Individual Placement - Outdoor Education Rangers

Position Summary 

Are you looking for a position that offers an introduction to a variety of public-facing roles in the National Park Service?

This position involves working with two different service teams: 1) the Southeast Utah Group NPS education program and 2) and the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park, assisting at the visitor center information desk and participating in visitor services and interpretation duties throughout the park.

The education program partners with the local school district to bring students from local public schools into the parks for hands-on, place-based field trips tied to the Utah core standards. Our staff teach in the outdoor classrooms of Canyonlands National Park, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Hovenweep National Monument. Our home base is an office in the small town of Monticello, UT.

This is a great position for applicants with career interests in place-based learning, classroom teaching, or outdoor/environmental education.

Location 

Monticello, UT

Schedule 

August 31, 2026 - November 21, 2026

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

Education duties will include:

• Teach standards-based lessons from the CCOE curriculum, manage students for safety in the outdoors, assist with pre- and post-field trip classroom visits (60%)
• Prepare and plan for instruction, support education program logistics, safely drive a government vehicle, and complete projects to maintain program quality (20%)
• Participate in activities to develop education skills including program debriefs, training sessions for best practices in environmental education, informal peer observation, video self-evaluations, and formal coaching sessions (10%)
• Contribute feedback to program to ensure its continued success (5%)
• Occasionally present and develop extracurricular programming for area youth which may include junior ranger programs, after school clubs, or community events (5%)

Interpretation and Visitor Services duties (2 days/week) will include:

• Answer questions at the visitor center, provide directions, recommend hiking trails, interact with Junior Rangers, process lost and found items, operate a 2-way radio and telephone, and other duties as necessary
•  Hike and rove on park trails for the purpose of chatting with visitors, answering questions, and assisting them to gain the most of their visit
• Develop and present an informal junior ranger program for youth groups and families and pop-up tables at viewpoints
• Possibly research, write, and present a formal interpretive talk and/or assist with special events

Marginal Duties 

• Assist with basic program logistics such as organizing teaching materials, maintaining field equipment, preparing bins for upcoming lessons, and restocking supplies after programs.
• Support classroom teachers and chaperones by helping manage group movement, transitions, and behavior expectations during field days.
• Help maintain outdoor learning spaces by reporting trail or site hazards, picking up litter, and ensuring teaching areas are safe and ready for student use.

Required Qualifications 

• A state-issued Drivers License and be at least eighteen years of age.
• A strong interest in teaching elementary-aged children and desire to explore careers with the National Park Service.
• A personal vehicle.

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident alien of the United States. Hours served can be applied toward the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority.

Preferred Qualifications 

Applicants who are the best fit for this position will have:

• Curiosity about making science learning meaningful for students through facilitating connections to their surrounding landscapes
• Willingness to live in a rural, isolated area with extremes in weather
• Humility and openness to multiple ways of thinking about nature and the environment
• Attention to growing as an educator and receiving feedback on teaching and teaching materials
• Interest in serving communities surrounding national parks and monuments
• A student asset-based (vs. deficit-based) mindset towards education
• A collaborative approach to work and the ability to manage projects independently
• Previous experience working with youth

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

Housing is a shared park apartment or house in town with private bedroom. Basic kitchen dishware/cookware and utensils are provided. You should bring your own bedding, towels, toiletries, and other needed personal items. Washer/dryer are available.

Compensation  

• $1,100 - one time round-trip travel allowance
• $600 - weekly living allowance
• Free Housing

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

Personal Vehicle Information

Required

Additional Benefits 

• Defensive Drive Training
• Interpretive Skills

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.