Interpretation and Digital Outreach Member - Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park

EPIC • Topeka, KS

5d

About The Position

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with National Park Service (NPS), is seeking THREE Members to contribute to interpretation and digital outreach alongside NPS Staff. For more information about ACE, please visit our website. The position is located in Topeka, Kansas, the vibrant capital of Kansas about 30 minutes west of Lawrence and sixty miles west of Kansas City. Topeka is a medium-sized city, home to Washburn University, with ample, affordable housing. The Kansas City metro area is a World Cup soccer site in June-July 2026. While there are some public transportation options and walkability, having a personal vehicle is highly recommended for commuting as well as to access groceries and other amenities on days off. Amtrak serves Topeka on a limited basis, too, and the nearest commercial airport is Kansas City, MO (MCI). Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park (BRVB) is the only national park unit devoted specifically to a US Supreme Court decision. In 1954 the court decided five cases from South Carolina, Kansas, Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia together, declaring that "segregation is inherently unequal" and that segregation by race in public schools is therefore unconstitutional. The park interprets the history and events leading up to the decision and the legacies of the decision since 1954. Also, Congress expanded the park in 2022 to include a new unit in Summerton, SC (under development) and five affiliated areas in Virginia, Delaware, and Washington, DC. In addition to adding a new unit and renaming the park, the Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park Expansion and Redesignation Act of 2022 added to the mission of the park to "honor the civil rights stories of struggle, perseverance, and activism in the pursuit of education equity." In our efforts to fulfill that charge, the park has been digitizing audio and video recordings-mostly oral history interviews-and editing transcripts so that we can make them available on the park web page. We are also preparing a large collection of photographs for posting on our web page, going back to the early history of the park in 1992 and progressing up to recent events. The park also has an ongoing records management project to organize and digitize the park's administrative records. The position is intended to be an introduction to National Park Service interpretation programs, park operations, and archival collection preservation and management at a small but growing historical park. The Member will also have opportunities to engage the park superintendent (a historian with museum management experience) and with other NPS parks and offices, such as the Midwest Archeological Center and the multi-park museum collection facility in Independence, MO. 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: Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM.

Requirements

• 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 current and valid form of ID (will be required to provide copies of ID's upon hiring)
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a bachelor's degree in museum studies, history, or digital editing and writing.
• Knowledge of modern American history, African American studies, writing and editing.
• Ability and willingness to complete tasks that require precision and accuracy.
• Deep interest in the Civil Rights Movement in American history.

Responsibilities

• Under the supervision of the visual information specialist, adding metadata to born-digital photographs and uploading them to NPGallery, the National Park Service content management system.
• Reviewing transcripts received from contractors for accuracy.
• Assisting the park's interpretation, education, and visitor services staff with special events at the park and in the community (such as Juneteenth).
• Scanning paper documents and photographic prints for inclusion in the park's digital archive.
• Researching and writing articles on topics of interest to the Member and the park for the NPS web site.

Benefits

• Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
• Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement 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.
• Housing: A $500/month housing reimbursement is available upon approval (4 months total).
• 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.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level