Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Geomorphology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Yosemite National Park, El Portal, Colorado

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 06/16/2025

End Date: 11/03/2025

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.00 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 Geomorphology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist with the physical/geological sciences at Yosemite National Park. Meadow systems make up a very small percentage of the total land cover in the Sierra Nevada, yet they host extremely high levels of biodiversity and productivity. They are also very vulnerable to disturbance, and many meadows in the Sierra have become degraded from past grazing pressure, farming, and development. This project ultimately contributes to protection of these systems by evaluating stream health through riparian meadow systems, which is an indicator of meadow condition and often the initial area of meadows that responds to stressors. This project also provides Yosemite staff with baseline data to assess future changes to meadow systems from a changing climate.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent will join a small field crew surveying streams in subalpine and alpine meadow areas in Yosemite National Park over the course of a pilot summer. They will test a new stream geomorphology assessment method meant to determine if streams are anthropogenically impacted, by either localized or more diffused and systemic stressors. This methodology was created over the past two years by University of California at Santa Barbara professors and associates, and assesses morphologic, vegetative, and structural diagnostic indicators within the stream channel to quantify the stream sensitivity to change, lateral activity, and channel instability. The field crew will train with UC Santa Barbara and NPS staff early in the season to learn the new protocol, then test it at monitoring sites throughout Yosemite. This pilot year will be used to gather baseline data for highly sensitive sites that will likely adjust to changing temperature and precipitation regimes under climate change. The incumbent will have a chance to substantially contribute to refinement of the methodology and will gain a greater understanding of the myriad of stream geomorphology assessment methods that are currently used by a variety of nonprofit organizations and land management agencies. The incumbent will be required to backpack up to 16 miles/day carrying a 40lb pack to beautiful remote field sites.


KEYWORDS: geomorphology, stream, river, riparian, hydrology, fluvial, substrate, bank erosion, deposition

DELIVERABLES

Stream survey data, final dynamic stability scores, short report or presentation to other staff and public.


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 20 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The applicant must have completed an undergraduate degree in the physical or earth sciences or have substantial experience in either field. Current or recent graduate students are strongly encouraged to apply. The applicant should be able to work well independently both in the office and in the field and have a strong interest in stream ecology and/or stream geomorphology. The applicant should be able or be willing to train to be able to backpack 16 miles/day carrying a 40 lb backpack, and be comfortable working on slippery surfaces in moving water.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

Natural Environment: Yosemite National Park is famous for its soaring cliffs, spectacular waterfalls, deep glacial valleys, and rugged wilderness. Yosemite Valley includes such geologic landmarks as Half Dome, El Capitan, and Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America. The elevation of the park ranges from 2,127 ft. in the western foothills to 13,114 ft. at the crest of the range. Yosemite National Park is in the center of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which were formed during two phases of mountain building. The Yosemite landscape consists of primarily granitic rocks with sparse metamorphic roof pendants. Small glaciers and snowfields still cling to the highest peaks and feed clear rushing creeks and rivers. The 11,000 feet of altitudinal variation in the park supports a wide variety of life forms.

Amenities: Mariposa, the nearest community, has a large grocery store, hospital, public library, etc. Smaller versions of these facilities are also located in Yosemite Valley. Fresno (~90 miles away) is the nearest large (university) town with a full range of amenities, including Fresno-Yosemite International Airport. Yosemite National Park has almost unlimited hiking, snowshoeing, and backcountry skiing opportunities in the winter, and has a myriad of hiking, backpacking, and climbing locations in the spring and summer


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. Park housing consists of a shared government apartment or house in El Portal, located approximately one mile from the member's main duty station. The lodging is equipped with kitchen and bathroom facilities, twin bed frame and nightstand, drawers, living room furniture, dining room table, and coin laundry. Members will need to bring personal bedding, towels, and cookware. El Portal is a small community of approximately 600 people, most of whom work for Yosemite National Park. The town is located in the Merced River Canyon, and can experience extreme heat during the summer. Most residents take advantage of the myriad of swimming holes located next to town to offset the high temperatures.


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 Yosemite National Park will host a Geomorphology 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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