Orchard Technician Members - Capitol Reef National Park

Orchard Technician Members - Capitol Reef National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Capitol Reef National Park, is seeking 2 Members to serve alongside the Resource Management & Science (RMS) division's projects within the park's Orchard Program to assist with planting and maintenance of newly established landscape trees, as well as management of the park's historic orchards.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: 01/04/2027 *Pending funding approval

*Estimated End Date: 01/01/2028

*a 52-week minimum commitment is required *

 

Location Details/Description: Capitol Reef National Park, Torrey, UT

Capitol Reef National Park is in Utah's south-central desert. It surrounds a long wrinkle in the earth known as the Waterpocket Fold, with layers of golden sandstone, canyons and striking rock formations. Among the park's sights are the Chimney Rock pillar, the Hickman Bridge arch, and white sandstone domes.

For more information about Capitol Reef please visit the NPS website.

 

Position Overview:

The ACE recruited intern will obtain hands-on experience working in the field and in the office with NPS employees as they manage newly planted landscape trees, as well as the park's historic orchards. The park is currently engaged in replanting over 100 landscape trees throughout the Fruita Rural Historic District, and the Orchard Intern will assist park staff with preparing for, maintaining, irrigating, training, monitoring, and overall care of these trees as they are planted and begin their lives. The intern will primarily be assigned with the above duties throughout the growing and dormant seasons.

The Orchard intern will also assist the horticulturist and other staff with orchard and vegetation management, receiving daily oversight and guidance. Orchard management activities will consist of tree care such as winter, spring, and summer pruning, tree planting and irrigation, insect and pest monitoring, and implementing integrated pest management strategies.

Employing the intern for a full-year season will give a strong understanding of the entire landscape and orchard tree growing seasons, and this close-up introduction and familiarity with the park and its orchards will further instill a sense of resource stewardship.

The Orchard intern will also be provided with opportunities to learn about applied horticulture science and application of botanical and horticultural practices in a unique setting. They will learn hands-on horticulture practices such as pruning, watering, soil, pest, and cover crop management, grafting, and tree stabilization within the context of historical preservation. The position will also provide personal and professional development that will contribute new knowledge and perspectives for future application in various science and environmental fields.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

 

Schedule: The usual schedule is 4/10's, Monday through Thursday from 7AM to 5:30PM with a 30 minute lunch. This has the potential to change to a 5/4/9 or 5/8 schedule, or to weekend days as program needs and seasonal changes require. Typically, the 5/4/9 or 5/8 schedules and weekend coverage are used only in the shortest winter days, and for specific project or field needs.

 

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $800/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

This position is part of the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement must meet the PLC Eligibility Requirements to be considered for this position. Members may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

Housing: A $200/week housing assistance will be provided, and a single-occupant private room in a shared dorm-style house with up to 5 other seasonal employees will be provided by the NPS at Capitol Reef for the duration of the position. Housing is approximately a 5-minute walk from the park headquarters, and the intern will have access to shared facilities such as bathroom, laundry, kitchen, wifi, and living spaces. The housing area also includes access to a shared garden and community activities, and is located in the Fruita Historic District, surrounded by red rock cliffs and historic orchards with fruit trees and pastures.

Gear Allowance: ACE members will have up to $300 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. Specific training may include historic pruning training, pest and tree ID, soil fertilization testing and calculations, and hand-line, drip, and historic flood furrow irrigation training.

 

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be authorized to work in the United States. ACE does not provide sponsorship for employment visas.
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Members may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.

To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.

 

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a natural resources degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as horticulture, arborism, and/or cultural landscape preservation.
• Knowledge of perennial establishment or maintenance, IPM (Integrated Pest Management), orchard or landscape tree work, or nursery management.
• Ability and willingness to learn specific historic pruning styles, often through long days in cold and snowy weather. Work mostly outdoors in a wide range of conditions and be a self-led-team member.
• Deep interest in horticulture or living landscape management. We are looking for team members who are willing and excited to learn the listed skills required in the field from the other orchard team members, even if they do not have much prior experience in these specific skills listed above.

 

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, carrying, and shovel digging. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. The position is fairly physical, with most time spent outdoors doing physical activities like pruning, digging, dragging tree branches, cutting limbs, and candidates must be physically capable and enthusiastic about consistently performing this type of work.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 50 lbs., ability to move up to 100 pounds.
• Environmental: Ability to perform physical labor for extended periods of time (e.g., digging, bending over, hauling material, hiking); Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain and otherwise maintain good physical condition.
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise such as gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools. Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: [This position does not require unique travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky and/or rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources. The member will also work around some heavy and small-engine machinery, as well as on ladders up to 12' tall.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the NPS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the NPS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.

 

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACE's online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC Senior Member Manager, Sabrina Caruso.

If you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications, we want to hear from you!

ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are enrolled in a program to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.