The NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship Program places recent humanities PhDs with NPS sites and programs across the agency. In collaboration with NPS staff and partners, the incoming cohort of fifteen (15) Fellows will contribute to planning and preparation for America at 250, an initiative inspired by the semi-quincentennial of the Declaration of Independence. This event provides an opportunity for the NPS to tell a more inclusive story of the American past and present. The NPS is committed to exploring the full complexity of our history, even if that history is uncomfortable, contested, or erased. The humanities research supported by this Fellowship will expand these efforts, encouraging creative approaches to documentation, interpretation, and outreach.

This opportunity is supported by a generous grant from The Mellon Foundation through the National Park Foundation (NPF). The project is administered via a three-way agreement among NPS, National Park Foundation (NPF), and American Conservation Experience (ACE).

Job Title: National Historic Landmarks (NHL) Program Women's History Postdoctoral Fellow

Employer: American Conservation Experience (ACE)

Department: EPIC Program, National Park Service (NPS) Division

Location: Eligible for remote/telework flexibility. Preferred locations are the Washington, DC Metro area

Status: Temporary, Full-time, Exempt

Term: Position is fully funded through August 31, 2025

Start Date: September 2023

Host Description: The Fellowship is placed with the National Historic Landmarks Program. National Historic Landmarks are nationally significant historic places that have been found to possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating the history of the United States. There are just over 2,600 designated NHLs and they are owned by private citizens, organizations, corporations, tribal entities, or federal, state, or local governments. The National Park Service's NHL Program oversees the designation of NHLs through staff in the NPS's central office in Washington, DC, and in each of its seven regional offices. Designation of NHLs encourages the long-range preservation of these nationally significant properties, and their stories of nationally important historic events, places, and people, for all Americans.

ACE is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities for young adults and emerging professionals of all backgrounds to explore and improve public lands while gaining practical professional experience. The EPIC NPS Division works alongside the National Park Service across the United States, from Alaska to Puerto Rico, to support the NPS in its mission to "preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations" while providing career promoting individual placement opportunities.

Position Description: The NHL Program is seeking one postdoctoral fellow to contribute to research, interpretation and outreach, and educational and digital programming initiatives focused on increasing federal recognition of women's history through National Historic Landmark designations. The process of identifying and nominating NHLs often begins with NHL theme studies that provide a contextual framework to evaluate the relative significance of historic properties and determine which properties meet National Historic Landmark criteria. Working with NHL staff and mentors, the Fellow will play a critical role in developing a framework for a potential women's history NHL theme study or other guiding documents, and NHL nominations for nationally significant women's history sites. This work will build upon recent theme studies focused on labor history, LGBTQ history, Asian American and Pacific Islander history, Latino heritage, and Civil Rights history for African American, Native American, Latino, and AAPI people to emphasize an intersectional approach.

Each NPS Mellon Humanities Postdoctoral Fellow will complete work in four areas. Fellows will (1) perform project-based research; (2) share research results; (3) produce and substantially contribute to interpretive and educational products; and (4) pursue career-focused work.

1) Project-Based Research: Although there have been past women's history initiatives for the NHL program that produced NHL nominations, there has not been a comprehensive effort to prepare a women's history theme study or identify opportunities for new NHLs based on recent scholarship in women's history and gender studies. During year one, the Fellow will draw on their own expertise to conduct original research on potential women's history NHLs and assess opportunities for designations highlighting intersectionality as identified in recent theme studies. In year two, the Fellow will consult with their mentorship team, as well as other subject matter experts as needed, to propose a project for their second year.

2) Sharing Research Results: The Fellow will collaborate with their support team to share the results of their applied research with their hosts; cohort; the larger community of NPS staff and partners including NHL regional staff; the National Historic Landmarks Committee; and historic preservation partners including SHPOs; and property owners of current and potential NHLs.

The Fellow will be expected to develop and sustain connections with program-provided mentors and host staff, associated NPS staff, members of their Fellowship cohort, and other Fellows across the tenure of the program. In addition to being provided mentorship and support themselves, the Fellow will have the opportunity to mentor others and to enrich staff knowledge by organizing events such as virtual speaker series and presentations. Twice a year, the Fellow will participate with their cohort and other Fellows in a virtual conference for NPS staff and partners to provide updates about their research. The Fellow will be responsible for tracking and reporting accomplishments and for supplying copies of interpretive, educational, and research products to their host and to the National Coordinator.

3) Interpretive and Educational products: The Fellow will work with their mentors and support team to identify feasible interpretative and educational products informed by their research. Examples of potential interpretive and educational products developed for this fellowship opportunity include webinars, podcasts, or other programming on existing or potential women's history NHLs; authoring content on NPS.gov highlighting research findings; illustrated web features, infographics, or interactive maps presenting and assessing women's history NHLs.

