Open VISTA Positions

Build professional nonprofit skills while building community! The Mercy Corps Northwest VISTA Program seeks applicants passionate about economic justice to join a cohort of AmeriCorps VISTA members in a year of national service.

Mercy Corps Northwest VISTAs oversee projects that build the long-term capacity of their communities through financial education, job skills training, microenterprise & asset development, affordable housing, homeless services, food security, and disaster preparedness. While the programs VISTAs develop endure for years, VISTA members perform only indirect service; interaction with clients will be limited and the member will spend the majority of their time in an office setting. However, VISTA offers the opportunity to gain advanced project management skills and exercise creativity in implementing a program—skills highly desired by employers.

Please note: VISTAs serving with the Mercy Corps Northwest cohort are placed in different non-profits around Oregon & Washington State. Most positions are located in the Portland Metro Area, but a few are located in Washington and Central Oregon. Please check the location of the specific position before applying and note that in some cases, rural sites may require that you have reliable transportation. 

Since VISTA has unique benefits and requirements, prospective applicants are advised to review the FAQ’s on our VISTA program. More details on pay and benefits is located there.  

All VISTA positions for the August 2020-21 cohort have been filled. Please check back again in December 2020, when we will start recruitment for our March 2021-22 VISTA cohort! 

Eligibility and Qualifications for Service with our AmeriCorps VISTA Team:

To be eligible for VISTA service, a candidate must:

• Be 18 years or older (no upper age limit)
• Pass a national service criminal history check
• Hold one of the following citizenship or legal residency statuses: US citizen, US National, Lawful Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card status), and persons legally residing within a state. Examples of persons legally residing within a state may include those holding the following classifications: refugee, asylee, temporary protected status throughout VISTA service, and holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Desired Skills and Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to community/public service
• Intercultural communication skills and experience working within diverse communities
• Preference given to those with lived experience in economically diverse environments 
• Strong volunteer/community service experience
• High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor’s degree, or 4 years of relevant work experience, or a combination preferred
• Strong interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills 
• Proven ability to solve problems and be flexible
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate and work well in a team environment 
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Drive preferred

Please note: VISTA positions may have their own specific skills and qualifications not shown in the list above. Please see more details on skills and qualifications for specific VISTA positions once posted. 

Benefits:

AmeriCorps VISTAs serving with the Mercy Corps Northwest cohort receive several benefits including a living allowance, an end of service benefit, and a $4,000 MCNW supplemental benefit. For the full list, please check out the benefits section of our FAQ.