Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Midwest Region Office, Omaha, Nebraska

Can this position be fully remote: Yes

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 05/19/2025

End Date: 05/18/2026

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 upon successful completion of position.
  • Living Allowance of $665.00 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).
  • For 52-week-long positions only:
    • Healthcare Coverage
    • Childcare Coverage

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 Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist with work that relates to many wildlife populations, which are known or thought to be declining around the world, and there are varying degrees of information available on both the causes of these declines and the possible management actions that could improve conservation efforts. The NPS Midwest Region wants to better enable future conservation of at-risk species through identification of species thought to be at greatest risk of decline in our 64 parks. This effort is expected to be ongoing beyond the term of this position, but the initial SIP will be instrumental in developing our baseline information hub and bioinformatics/summary code. The resulting effort is expected to improve the information available to NPS natural resource managers, and should improve our ability to focus resources on those species for which we can have the greatest impact on their persistence.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

This SIP position will support development of an At-risk Species information hub for the NPS Midwest Region. The project will compile and summarize existing resources related to species identified through (1) Federal and state-listed Threatened & Endangered Species, and (2) State, Regional, conservation NGO, and other lists of species of conservation concern. The SIP will work with the NPS regional Wildlife Biologist, Inventory & Monitoring Networks and data managers, park natural resources staff, and external conservation groups as needed to compile information for this project. The SIP will create data visualizations using GIS, program R, Power BI, and/or similar software. These products are expected to help NPS natural resources managers in prioritizing wildlife monitoring and conservation actions, and identify knowledge gaps that could be targeted with future research.


KEYWORDS: data visualization, at-risk species, landscape conservation, data management,

DELIVERABLES

Deliverables will be determined based on park and regional priorities in coordination with NPS staff, and may be scaled or tailored to the SIP’s unique abilities. Regular development of materials will be incorporated into an internal SharePoint site that will serve as the region's 'At-risk Species Information Hub'. Other potential deliverables include development of programming code that summarizes park/ecoregion-specific priority species lists or data associated with those species, story mapping of recent historical or ongoing wildlife conservation projects in parks, or creating written summaries/briefs of conservation actions for high-priority species of conservation need.


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 52 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The applicant should have a solid background in biological sciences and/or natural resource management (Bachelor’s degree or equivalent; current or recent M.S. preferred but not required), experience in software programming (minimally program R). The applicant should have an interest in compiling information from a variety of resources and summarizing those data/information in a brief/aesthetic environment to facilitate education of the users (i.e., NPS natural resources staff). Strong organizational abilities, coding, and excellent written communication skills are essential, as are a collaborative spirit and an enthusiasm for wildlife conservation. Experience developing visual communication and outreach products is key, such as creating a variety of data summary plots/graphs/charts.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

This position is a fully remote term from anywhere in the U.S. You must have access to a reliable internet connection for this work, and it may require periodically working with large data downloads.


VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant will not need to drive a government vehicle.
  • A personal vehicle is not required for this position.

HOUSING

Park housing is NOT available. The member will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area. This position is a fully remote term from anywhere in the U.S.


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 Midwest Region Office will host a Ecology 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!”

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