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Position Title:OSMRE AmeriCorps Member with City of Smithers & Coal Camp Heritage Museum

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Smithers City Hall Gateway Center
#2 Greyhound Lane, Smithers, WV 25186

Terms of Service: 10 weeks

• Start Date: 09/28/2026
• End Date: 12/04/2026
• Application Deadline: 08/24/2026
• Number of Positions Available: 1
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 300 Hours

Stewards Individual Placements
Stewards Individual Placements, a division of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural and cultural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to build institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health.

Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE)
The Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) is a bureau within the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI). Established in 1977 under the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), OSMRE's primary mission is to ensure that coal mining activities are conducted in an environmentally responsible manner and that the land is restored to beneficial use following mining operations. The office provides oversight and assistance to state and tribal regulatory programs, promotes reclamation of abandoned mine lands, and supports research and training to improve reclamation techniques. OSMRE is committed to balancing the nation's need for coal as an energy source with the need to protect and restore the environment.

City of Smithers and Coal Camp Heritage Museum
The City of Smithers was incorporated in 1938, combining for governance six coal camps along the Upper Kanawha River and later growing with other contiguous properties annexed, to provide for the public good through policing, street repair, cleanups, business and occupational tax collections, ordinances, economic development initiatives, and other tasks commonly expected of municipal government.

Smithers has acquired preliminary plans to build a combined Visitor Center and Coal Camp Heritage Museum.

Position Role
Stewards Individual Placements, in partnership with the City of Smithers, is seeking an AmeriCorps Member to help envision the Coal Camp Heritage Museum installation, and assist in the collection and research for museum exhibits.

The Coal Camp Heritage Museum will exhibit historical photographs, artifacts, interpretive signage, etc. The museum exhibits will especially be dedicated to portraying the life of coal miners and their families who once inhabited six former coal camps upon which Smithers was incorporated. Additionally, the exhibits will highlight about 5,000 acres of strip-mined former coal company property, now owned and managed by the West Virginia Land Trust just on the outskirts of Smithers.

Description of Duties:
To achieve the goals of this position, the AmeriCorps Member will:

• Meet and interview city staff and community members and other stakeholders for their ideas and outline recommendations for the museum
• Develop content for museum displays
• Respond to inquiries and requests from visitors, and museum collaborators to continue to move project forward

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Be 18 years of age or older at the start of the term
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Able to commit to 10 weeks of service
• Has the ability to drive, with an insurable driving history
• Strong interest in and experience related to museum exhibits and development

Preferred Qualifications and Skills

• Undergraduate degree preferred, but not required
• Self-starter with the ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Strong interest in history
• Strong writing and communication skills
• Museum planning and exhibit development experience preferred

Our Commitment:
Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday - Friday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term
• OSMRE Members are part of a cohort and meet virtually online on a bi-weekly basis; the OSMRE cohort space is established for OSMRE Members to collaborate and support one another on various projects, while also discussing various personal and professional development topics

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1565.08 pre-tax
• Stipend of $800 per week, pre-tax ($700 Living Allowance + $100 Additional Benefit)
• $1000 Relocation Benefit ($500 issued at start of term, $500 issued upon successful completion at end of term)
• Access to all member and alumni benefits of Conservation Legacy
• Opportunity to make a HUGE impact on your community
• Service opportunities can help propel your career forward with intentional experience and professional connections
• OSMRE Members have opportunities to connect and collaborate with other OSMRE Members in the bi-weekly virtual OSMRE Cohort space

Evaluation and Reporting:
As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking.

Application, Resume and Cover Letter:
To apply, please click on the green "apply" button in the top right corner of the page. In addition to uploading your resume to this application, please also upload and attach a cover letter. In your cover letter, please note your interest and qualifications in the position.

Recruiter & Program Coordinator Contact Information:
Susie Schroer
Stewards Individual Placements Program Coordinator
sschroer@conservationlegacy.org
970-317-9131

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.