Maintenance
Volunteer
Job Description
DATES: 4/1/2021 – 7/1/2021
Assist the National Park Service with campground management and visitor services as a Campground Host at Buffalo National River in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas
Assist the National Park Service with campground management and visitor services as a Campground Host at Buffalo National River in the Ozarks of northern Arkansas. Tyler Bend Campground is a large established campground that can be a busy and popular location. It is next to the Buffalo River, a beautiful free flowing river that is the recreational heart of Buffalo National River. Campground hosts here must be able to provide exemplary customer service and demonstrate patience and flexibility when helping visitors. Host volunteers work closely with park staff and are the eyes and ears of the campground.
Campground Hosts are valuable members of our team at Buffalo National River, as they are often the first (and sometimes only) National Park Service representative that a park visitor will see during their trip. Campground Hosts enhance the visitor experience by helping visitors locate a campsite, answering questions about things to do in the area, providing maps and information, educating visitors about park regulations, and keeping the campground tidy.
Campground Host Volunteers will work weekends and holidays, 32-40 hrs a week. They must provide their own self-sustained housing, such as a camper trailer or motor home. An RV pad with water, and electric will be provided on-site at Tyler Bend Campground.
- Assist visitors in locating campsite, answer questions about the campground, regulations governing the area, the park itself, and the VIP program.
- Ensure compliance with park regulations concerning visitor use fees, applicable documentation and site occupation.
- Report activities or items requiring immediate attention, from a hazardous tree to an out-of-bounds camper to park staff.
- Hosts shall not attempt to discipline or apprehend any park violators.
- Assist the park staff by cleaning fire rings after visitors vacate a site, restock restroom facilities as needed and pick up litter.
- Secure and deliver all found items and report lost items to uniformed staff.
- Encourage visitors to practice Leave No Trace principles and to maintain a safe distance from all wildlife.
- Ability to follow oral and written instructions.
- Required to follow policies detailed in the Buffalo NR Volunteer Handbook.
- Present a professional appearance, complete with nametag, VIP hat and VIP shirt.
- Ability to maintain customer service and a professional demeanor in a fast paced environment.
- Comfort living and volunteering in a semi-isolated location.
- Personal vehicle to travel to and from work-site for personal needs.
- Drivers License
- Office/Clerical
- Public Speaking
- Visitor Information
- Working with People
Tyler Bend Campground is 2 miles off Highway 65 about 6 miles south of the small community St. Joe, Arkansas. It is approximately 40 minutes to the larger community of Harrison, Arkansas. Half of the camping sites are available for reservation. This is a well established camping area that is close to a river access point and to the park’s only Visitor Center. Volunteer work is performed outdoors. Arkansas is humid and can be very hot in the summer, with average daily highs in the high 80s to low 90s.