meet these basic AmeriCorps Eligibility Requirements:

• 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 or actively working to complete
• Being willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks conducted after position is offered.
• Additional requirements: Driver’s license and personal vehicle needed for transportation to and from the office/workshop.

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

$1,000/month housing allowance (for positions outside of NYC) Member is responsible for securing their own housing within reasonable commuting distance to Poughkeepsie and New Paltz, NY

Compensation  

• Compensation: (weekly living allowance): $500/week
• Minimum AmeriCorps Award: Full-Time Award
• AmeriCorps Hours Requirement: 1700 hours
• Education Award amount upon successful completion of program: $7,395
• Healthcare coverage: Eligible for free health insurance
• Childcare coverage: Eligible for childcare assistance through AmeriCorps
• Student loan forbearance and interest payments (if the member qualifies): Eligible for Federal Student Loan forbearance and interest payment deferment through AmeriCorps for qualifying student loans.

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

Personal Vehicle Information

Driving

Driving an SCA motor vehicle is a requirement for this position.

To be able to drive a motor vehicle for the SCA, you must:

• Possess a current and valid driver’s license for the type of vehicle which they are operating.
• Have a minimum of three years of state permitted and licensed driving experience.
• Be a minimum of 21 years old.
• Complete and pass a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check upon hire (or re-hire) and annually, thereafter.
• Able to complete and pass SCA’s driver training, including both online and behind-the-wheel assessment (commentary) components.

Additional Benefits 

• Health Insurance

SCA provides the following training opportunities to members:

• Member AmeriCorps and SCA Training: Members will receive an AmeriCorps training on prohibited and unallowable activities, risk management, reporting requirements, benefits, and more
• SCA Risk Management
• Sexual Harassment/Drug Abuse in the Workplace
• Mental Health First Aid Training
• Wilderness First Aid & CPR
• Environmental Education Curriculum
• Environmental Leadership Institute
• New York State Outdoor Educator Association Conferences/Events
• Hudson River Ecology
• Leave No Trace Level 1
• Professional Development & Job Readiness
• Service events including but not limited to: Earth Day/Arbor Day, I Love My Park Day, National Trails Day, Patriots Day of Service and Remembrance, A Day in the Life of the Hudson River

• AmeriCorps: Eligible/Required

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The SCA is an equal opportunity employer. Selection decisions are based on merit, qualifications, and performance, without unlawful discrimination.