Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Biology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Cumberland Piedmont Network, Mammoth Cave, Kentucky

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 2

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 36 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 05/04/2025

End Date: 01/11/2026

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,176.00 upon successful completion of position.
  • Living Allowance of $565.00 per week.
  • Relocation Allowance of $400.00 distributed as a one-time lump sum.
  • Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly).
    • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly).

APPLICATION TIMELINE

The position will close after receiving 75 applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, 19 January, 2025, whichever occurs first. The review of applications will begin after Sunday, 19 January, 2025.

PURPOSE

This Biology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist with the biological sciences for the ​​NPS Cumberland Piedmont Network. This work will jointly benefit the Inventory and Monitoring Program as well as the Science and Natural Resources Program of the National Park Service (NPS). These positions will benefit the environment by aiding the NPS with the inventory and monitoring of natural resources on multiple park units within the South Atlantic Gulf Region. The positions will also include a variety of tasks related to monitoring of natural resources, such as: water quality, air quality, vegetation, and/or wildlife.​

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

​​The members’ primary responsibility will be assisting with analysis of imagery, data entry, and fieldwork related to the monitoring of cave vital signs (cave crickets/cave bats/cave aquatic biota) using established methods. This involves navigating to caves, helping setup equipment, recording data, reviewing/scanning field forms, and analyzing images and videos. The members’ secondary responsibility will be assisting crews with monitoring forest vegetation, rare plants, ozone foliar injury, and invasive species early detection. This involves navigating to sites, setting up plots, recording data, and reviewing/scanning field forms. Other member opportunities may include but are not limited to 1) working with a large aquatic insect collection that is almost complete but needs loose ends tied (e.g., assigning specimens a catalog number, labeling, inputting their associated data into Microsoft Excel); 2) working with plant specimens entering data, applying labels, taking photos and 3) water quality monitoring. The water quality monitoring project schedule for this year includes 6 of our 14 parks. One of the parks is Mammoth Cave NP and is monitored monthly. The other 5 parks, located in North and South Carolina, are monitored consecutively in a week’s time on a quarterly basis. Members would record data and assist the sampler.


KEYWORDS: ​​Cave Cricket Monitoring, Cave Bats Monitoring, Forest Vegetation Monitoring, Cave Aquatic Biota Monitoring, Water Quality Monitoring, Natural History Collections, Museum Curation, field and office work​

DELIVERABLES

​​Data values are correctly and legibly recorded on field data sheets; digital data entry is also used in the field but is protocol-dependent. Data sheets are returned to office and processed according to standard operating procedures. Images and other data are accurately processed as described in the standard operating procedures. Produce complete labeled insect/plant specimens with Excel spreadsheet of associated data. Regularly communicate with network staff on activities, accomplishments, and challenges. Near conclusion of position, members provide a summary of accomplishments and recommendations to network staff. Work cooperatively with other field crew members, network and park staff in the advancement of the network’s inventory and monitoring goals. Maintain a safe working environment.​


QUALIFICATIONS

  • United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
  • Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award.
  • Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the NPS site location.
  • The applicant must be available to participate for 36 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
​​Members may be a student or college graduate who have a strong interest in or experience in ecology, biology, or related natural resource fields. This qualification is relevant because students with a biological career-track, or cavers, are generally less afraid of insects and crew members participating in cave cricket sampling events will be intimately involved with relatively large, long-legged insects. Members involved with data collection or recording must be detail-oriented and must write legibly. Members will need to analyze images/videos. Members should be able to work in conditions of heat, humidity, cold, rain, snow, darkness, biting/stinging insects, and venomous snakes. Members should also be capable of making long, off-trail bushwhacking trips into remote caves in rugged terrain and often after sunset. Members should be comfortable working in remote areas and possess strong organizational skills, as data collection methodologies can be complex at times. Experience with monitoring and/or identification of plants in the southeastern U.S. is a plus. It is recommended but not required to be able to identify insects to the taxonomic rank of Order. Must be able to work as part of a team and independently. Experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access data entry, and R is helpful. This position will likely include occasional out-of-state overnight travel to various NPS units.​

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

​​The Cumberland Piedmont Network (CUPN) is stationed at Mammoth Cave National Park (MACA), which is located in rural south-central Kentucky and includes the longest known cave system in the world. In addition to the cave, the park affords many recreational opportunities including fishing, canoeing/kayaking, birding, and hiking. The temperature from May to January can range from the teens to 95 degrees with moderate humidity. The cities of Louisville, KY and Nashville, TN are an approximate 1.5-hour drive from the park. Small towns near the park include Cave City and Park City, KY. Larger towns are Glasgow (~ 30 min) and Bowling Green (~40 min.), which includes Western Kentucky University. Most of the work will take place on MACA, but the CUPN includes 13 other park units across 8 southeastern states. Depending on the project, monitoring in 2025 is scheduled to occur in up to 7 of these other units. Thus, some overnight travel will be expected. Hikes to monitoring sites often occur over uneven terrain and can approach 2 miles. Main precautions are trips/falls, ticks, poison ivy, and venomous snakes.​


VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
  • A personal vehicle is recommended for this position.

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. ​​There are two options for housing: either a private apartment (with potential for a roommate if housing is limited) or a house with a private room but shared common areas. Each unit has all necessary appliances and furniture. Tenants should bring personal items such as bedding, toiletries, supplies, food, etc.​


HOW TO APPLY

Apply online, all Scientists in Parks positions are listed at: https://conservation-legacy.breezy.hr/. Complete the application for this position, highlighting why you are interested in the position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. Be prepared to upload your resume and unofficial transcript as part of completing the application questionnaire.

Once you begin applying for a position, the application must be completed in one sitting. You cannot save and return later to complete it. Applicants can apply for up to five Scientists in Parks positions per season. You need to complete a separate application for each position in order to be considered. You should receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting an application. Sometimes institutional email filters/settings can redirect or block emails related to the application. We recommend watching spam, junk, and promotional email folders in case your email service delivers messages there. Please visit How to Apply for additional resources and information about applying (i.e., learn what materials to have ready for applying, find a worksheet that previews application questions, etc.). Learn more about Scientists in Parks at: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/.


ADDITIONAL DETAILS


PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional 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. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions.


TIME REQUIREMENTS

  • This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary.
  • Lunch breaks will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hours.
  • Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

ORIENTATION AND TRAINING

  • Orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
  • Pertinent training from the NPS site location throughout the term of service.
  • Access to free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff or the Ecological Society of America.
  • Opportunity to join one (or more) SIP Affinity Groups. Groups include: DEIJ Change Makers, Women+ in Science, BIPOC, or Pride in STEM.
  • Opportunity to present the outcomes from the SIP position at national scientific meetings held by the Ecological Society of America and Geological Society of America.

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.


Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership with the Cumberland Piedmont Network will host a Biology Assistant.


Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements.


If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact us!”

%FOOTER_POWERED_BY%breezy