Tongass Marine Highway Shipboard Interpreters

Imagine traveling aboard an Alaska State ferry nearly 1,000 miles each week through some of the most incredible scenery found anywhere on Earth.

Shipboard interpreters serve as Forest Service representatives aboard the mainline ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway System. As a shipboard interpreter, you will present interpretive programs and answer questions about the natural and cultural history of Southeast Alaska.

This program serves the entire Tongass National Forest but is located in Juneau, Alaska.

These positions involve a tremendous amount of public contact in a highly visible setting. The ability to prepare and present a variety of interpretive programs in conjunction with good oral communication skills is essential. The ability to work with minimal supervision and be an active team member is vital. Experience developing and presenting interpretive programs, working in natural resource or biological fields, conducting environmental education programs, and knowledge of Southeast Alaska is highly desirable.

Work begins in early May with a three week training program. Staffing the ferries begins around Memorial Day and continues through Labor Day.

A typical workday runs from 8:00 AM to about 9:00 PM; with time out for meals this amounts to 10-11 work hours per day. Typically you spend six to seven days on the ship before disembarking. Your schedule (when you board and disembark from a ferry) is dependent upon the ship you are assigned to. You are guaranteed 80 hours of paid work every two weeks. Overtime is very limited, so it is imperative that staff be able to manage their schedules.

Positions will be filled at the GS-5 level. Employees receive a non-taxed cost of living allowance above their base salary.

For information about how to apply for these positions, click here USAJobs For more information and other answers to your questions check out our FAQs for working at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, click here FAQs

Interpretive Positions Available
For the Summer Season of 2009

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and Tongass Marine Highway Program

Tongass National Forest , USDA Forest Service

GS-1001 04/05 (up to twenty positions)

Pay is about $15.60/hour for GS-5 and $13.95 for GS-4 positions

This includes the nontaxable Cost Of Living Allowance for Alaska.

The Juneau Ranger District is recruiting to fill interpretive positions at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and with the Tongass Marine Highway Interpretive program.

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is one of the most visited attractions in Alaska and has the most visitation of any single visitor center in the National Forest system. Staff interpret the glacier and glaciated landscape and the wildlife that frequent the area. The season begins in mid-April with three weeks of training and ends in late September. The center is open seven days a week from 8:00 AM to 7:30 PM. Employees must be prepared to work weekends and late or early shifts.

Tongass Marine Highway Interpretive Program

This program places Forest Service interpreters on board selected ferries of the state of Alaska to provide interpretive presentations, community introductions and to staff an information desk. Days are long, usually ten to eleven hours, interpreters spend multiple days (and nights) on the ferry as they sail throughout Southeast Alaska or sailings from Bellingham, Washington. While on board the ferry food, stateroom and fares are all provided. The season begins with two to three weeks of training in mid-April and helping out at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The season ends about the first week in September with a possibility to continue working at the Mendenhall to late September. A valid state driver’s license is required.

HOUSING

Government housing in one and two bedroom furnished apartments is available. Residents share a bedroom with one other person of the same gender. Up to four people are assigned to the two bedroom units. The rental is a daily rate of approximately $12.00 per night. This includes cable TV, electricity, heat, water, sewer, garbage service and access to a no charge laundry room.

How to Apply

Visit www.usajobs.gov, click on the Search Jobs tab, in the Keyword Search box enter the announcement number for the position and click Search at the bottom of the page. The center fills positions at the GS-4 and GS-5 level in the 1001 Arts and Information Specialist series. If you are uncertain if you qualify at the GS-5 level, apply to both announcements. If you only apply for a GS-5 position you will not be considered for any GS-4 positions, as such you may wish to apply to both announcements. The GS-4 level announcement number is TEMP-OCR-1001-4-VIS and the GS-5 is TEMP-OCR-1001-5-VIS.

The search will display the job announcement, click on the Visitor Services Information Assistant title, this will take you to a new screen that has more detail on the job, duties and qualifications. To apply you will need to click on the “To obtain information about this position and TO APPLY…..” link in the Job Summary section that is displayed under the Overview tab. This will take you to Avue Central, an application/recruitment website the Forest Services uses to fill all positions. If you have not already registered at this site you will need to do so and complete all the information to apply for the position. Your application will allow consideration for both the Mendenhall visitor center and Tongass shipboard programs.

Additional Information

For more information contact Wayne Ward at (907) 789-6639 or Ron Marvin at (907) 789-6637. You can find more information about the Tongass National Forest and both of these programs at http://www.fs.fed.us/r10/tongass/index.shtml

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