Start/End Dates: February 5, 2024 – September 30, 2024

Compensation: $650 per week + $1000 monthly for housing

Medical Insurance provided on request

Application Due: October 31, 2023 

The Resource Assistants Program seeks to engage ethnically and racially diverse young professionals in natural resource careers. You must be:

• a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
• a college graduate (Associates or higher)

Please Apply Here

Position Description: 

Nationwide, as the USDA Forest Service’s ambitious Wildfire Crisis Strategy is being implemented and more priority landscapes are identified, there is an increased emphasis on coordinated awareness of identified landscapes and project status. The Southwestern Region’s Office of Communication and Engagement is taking a leadership role in writing, sharing, and posting stories that affect the region across Arizona and New Mexico. A critical component of this is the support of the regional Web Team to edit, post, and manage web content. The Web Content Specialist Resource Assistant will play a key role in providing regional support to forests and Wildfire Crisis Strategy regional programs. In addition, the Resource Assistant will help provide technical support and management of 14 public-facing and 200 internal websites. The Southwestern Region’s Office of Communication and Engagement is dynamic, diverse, and industrious, with great opportunities for cross-pollination, learning, and advancement. This staff group coordinates media relations, legislative affairs, conservation education, youth engagement, internal communication and engagement, visual arts and design, printing, social media, web, intranet, metrics and analytics, writing, editing, stakeholder inquiries, issues management, audiovisual production, visitor information services, the regional work environment program, and the regional office administrative team. The Web Content Specialist Resource Assistant will play a key role in providing regional support to forests and Wildfire Crisis Strategy regional programs. In addition, the Resource Assistant will help provide technical support and management of 14 public-facing and 200 internal websites by reviewing, updating, and developing content. The public websites include information on recreation opportunities and activities for over 3500 recreation sites as well as passes, permits, history, wildlife, fire, safety, and more. They are the primary communication channels to the public. The team collaborates with Public Affairs Officers to improve communication with internal and external audiences via these websites.

Responsibilities:

• Updating internal and external Forest Service websites with current information 
• Designing new webpages in collaboration with stakeholders 
• Using SharePoint and our in-house CMS
• Aiding in the continued efforts to modernize external and internal websites
• Updating and Developing User Guides, Team Guides
• Spending at least 8 hours per week on professional/skill development 
• Adhering to 508 web accessibility standards 
• Opportunities to work independently on proposed projects / scripts
• Opportunities to lead team trainings

Qualifications:

Minimum Requirements: 

• Web Content Management – Writing, Editing, Organizational Skills
• Basic web development skills
• Basic knowledge of HTML/CSS
• Ability to get along well with others
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Intermediate web development skills: good understanding of HTML and CSS.
• Ability to recognize issues with and hand-edit HTML code. 
• Understanding of how CSS works. 
• Experience (either self-taught or in the classroom)
• Certificates are a bonus, but not required.
• Enthusiasm for user experience and/or web design

Direct Hire Authority (DHA)

All RAP interns receive Direct Hire Authority (DHA) at the successful conclusion of their internship. DHA status enables an agency to hire, after public notice is given, any qualified applicant. A DHA expedites hiring by eliminating competitive rating and ranking, veterans’ preference, and “rule of three” procedures. For more information, please click HERE.

EEO Statement

Environment for the Americas provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.