Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Paleontology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Carlsbad, New Mexico

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 09/08/2025

End Date: 09/07/2026

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 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).
  • 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 Paleontology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will address instructions and mandates in NPS Management Policies (2006) and the 2009 Paleontological Resource Preservation Act concerning the stewardship of paleontological resources through inventorying, monitoring, management, protection, research, education, and outreach. Fossils are irreplaceable and non-renewable resources; there are a finite number of fossil specimens for any given extinct species, and that number is always decreasing as specimens are destroyed by erosion or illegally collected. The ability of CAVE Natural Resource personnel to manage its vertebrate paleontological resources is limited by incomplete data regarding the presence, distribution, condition, and significance of those resources; these gaps in information also lead to an incomplete understanding of threats to those resources. Completion of this project will provide the framework for a program to identify and protect rare paleontological resources, and to make them available for public interpretation and scientific study. This project will also address a significance statement included in CAVE’s 2017 Foundation Document concerning the use of fossil resources to understand past environments and climates at CAVE. A thorough understanding of the geologically recent fauna of CAVE, which includes a mix of extant, extinct, and locally extirpated species, is not only of interest for paleontology, but also for understanding how climate change has affected the ecosystem at the park and how the ecosystem may respond in the future. This in turn has implications for restoration and resilience efforts directed at CAVE's natural resources.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The proposed position is part of a larger project to document paleontological sites in caves at Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CAVE). Of the 55 recorded caves with paleontological resources at the park, 49 have not been inventoried. The participant will have a variety of duties, responsibilities, and tasks pertaining to this inventory project. Planned components of this project include: documenting, mapping, photographing, and identifying paleontological resources in caves; conducting fossil condition assessments of cave sites; creating a geodatabase of cave fossil sites; creating a digital fossil archive; curating and identifying collected specimens; and making fossils resources available for interpretation, education, and scientific study through displays, photogrammetry, and interpretive programs. Two participants are being recruited for this project. Duties and responsibilities will be divided according to the participants’ skills and interests, with the focus on the cave field study component.


KEYWORDS: cave paleontology, paleontological resource management

DELIVERABLES

The primary deliverables will be an inventory report and paleontological resource condition assessment report. The participant will also participate in the creation of: an integrated GIS geodatabase; an integrated photographic database; and 3D images of significant fossils.


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
Applicants should be advanced undergraduate or graduate students whose educational background and career objectives are in paleontology. Applicants must have experience in both horizontal caving and vertical caving techniques (SRT), and be able to safely and confidently utilize those skills in the field. They must have experience surveying caves and reading and using cave maps, and should be comfortable hiking cross-country in a rugged mountain environment and traversing cave environments. Knowledge and experience in paleontology / geology field methods, geologic mapping, cave mapping, and geospatial data acquisition are important aspects of this position. Experience with photogrammetry, museum collections, and / or education and outreach would be useful for secondary facets of the project. Applicants should have a demonstrated interest in cave conservation and the leave-no-trace policy. Applicants should be able to work well independently and as part of a team, both in the office and in the field with little supervision, and possess good writing and computer skills. Prior to starting this position a government security background clearance will be required.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

Carlsbad Caverns National Park (CAVE) is located in the Guadalupe Mountains, SE NM. Limestone and accompanying dolomites and siltstones from a Permian reef comprise the strata in which 120+ caves are formed. The park’s caves contain a huge abundance and diversity of speleothems including many rare and unique formations. Genesis by sulfuric acid dissolution differentiates the caves of CAVE from most of the other caves in the world. On the surface CAVE is incised with deep rugged canyons with dramatic karst spires and cliffs. The park's desert landscape is dominated by sparse shrubs, grass, and cacti providing a home to diverse wildlife. Summers in the park are hot and dry. There is frequent rain in the early fall, with occasional snow and ice in the winter. From CAVE it is a 35-minute drive to Carlsbad, NM, the nearest town with groceries and other goods and services. Carlsbad has a permanent population of 32,000 and is the base for two National Parks, a National Forest, two State Parks, and over 3 million acres of BLM land, all offering a variety of outdoor related activity opportunities. Work will primarily be in the field with some office work. A desk and computer will be provided for office work. Field sites will be accessed by vehicle, with extensive hiking required for some sites. Field work will involve both strenuous horizontal caving and the use of vertical caving techniques (SRT). Underground conditions vary with temperatures up to 68F with high humidity. Potential job-site hazards include weather, rattlesnakes, entry into caves, and riding ATVs and UTVs. Participant may be required to wear a respirator (training and fit-test will be provided). Work schedule will be flexible to accommodate long days of fieldwork, with a maximum of 40 hours per week.


VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

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

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. Government housing will be provided at Carlsbad Caverns National Park at no cost to the participant. Housing will be in a historic multi-occupancy house. Housing includes a kitchen equipped with appliances (refrigerator, freezer, oven, stove, microwave), and a bathroom with shower. Minimal cookware is provided. Participants will need to bring their own bedding and towels. There are on-site laundry facilities. TV and internet access are not provided. No guests and no pets are allowed in this housing. Groceries and other goods and services are located in Carlsbad, NM, a 35 minute drive from housing.


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 Carlsbad Caverns National Park will host a Paleontology 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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