POSITION DETAILS
Position Title: Biology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Inventory and Monitoring Division, San Francisco Bay Area Network, Point Reyes Station, California
Can this position be fully remote: No
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 05/05/2025
End Date: 07/28/2025
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hour
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.00 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 provide crucial support for the annual monitoring mission of the SFAN team. These data are invaluable for tracking changes over time and will be analyzed and used in decisions regarding park restoration and management projects. These data will also prove useful in studies of climate change in the Bay Area.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The San Francisco Bay Area Inventory and Monitoring Network manages 13 long-term ecological monitoring programs across 5 National Parks, including Point Reyes National Seashore, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument, Pinnacles National Park and John Muir National Historic Site. The purpose of these monitoring programs is to track the status and health of park ecosystems in the region. This member will be part of the Plant Community Monitoring team working as part of a 2-person crew to revisit permanent plots throughout the Network parks, identify plants within several different habitats, and carry out a range of standard plant community monitoring techniques. Duties include:
1. Utilizing dichotomous keys to identify vascular plant species.
2. Navigating to known locations using maps/compass and handheld GPS devices.
3. Collecting and preparing voucher specimens for herbaria.
4. Collecting high-quality tabular data to be used for restoration planning, vegetation monitoring, etc.
5. Organizing data in spreadsheets, databases, and reports.
6. Entering data in Microsoft Access and performing QA/QC.
7. Assisting in planning of daily field work.
KEYWORDS: fieldwork, monitoring, long-term, ecology, botany
DELIVERABLES
The member will assist in the creation of annual reports for the Plant Community Monitoring Program. This will consist of a data summary for each community type visited over the course of the season and a discussion of observations made in the field. The member will also have the opportunity to carry out a small independent project while conducting work duties. Project topics can be wide ranging and can include outputs such as data analyses, data collection resources, botanical field guides, science communication products, and more.
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 12 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
A bachelor’s degree is recommended but not required, as is some experience working outdoors. Plant identification skills and knowledge of dichotomous keys will be very helpful skills. Positive attitude and teamwork/leadership skills are also desired. A willingness to learn and use handheld GPS and map-and-compass navigation skills will be crucial for accessing sites. Members will need a good level of fitness to be able to travel on and off-trail with heavy packs to field sites and spend up to 10 hours in the field in all sorts of weather conditions.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Physical/Natural Environment: The member will be based at the Marin Headlands of Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Marin Headlands is located just north of the Golden Gate Bridge outside of San Francisco. The office is a 5-minute walk to Rodeo beach, with weather ranging from cool foggy days to mild sunny days.
Work Environment: Work will be heavily field based. Field sites are located in remote areas of the parks between 0.5 and 3 miles from a main trail or road. However, some work may also occur near busy roadsides or popular trails. When in the field, the member will be subject to uneven terrain, ticks, poison oak (those with strong reactions should know that exposure is frequent and sometimes unavoidable), strong winds, and other inclement weather. Members will need to carry between 20 and 30 lb of gear on any given day. This position requires daily vehicle commuting to field sites and will include one or more camping trips to Pinnacles National Park. When not in the field, the member will be in a typical shared office space or working remotely with a government laptop.
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. Furnished park housing may be available. Depending on which housing unit has availability, the member will have a private room in a shared co-ed house or may have their own private apartment. Kitchens are supplied with dishes/pans. The member will need to bring all personal items including toiletries, laundry detergent, pillows, and linens. Housing has wifi, but there is limited or no cell service at park housing units. In the event that park housing is unavailable, the standard monthly rate for a private room in a shared house in Marin County is $1,300.
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 Inventory and Monitoring Division, San Francisco Bay Area 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!”