Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Biological Resource Division, Crater Lake National Park, Death Valley National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Great Lakes Network, Intermountain Region Office, Inventory and Monitoring Division, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Pacific West Region Office, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park, Bozeman, Montana

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: 05/04/2025

End Date: 05/03/2026

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 in a variety of ways: the National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. Many recent advancements in technology and the understanding of climate change are making it easier and more efficient to meet the NPS mission in the face of continuous environmental change. Collaboration with scientists and resource stewards across the range of whitebark pine has demonstrated increased efficacy with restoration methods. Informed restoration efforts can increase targeting resource allocation and requests, in turn increase success with in situ restoration. This project will support landscape-scale restoration initiatives for whitebark pine utilizing collaboration, new monitoring techniques, data collection and analyses, and sharing of updated methodologies. The member will develop organization and communication skills applied to large groups of practitioners, test and refine new restoration monitoring methods, practice field data collection and analyses, and present results in written and oral formats. This work is critical for this threatened species and can be applied to other five needle pine species that are experience similar threats.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Whitebark pine is a federally-protected threatened tree (USFWS, 2023) as well as an important keystone species in high elevation montane systems. Whitebark pine often grows in places inhospitable to other vegetation, but once established, it creates habitat favorable to other species enabling forest succession to occur and stimulates subalpine diversity. Whitebark pine have been declining in recent years across most of its range primarily due to non-native white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle outbreaks, increased severity and frequency of fire, and indirect effects from a changing climate. Extensive efforts are underway to restore whitebark pine stands across its range primarily focused on planting rust-resistant seeds and seedlings. This Scientist-in-Parks project will help to advance collaboration amongst scientists and restoration practitioners, lead restoration working group activities, and test new effectiveness monitoring methods to best understand the success of restoration efforts and adapt those efforts to ensure success. This member will work in parks capitalizing on existing data while participating in data collection, data management, and data analyses to inform managers of best restoration practices. The individual will apply a recently developed Society for Ecological Restoration's Ecological Recovery Wheel for whitebark pine in the National Park Service. Outcomes from this project will be shared with others across the whitebark pine community.


KEYWORDS: analyses, climate sensitivity & vulnerability & adaptability geospatial, restoration planning, whitebark pine

DELIVERABLES

This project will require the SIP to demonstrate leadership of working group of restoration practitioners and ecologists, collection of data from field sites, analyses of the data, evaluation of the monitoring protocols, and presentation of the results. This project will complete microsite vulnerability reports for 10 Intermountain and Pacific West Regional park complexes affecting 15 park units. Whitebark pine vulnerability assessments will be provided to parks as well as a remote workshop for park staff which will assist with training park practitioners in understanding and interpreting model products and how this information can inform planned restoration efforts in whitebark pine habitat to reduce vulnerability to climate change and associated direct and indirect stressors.


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
A completed M.S. or PhD in ecology, geography, hydrology, natural resource management or related field. Strong writing, and oral communication skills. A keen interest in climate change impacts, modeling and climate adaptation in addition to computer modeling and experience in ArcGIS. The SIP candidate should be interested and capable of field work, and able to work independently and as part of team. Backcountry hiking and camping experience is desired,but not required.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

This a combined computer-based and field work position that is focused on coordination, leadership, data collection, and analyses that can be done partially remote, partially field based. Field work will entail testing new monitoring methods for restoration of whitebark pine, ground-truthing models and restoration methods. Field work requires hiking in a variety of high elevation terrain on steep rocky slopes in forests with variable weather conditions, in wilderness and remote areas. Work may include travel to several national parks.


VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant must have a valid driver's license 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. The member will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area if they chose to move to the work site.


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 Biological Resource Division, Crater Lake National Park, Death Valley National Park, Glacier National Park, Grand Teton National Park, Great Lakes Network, Intermountain Region Office, Inventory and Monitoring Division, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Pacific West Region Office, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Park 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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