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Friends of Acadia, Summit Steward
Acadia National Park, Bar Harbor, Maine
Compensation and hours: $15/hr, 40hrs/week
Service Periods:
Summer: June 1-August 21, 2021
(up to 4 positions available)
Summer/fall: June 1-November 6, 2021*
(up to 3 positions available)
Friends of Acadia is accepting Summit Steward applications for the 2021 field season. The Summit Stewards are
an interdisciplinary team that works alongside Acadia National Park staff to improve the visitor experience and
reduce visitor impacts in the park. Summit Stewards rove the trails of Acadia promoting Leave No Trace
stewardship, interpreting the natural and cultural resources, and performing trail maintenance to preserve trail
sustainability. Summit Stewards spend 3 days per week on trails and summits throughout the park and 2 days
per week on Cadillac Mountain’s trails and summit.
Interpretation and Education- 40% of work duties
1. Communicates well and works effectively with park visitors, members of the Summit Stewards team, and
Friends of Acadia (FOA) and Acadia National Park (ANP) staff while assisting with all assigned job duties.
2. Educates and assists visitors on Acadia’s trails and summits by: teaching Leave No Trace principles; sharing
the cultural and natural history of ANP through interpretive techniques; offering trail guidance, regulatory
information, first aid, water, maps, and information about FOA and ANP.
Trails Maintenance- 25% of work duties
3. Builds rock cairns and destroys misleading cairns and rock art (REQUIRES HEAVY LIFTING) and performs
small-scale trail maintenance such as: pruning, blocking social paths, picking up trash, repairing signs, etc.
Resource Management & Visitor Protection- 25% of work duties
4. Staffs Cadillac Mountain summit during midday and sunset once each per week, including times of
inclement weather, to perform all duties with an added component of traffic monitoring.
5. May conduct or distribute surveys for visitor use monitoring and research projects.
6. May be called upon to provide first aid and assist with ANP search and rescue operations.
Administration- 10% of work duties
7. Records daily patrol log of work activities and observations.
8. Assists coordinator with the formal Summit Steward presentation and end-of-season reporting.
9. Assists with ANP and FOA special events: parades, annual meeting, benefit, star party, etc.
10. Performs other duties as assigned.
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Desired Qualifications:
• Commitment to minimizing recreational impacts through following the Leave No Trace Principles.
• Knowledge of or willingness to learn about interpretation and education practices.
• Applicant should be timely, prepared for field work daily, and capable of managing their daily schedule.
• Passion for the preservation of National Parks and public lands, especially Acadia National Park.
• Familiarity with word processing and data entry.
• Flexibility to adapt to quickly changing work demands and schedules.
• Possess strong work ethic and ability to work independently and as a team.
Requirements:
• Motivation to engage and inspire visitors daily and excellent communication skills.
• Hiking or outdoor experience. Must be capable of hiking up to 10 miles per day wearing a pack, working in
inclement weather and on steep terrain, and lifting up to 50 pounds.
• Applicant must be available for the entire season.
• Valid Driver’s License and reliable vehicle for driving to job sites. Applicants will be expected to use their
own automobiles and will be reimbursed for mileage beyond their daily commute to park headquarters.
• First Aid and CPR Certifications.
• Must be able to attend the Leave No Trace Trainer course in June which may include one night of camping.
• Hired employees may be subjected to passing a federal background check.
Uniforms/Equipment: Summit Stewards maintain appearances consistent with Acadia National Park’s uniform
and grooming standards. Uniform shirts, jackets, hats, steel-toed boots, first aid kits, backpack, and personal
protective equipment are provided. Pants are not provided and must meet uniform standards.
Compensation: $15/hr paid every two weeks. Relocation and transportation stipends may be available upon
demonstrated need, please inquire with application. Hours: Shifts are regularly from 8 am – 4:30 pm, with one
sunset shift. Weekend work expected. Individuals will have 2 consecutive days off per week. Schedule requests
will be considered but not guaranteed. *Fall applicants must take off 5 unpaid workdays during the season, to
be scheduled with the coordinator.
Housing: Applicants will be expected to find their own housing on or near Mount Desert Island. Work
Environment: Most of the work is performed outdoors.
Application instructions: Submit cover letter (indicating preferred service period), resume, and references in a
single PDF document titled “[last name]_application” to stephley@friendsofacadia.org with “Summit Steward
Application” in the subject line by January 31, 2021. Call Friends of Acadia at (207) 288-3340 or 1-800-625-0321
with questions. Friends of Acadia is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Friends of Acadia is an independent nonprofit organization, founded in 1986. Its mission is to preserve the outstanding
natural beauty, ecological vitality and cultural distinctiveness of Acadia National Park and the surrounding communities,
and thereby to ensure high quality experiences for visitors and residents.
