Volunteer
Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/volunteer-opportunity/a093d000000UeepAAC/2022-jemez-falls-campground-host-positions
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ADDRESS: Santa Fe National Forest; Jemez Springs, New Mexico
DEPT: Forest Service
DATES: 5/2/2022 – 10/31/2022
DESCRIPTION:
Santa Fe National Forest is looking for energetic, hardworking, fun-loving individuals and pairs of people for Campground Host Volunteers at the Jemez Falls Campground
Applicants with partners/spouses wanting to host together should apply as separate individuals and provide at least 3 professional references each! This will help better feature each person’s unique skills and abilities.
Hosting requires excellent customer service skills, a friendly and patient personality, the willingness and ability to perform daily cleaning and light maintenance, who also love being good stewards of the land. Host positions will be filled with individuals/pairs who own their own accommodation (RV/Camper/Motorhome) to live on site; tents are not permitted. Host sites inside Jemez Falls Campground have water and electric utilities.
Note: Pets permitted with proper vaccination documents, and rules apply.
Being a Host requires a multi-faceted set of skills including cleaning and maintenance, customer service, and also record keeping and management.
Cleaning/Maintenance: While following established safety protocols including wearing personal protective equipment, be physically able to clean restrooms buildings, toilets, grills, picnic tables, ramadas, fire rings; empty trash cans, pick up litter within facility boundaries; extinguish and report abandoned campfires; raking, weeding, and occasional pruning of vegetation.
Customer Service: While maintaining physical distance of at least 6 feet, provide information (regulations, recreational opportunities, directions, where to make camping reservations, etc.); be visible to the public, wear host uniform components, and present a positive image of the Forest Service. Where physical distance of at least 6 feet cannot me maintained, all volunteers must properly wear a mask covering the mouth and nose. Hosts must also politely and effectively communicate to forest visitors, with whom they must talk, that the mask and/or distance is necessary for host and public safety. Hosts set the example and will encourage but not force visitors to also distance themselves from people and wear a mask when in close contact with others not in their own household.
Record Keeping/Management: Maintain visitation logs; complete/submit supply lists and maintenance requests; report observed violations to Forest Service personnel; contact designated county or federal emergency services if needed; accurately report hours of service and submit monthly timesheets on time; maintain a balance between service time and personal time off duty. Some locations may require hosts to open and close entrance gates at adjacent facilities. Where gates need to be managed, a mileage reimbursement may be available for use of personal vehicle.
All hosts must work weekends and hosts will have 2 consecutive days off during the week. Any changes in this schedule must be discussed with the volunteer’s supervisor. Volunteer host hours vary each day, but on average, hosts serve 30 hour per week, per volunteer.
- Verbally communicate in a clear, professional, pleasant, and respectful manner with all forest visitors/campers and Forest Service personnel. Other language skills such as American Sign Language and Spanish can also be helpful.
- Walk on uneven terrain at altitudes above 5,000 feet.
- Bending and stooping frequently and able to lift and carry up to 30 pounds.
- Use shovels, rakes, brooms, and common cleaning supplies.
- Safely drive a golf cart, have a current driver license, good driving record, and proof of vehicle/RV insurance is required.
- Practice and promote all Forest Service safety practices and protocols relevant to host duties and visitor/customer interactions.
- A background check is required upon arrival which includes fingerprints and voluntary release form(s). Security credentials are not required.
- Backpacking/Camping
- General Assistance
- Landscaping/Reforestation
- Visitor Information
- Working with People
All host opportunities are located in federal developed recreation sites (campgrounds and/or picnic areas) on National Forest Lands. Recreation sites in the Santa Fe National Forest are generally moderate to high use locations which draw a wide diversity of visitors/customers with varied expectations for their outdoor recreation experiences. Work is entirely outdoors and Northern New Mexico is a high desert. Moderate summers and winters, and four definite seasons, are very comfortable. Summer highs are in the 80s and 90s with very little humidity. Summer evenings are cool, in the 50s and 60s. The area receives monsoon storms July through September featuring lightning, heavy rains, and flash floods. Job hazards include all the common hazards of outdoor life, cleaning/maintenance, and the human element. The environment, animals, and people encountered are unpredictable. Safety training is provided to mitigate these hazards and support hosts in creating the safest work environment possible. A “Good Host” attitude of being respectful, courteous, helpful, and friendly to all people is both a requirement of the position and a safety technique. Some hosts are natural “Good Hosts” and some learn with training and experience. We welcome all to apply!
- General housekeeping
- Slip, trip, and fall hazards
- Workplace violence
- Re: Workplace violence – host may occasionally have an agitated customer. Training is provided to mitigate this type of situation.