Summary
American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service is seeking FOUR members to contribute to historic preservation projects alongside National Mall and Memorial Parks staff.
The Traditional Trades Advancement Program Corps is intended for enthusiastic individuals who possess an interest in gaining experience in the field of historic preservation. Noeducation or experience in the field is necessary.
For more information about the National Park Service's Traditional Trades Advancement Program (TTAP), please visit our website.
For more information about ACE, please visit our website.
Start Date: June 2026
Estimated End Date: December 2026
*a 26-week minimum commitment is required *
Location Details/ Description: Located in the heart of the nation's capital, the National Mall stretches between the United States Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial, encompassing over 1,000 acres of iconic public open space in Washington, DC. As part of the National Park Service, the National Mall serves as a central gathering place for civic engagement, national celebrations, and public demonstrations, while supporting the stewardship of some of the country's most important and cultural resources.
The National Mall offers visitors a unique blend of open green space, world-renowned memorials, and museums, providing opportunities for recreation, reflection, and education. Visitors can explore centuries of American history at sites such as the Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and numerous Smithsonian Institution museums located along the Mall. The area is highly accessible via public transportation, biking, and pedestrian pathways, making it one of the most visited and recognizable public landscapes in the United States.
For more information about the National Mall, please visit the National Park Service website.
Position Overview:
The TTAP intern will perform mission-critical maintenance and preservation projects at the D.C. parks including National Mall and Memorial Parks (NAMA). Members will perform a variety of maintenance and repair projects to include Painting, Graffiti Removal, Vegetation Removal, Repairing Masonry Surfaces, Asphalt Repair,etc., in order to best support the DC Safe and Beautiful efforts. The day-to-day duties of the member will include painting posts and chains, bollards, picnic tables, large planters, light posts, signposts, curbs/ wayside bases and frames, trellises and barriers, etc. They will clean and wax wayside panels and clean the exteriors of structures by removing graffiti and invasive plants. They will prune trees and shrubs to improve visibility and reduce hazards, and they will also address other safety hazards by repairing walkways (softening edges) and securing railings. Lastly, they will perform water drainage checks.
During their term, members will cultivate valuable skills in the preservation, restoration, stabilization, and maintenance projects at D.C.'s most iconic and important cultural sites and resources.
Schedule: TBD
Position Benefits
Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $720/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. 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: Housing is the responsibility of the ACE member and not provided by ACE or the NPS.
Professional Development Stipend: $1,000 of professional development funds will be available to participants for pre-approved uses.
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 includes OSHA-10 and Introduction to Preservation Horticulture.
Qualifications
Required:
enthusiastic manner.
term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
Preferred:
Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:
Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, 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.
Equipment Use/Safety: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: 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 Member Manager Vanessa Rogan.
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 hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee 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, creed, sex, gender, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information (including of a family member), veteran or military status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, 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.