Newberry Nat’l Volcanic Monument RV Host

PAULINA VISITOR CENTER RV HOST – VOLUNTEER POSITION DESCRIPTION

Newberry National Volcanic Monument RV Host: Paulina Visitor Center

Location: Newberry National Volcanic Monument within the Deschutes National Forest, Bend/Lapine OR

Number of Positions: 2

Dates:   Position 1: May 17 – September 3/Labor Day-ish

Position 2: May 17 – September 26

Schedule: Tentative Work Schedule will target rotating weeks with 5 days on and 2 days off and then 4 days on and 3 days off. $15 per day reimbursement for each position, not per person, to help cover expenses. Service will be during daylight hours where scheduled hours will fall typically between the hours of 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Volunteers will follow check in and check out practices as established in the handbook and 2021 training

Description: The U.S. Forest Service is seeking a couple or individual to assist with visitor services at Newberry National Volcanic Monument’s Paulina Visitor Center. The visitor center is a Historic Guard Station and sits along the shores of Paulina Lake on the floor of Newberry Caldera. It was originally built in 1942, and has been in regular use for many decades. The Paulina Guard Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 2009, Paulina Guard Station has served as a Visitor Center for Newberry National Volcanic Monument. Monument managers wish to highlight the Guard Station history, rich human history surrounding the caldera, and have professional-caliber information/interpretation specialists for the site’s thousands of annual visitors. This is a uniformed host position; uniforms will be provided by the Forest Service.

Job Duties: The primary duties of the uniformed host position include, but are not limited to: welcoming and orienting Monument visitors, providing in-depth information on Monument sites, assisting with trip planning within the Monument, and cashiering at the Paulina Visitor Center bookstore including selling recreation passes. Cash handling and recordkeeping experience is required. Supplemental duties may include opportunities for interpretation including guiding hikes, day and evening ranger talks, Jr. Forest Ranger activities, and roving interpretation. Individuals will be assigned special interpretive projects according to their skills and interests. Willingness to assist with maintenance, and compliance is preferred. Moderate fitness level and ability to hike up to 3 miles are desired. Makes phone calls to verify camping reservations & cancellations. Operates radio to communicate with campgrounds & Welcome Station.

Desired Skills: Must be able to perform required duties with minimal supervision after orientation, communicate effectively with diverse audiences, and present a consistently friendly and helpful attitude. Accuracy with fee collection and reports. Forest Service uniform will be provided and worn during working hours. Knowledge of Forest Service history and Deschutes National Forest recreation geography and policies is helpful, but not required.

Housing: Couple or individual must be able to provide their own RV or travel trailer with its age being 2002 or newer. If you have an RV or trailer that is not a 2002 or newer, a photo of the RV may be requested prior to position offer. An aggregate-surfaced RV pad (30’ and 40’ pads available) is provided which includes water, septic, garbage, and 30/50 amp electric service. Laundry facilities on site. Wireless internet is available at the visitor center grounds area and provide enough bandwidth for basic communications and search functions (no streaming or downloading). The Visitor Center, trails, Paulina Lake, and Paulina Falls are within walking distance of the RV pad. The RV pad is situated at an administrative area away from visitors and is part of a 5 pad cluster all of which may be occupied by other staff or volunteer neighbors. Dogs must be leashed at all times and not be prone to excessive barking.

About the Area: Nearby towns are La Pine (18 miles/20-25 minutes), Sunriver (28 miles/30-35 minutes), and Bend (45 miles/45-50 minutes). La Pine has a grocery store, bank and some additional services. All services can be found in Bend including a major medical center.

Positions provide visitor services out of the Paulina Visitor Center in the Newberry Caldera, a remote location 42 miles south of Bend, Oregon. The nearest town is La Pine, Oregon, 20 miles west. Newberry Caldera is the depression left by the collapsed summit of Newberry Volcano. The caldera has a wide variety of natural features: two spring fed lakes, obsidian flows, pumice flats, dynamic peaks, and cascading waterfalls. In summer, hiking, biking and horse trails are typically free of snow by late June. Recreation opportunities include hiking, camping, fishing, boating, and sky-gazing over Paulina and East Lakes within Newberry Caldera. Newberry Caldera has 1 main paved access road, 1 Visitor Center, 2 Resorts, and 6 campgrounds.