Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Alaska Region Office, Anchorage, Alaska

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: 05/05/2025

End Date: 05/04/2026

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 $1,050.00 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 in which the member will play an important supporting role in accomplishing an improved understanding of high latitude systems, how these systems are changing with changing environmental conditions, and what can be done to improve resiliency. The position will also aid the NPS in fulfilling our role in collecting, documenting, and distributing critical geospatial information that can lead to improved management of freshwater habitats.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) are the lifeblood of much of Alaska, critical to the ecology, economy, and culture of the State. In the Yukon and Kuskokwim watersheds, for example, annual salmon returns have provided a primary source of food for Indigenous communities for millennia. However, salmon returns to the Yukon and Kuskokwim have declined for more than a decade, threatening the traditional culture and food security of these communities. Warming water temperatures have been identified as a driver of declining salmon returns in these watersheds. Other disturbances – such as wildfires, oil spills, and invasive species – have the potential to impact salmon and the freshwater habitats that support them.

This project aims to describe reference conditions and recovery targets, following short-and long-term changes to freshwater habitats in northern Alaska parks within the Yukon and Kuskokwim watersheds. To accomplish this, we plan to use two approaches: air-based mapping of thermal refugia, and ground-based collections of environmental DNA. This position would focus on the air-based work.

Thermal refugia are discrete areas that shelter organisms from adverse temperatures. When applied to Pacific salmon, which are cold-water species, the EPA definition of thermal refugia denotes areas with temperatures at least 2°C colder than the surrounding water. This project will identify thermal refugia in high-priority salmon habitat in and near parks in the Yukon and Kuskokwim watersheds, using an infrared camera mounted in an aircraft. Flights will be flown along riverine corridors in three parks, and the resulting thermal images will be combined into orthorectified mosaics to identify refugia locations. Water temperature loggers (thermistors) will be deployed in a subset of the identified refugia to better understand their persistence during critical periods of salmon migration, spawning, and development. Additional flights will be used to link thermal images and thermistor data for ground--truth purposes and to better understand refugia extent and persistence over time.

The Alaska Regional Office is seeking an SIP member to help collect, process, and analyze thermal refugia imagery, and then convey the results in a variety of ways. Specific tasks of this position include: (1) planning and conducting aerial surveys of thermal refugia in northern parks; (2) processing and interpreting the resulting imagery; (3) quantifying key characteristics of thermal refugia (i.e., location, distribution, frequency, connectivity, persistence); (4) estimating the frequency of temperature threshold exceedances within and adjacent to sampled refugia; and (5) communicating results in various forms (presentations, briefs, papers).


KEYWORDS: thermal refugia, water temperature, salmon, Arctic, climate change

DELIVERABLES

Deliverables and work products for this position include:

(1) Orthorectified thermal imagery, with thermal refugia identified, published through the regional GIS team;

(2) R code created during the course of the project, fully commented for transparency and reproducibility;

(3) A brief for each park where data are collected, documenting methods and results in layperson’s terms;

(4) A technical report or scientific paper documenting methods and results in detail;

(5) One or two presentations at local subsistence council meetings, and a presentation at a regional or national scientific meeting.


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
This position requires a working understanding of surveying, multibeam processing, and/or non-satellite remote sensing data and processing, in addition to a general knowledge of river ecology and hydrological processes. Experience communicating scientific information verbally and in writing and the ability to work independently and meet agreed-upon deadlines are also required. Desired qualifications for this position also include a solid background and working knowledge of GIS, including the making and editing of map layers and geodatabases, and the importance and creation of metadata. An understanding of Pacific salmon ecology is not required but would be helpful. A bachelor’s degree is a minimum requirement with advanced experience preferred.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

Office work will be based primarily in the Alaska Regional Office (AKRO), located in downtown Anchorage. The AKRO is a typical office environment, with five floors, two elevators, two stairwells, and lots of cubicles and meeting rooms.

Fieldwork will be conducted in remote areas, mainly in northern parks, and will require the use of small aircraft. Overnight accommodations in the field may include park housing, park cabins, hotels, and tents. Fieldwork may consist of long days and, due to weather or logistics, scheduling is irregular. Therefore, applicants must be flexible. Additionally, fieldwork may require hiking in bear country, riding in boats, carrying a heavy pack, and working in inclement weather. These operations will mostly take place in the summer months.

Anchorage is Alaska’s most populous city, with a diverse population of ~300,000 residents and a landscape bordered by mountains and ocean. All standard amenities are available, including hospitals, schools, universities, restaurants, museums, theaters, malls, and airports. Indoor and outdoor activities abound. The city has great trails for running, biking, and skiing. There are many parks within and just outside the city for hiking and backcountry camping (moose, bears, and sheep are common). Sea Kayaking is available out of nearby towns of Whittier, Seward, and Homer. Canoeing, kayaking and rafting is available on lakes and rivers within an hour drive.

The weather is sub-arctic maritime, so it is frequently cloudy and light rain is common. Typical summer temperatures range from ~55 to 78 °F, with 19+ hours of light at the solstice. Typical winter temperatures range from ~5 to 30 °F. High latitude causes winter days to be short (as little as ~6 hours of daylight), however the ability of snow cover to reflect ambient light and brighten surroundings is substantial. Outdoor activities during winter include skiing (classic, skate, downhill, backcountry), snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice skating, and fat tire cycling, among others. Trails and lakes throughout the city are groomed and hot-mopped (respectively) during winter, and are available for recreation free of charge.

Lastly, Anchorage is a city rich in cultural diversity, community events, and seasonal festivals. There are unique, wonderful opportunities to learn traditional Alaska Native skills, like beading, fur sewing, and wood carving. Anchorage is a gateway to intact wilderness for world-class hiking, hunting, and fishing. Whether your interest lie in indoor activities or the wild outdoors, there is something for everyone.


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 NOT available. The member will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area. Park housing is not available. However, Anchorage is a compact city, with many housing options available within walking, cycling, or busing distance of downtown, where the NPS office is located. Options range from shared housing (at the low-cost end) to multi-room apartments (at the high-cost end). As of 11/2024, the average monthly cost of a 1-bedroom apartment within 5 miles of the NPS office was $1500. See Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to get a sense for current Anchorage rental prices.


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 Alaska Region Office 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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