Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Planning Assistant (DHA) - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Denver Service Center, Denver, Colorado

Can this position be fully remote: Yes

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 05/19/2025

End Date: 08/08/2025

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.00 upon successful completion of position.
  • Living Allowance of $760.00 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 Planning Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will support wilderness stewardship and climate change adaptation efforts across the NPS. The Assistant’s work on creating an inventory of wilderness measures to analyze the effectiveness of these measures in terms of preserving wilderness qualities. The Planning Assistant’s efforts on climate integration support would result in updates to existing guidance (e.g. P4CC Workbook for Planners), one or more virtual CoP sessions related to climate integration in planning. Additionally, the position will assist with a variety of planning projects related to natural resource management. Throughout this work, the Planning Assistant will think about natural resource management through the NEPA process and will support important components of this work (that contribute to planning efforts, more broadly).

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Position Summary: The member would serve as a Planning Assistant that will support the National Park Service (NPS) Denver Service Center (DSC) Planning Division by providing a combination of direct support to planning teams assisting with key planning efforts across multiple park units, as well as supporting wilderness planning and climate change integration in planning more broadly.

Duties and Responsibilities: Planning Project Assistance: Contribute to a variety of planning projects led by the DSC Planning Division, including Resource Stewardship Strategies (RSSs), Backcountry and Wilderness Plans, Visitor Use Management (VUM) plans, and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance documents. Planning support may involve supporting planning teams with targeted deliverables such as planning newsletters, PowerPoint Presentations, flyers, SharePoint content, recurring meeting notes, and other items directly related to individual planning efforts. Wilderness Planning Support: Support the NPS Wilderness Character Monitoring (WCM) program by developing an inventory of past WCM efforts and working with parks to understand the effectiveness of the WCM program. Develop the inventory of wilderness measures (sorted by individual wilderness quality) from previously completed Wilderness Stewardship Plans (WSPs) and Wilderness Baseline Character Assessments. Independently review these documents and potentially follow up with select parks to gauge the effectiveness of wilderness measures for WCM. Climate Change Integration Support: Support the DSC Planning Division’s Community of Practice (CoP) by partnering with DSCP staff to organize a climate change integration session and inviting informative guest speakers relevant to the topic area. Develop and distribute a year-end survey to assess progress on climate integration in planning and analyze the results. Compile examples of how NPS Resource Stewardship Strategies (RSSs) reflect climate change in goals and activities, particularly how parks respond to climate impacts. Support potential updates to the “P4CC Workbook for Planners” to enhance climate resilience in planning efforts. At the end of the position, the Planning Assistant would be invited to share out a summary presentation of their experience to the DSC Planning Division.


KEYWORDS: Planning, Climate, Wilderness, NEPA, Resource Stewardship

DELIVERABLES

The Planning Assistant will gain valuable exposure to a broad array of NPS planning efforts, and contribute several key deliverables and work products along the way. They will develop a comprehensive inventory of wilderness stewardship measures from Wilderness Stewardship Plans and Wilderness Character Baseline Assessments. Additionally, they potentially follow up with select parks to assess the effectiveness of these measures and provide a summary report of their findings. The Assistant will also organize a climate change integration session for the Community of Practice (CoP), coordinating guest speakers and preparing session materials, with a follow-up summary of key takeaways for planners. To assess climate change integration efforts within the DSC Planning Division, the Assistant will distribute a questionnaire and analyze the results, delivering a report with recommendations. They will also compile a library of examples showing how Resource Stewardship Strategies (RSSs) integrate climate change, providing a valuable reference for future planning. Furthermore, they will assist in refining the P4CC Workbook to better support climate change integration. Lastly, the Planning Assistant will support various planning projects, including RSSs, Backcountry and Wilderness Plans, Visitor Use Management (VUM) Plans, and NEPA compliance documents, contributing to planning documents across the National Park Service.


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.
  • Must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or PhD degree program at an accredited institution of higher education for the duration of the position and graduate after the completion of the position. Certificate programs do not qualify for DHA positions.
  • 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
The member must be currently enrolled in a graduate or PhD degree program at an accredited institution of higher education during the summer position. The member should be seeking an advanced degree in natural resources, natural resources management, natural resources planning, resource management and policy, or similar fields. The member should be interested in wilderness management, climate change adaptation research and application, and planning. The ideal candidate is highly motivated, a good writer and communicator, and enjoys working in a highly collaborative team environment. The candidate should have an interest in pursuing a career with a federal land management agency focusing on management planning, policy, and resource management.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

Remote Office with potential to travel to a park for a workshop.


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. Position is remote.


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.

SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS
This is a Direct Hire Authority (DHA) Resource Assistant Intern position. Eligible participants must be enrolled in an undergraduate, graduate, or PhD degree program at an accredited institution of higher education for the duration of the position and graduate after the completion of the position. Certificate programs do not qualify for DHA positions. Upload an unofficial transcript from your current institution to help us verify your enrollment status when applying. To learn more about eligibility and benefits for DHA positions, read more on our program page.

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 Denver Service Center will host a Planning 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