4) Career-focused research and products: In consultation with their mentors, the Fellow will carry out a career-centered project. About 20 percent of the Fellowship will be dedicated to this scholarly work that advances the Fellow's career path. The Fellow will be supported by a team of experienced public historians to provide guidance on cultural resources career skills. In addition to NPS staff, the Fellow will also have an external mentor whose work addresses women's history/gender studies and/or historic preservation.

Essential Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Assess representation of women's history in existing NHL designations and previous NHL program women's history initiatives.
• Review and synthesize recent theme studies on labor history, LGBTQ history, Asian American and Pacific Islander history, Latino heritage, and Civil Rights history for African American, Native American, Latino, and AAPI people to identify potential women's history NHLs emphasizing intersectionality.
• Conduct original research on potential topics and properties for NHL designation.
• Assist with coordination of virtual programs to share research findings from this and other Mellon Humanities Fellowships with NPS staff, partner sites, SHPOs and other preservation professionals, and the public.
• Provide recommendations on women's history sites to consider for National Historic Landmark designation. Assist with the nomination process where appropriate.
• Assist with development of strategy or framework for a women's history NHL theme study or ongoing women's history initiative.

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• Must be a PhD in any field of the humanities or humanistic social sciences. Scholars who received or will receive their PhD between May 1, 2018, and August 15, 2023, are eligible to apply. For more information on eligibility, visit https://www.nationalparks.org/nps-mellon-humanities-postdoctoral-fellowship
• Subject matter expertise in women's history; gender studies; public history; or historic preservation.
• Excellent research, writing, and communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Skill in project planning, organization, time management; ability and desire to perform multiple concurrent and variable tasks.
• Strong organizational skills to keep track of workload, tasks, and interactions.

Other Requirements:

• Must be a US citizen or Permanent Resident, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts.
• Must be proficient in English.
• Must pass a federal criminal background check; Fellowship is also contingent upon a successful security background check with the NPS.
• Must be willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time
• Must verify that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 by the time they start their fellowship or request a medical or religious exemption.
• Must be willing to abide by a requirement to acknowledge The Mellon Foundation, the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, and American Conservation Experience, in any publications generated by this project.
• Must be willing to abide by federal policy that research results, publications, films, videos, artistic or similar endeavors resulting from the fellowship, other than the specifically career-focused work, will become the property of the United States, and as such, will be in the public domain and not subject to copyright laws.
• Consent to being photographed and to the release of such photographic images.

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears with or without assistive personnel and/or devices. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment with or without reasonable accommodations. May be occasionally required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch (all physical demands are required with or without reasonable accommodations). The National Park Service host will provide reasonable accommodations, if needed, to meet task assignments.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus. The National Park Service host will provide reasonable accommodations, if needed, to meet task assignments.
• Environmental: Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good, and temperature is controlled. This is describing both provided office spaces and home office spaces.
• Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic. This is describing both provided office spaces and home office spaces.
• Travel: This position requires domestic travel as needed for program duties.

Salary & Benefits:

Compensation: Starting annualized salary $65,000 with annualized COLA to $67,600 for Year 2 (40 hours/week for 52-weeks). Paid bi-weekly, a two-week pay period. Travel funding is provided, and Fellows will not be responsible for allowable/approved program travel. Each Fellow will receive an annual research fund of $3,000.

Medical/Health Benefits: ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision, flexible spending accounts, and other supplemental benefits). Fellows are also eligible to participate in ACE's 403b retirement plan, which includes a 1% employer contribution for participating, contributing staff.

Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As a Fellow, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment. Additionally, ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays and provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.

Additional Benefits: Outdoor Perks - As an ACE Fellow, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 - 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.

To Apply: Please submit: 1) a cover letter stating interest and vision for the Fellowship (letters may include a summary of the dissertation, a statement of personal research interests and plans, discussion of past engagement with public humanities, discussion of willingness to participate fully in NPS research and education programs); 2) a comprehensive curriculum vitae; 3) a writing sample accessible to the general public; 4) confirmation of Ph.D. award by August 15, 2023; and 5) names and contact information for 3 professional references.

Deadline to apply: The deadline to apply for this position is January 30, 2023, or until 75 applications have been received.

Questions about the application process should be sent to mellonhumanities@usaconservation.org

American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. ACE encourages all qualified individuals to apply and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected status, including veteran and disability status. ACE is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities under the ADA and provides the opportunity for employees to request reasonable accommodations during the hiring process.