Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Grand Canyon National Park, Flagstaff, Arizona

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 05/19/2025

End Date: 08/11/2025

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.00 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).

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 support National Park Service's efforts to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the National Park System for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. Recent advances in local climate change predictions, and research testing the efficacy of adaptation strategies (e.g. restoring microbiomes, strategically planning treatments and climate refugia) can help us meet our NPS mission in the face of continuous environmental change. These efforts can assist with leveraging ecosystem processes (existing microbiomes, local topography/aspect) and park resources (funding, staffing, and seeds/seedlings) where they will have the largest benefit. However, local park staff often do not have the time to read all the literature and summarize the overall implications and strategy considerations needed to make informed decisions about how to revise goals and develop innovative strategies for climate adaptation. The proposed SIP project will provide this missing link to support smart climate adaptation at GRCA with the highest probability of success. The project will also advance climate adaptation planning for ecosystems in other parks and forests across the U.S. by further developing the process of developing goals and strategies and innovative, on the ground actions focused on supporting ecosystem functions via climate change adaptation.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The NPS Climate Change Response Program recently released the Climate Futures Summary for GRCA, identifying several threats that will be multiplied by climate change, including increased temperatures and reduced plant available water, reduced snow pack, increased erosion, run-off and flooding, increased severity of weather events including precipitation events, and increasing spread of pests, pathogens and invasive species. Scientists have also been hard at work identifying and testing potential mitigation strategies. However, GRCA currently lacks summaries of specific habitat implications, and the most promising and relevant adaptation strategies. These missing links are needed to go from the Climate Futures Summary to the recommended revised matrix of goals and strategies recommended by the NPS’ Planning for a Changing Climate (2021), and to implementing actions on the ground in our ecosystems specifically focused on climate adaptation. The proposed Scientists-in-Parks project will advance climate adaptation planning at the park by providing these missing links – in the form of a report and presentations for a decision workshop with experts and natural resource managers. The report (and associated presentations) will summarize the implications and risks to forest habitats at GRCA, identify a range of the most relevant and promising mitigation strategies and tools, and summarize the best available science on their implementation, relative risks, and benefits. This Scientists-in-Parks project will work collaboratively with, and under the guidance of the Fire Ecologist and Deputy Chief of Science & Resource Management, to take climate change planning at GRCA from climate scenarios to providing resource managers with tools they need to make strategic decisions for climate adaptation in GRCA forests, and get climate-adaptation focused projects on the ground in the park. The member will identify, interpret and apply relevant literature to the management context, identify potential tools and strategies and their merits and risks, and summarize the information in ways most helpful to GRCA managers. The member may also conduct targeted interviews with experts on relevant topics to fill in gaps in knowledge not supplied by reading the literature. The member may also work with the Fire Ecologist and tribal liaisons to invite input, collaboration, and guidance from tribal nations associated with the park regarding how and where their needs and strategy guidance can be best incorporated into climate adaptation planning at GRCA, and included in the report and workshop presentations.


KEYWORDS: climate sensitivity, climate vulnerability, climate adaptation, restoration planning, drought resiliency, fire resiliency, water cycle, water balance

DELIVERABLES

With the guidance and collaboration of the Fire Ecologist, the member will summarize the best available science on: 1) how climate change is affecting/will affect forests and their ecosystem services at GRCA (e.g. water resources, changes in plant and wildlife refugia, locations of repeated severe fires, etc.), and 2) innovative strategies for dealing with these climate impacts (e.g. leveraging and restoring microbiomes, restoring traditional water catchment structures, designing innovative fuels treatments, using intra-specific assisted migration), including their relative risks and advantages, and when/where they are most appropriate. The member will write summaries on each topic/sub-topic, and incorporate information available from broader guidance, such as the NPS Wildland Fire Climate BMPs, USGS Innovation in Climate Adaptation, etc. The member may also interview experts, and work with tribal liaisons, incorporating knowledge gained into the final summaries. The final product(s) will be a report and workshop presentations that lay out the knowledge gained, entitled, “GRCA Climate Change Planning for Ecosystems: Forests”. These products will be used to conduct workshops (with member participation as time allows) walking park experts and management through climate adaptation decisions using the Resist, Accept, Direct framework, with the ultimate goal of creating an updated decision matrix for GRCA (e.g. Table 4 in the NPS’ Planning for a Changing Climate, 2021). The member will incorporate science summarized to help build and refine a resiliency summary metric for forests, with the guidance of the Fire Ecologist and Deputy Chief, as part of this overall process.


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 20 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
A completed B.S. or M.S. in ecology, biology, environmental science, hydrology, natural resource management, botany, wildlife management, or a related field. Strong scientific writing skills and an interest in summarizing and applying research findings are most crucial to this role, in particular previous experience conducting literature reviews, and interpreting the overall implications of many studies that build on each other, and how they relate to management of natural resources, preferably for scientific publications and/or reports. A keen interest in climate change impacts, and climate adaptation. The SIP candidate should be able to work independently and as part of a team. Some experience in ArcGIS would be helpful for making accompanying maps, but is not required.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

This is a computer-based job focused on summarizing the best available science and guidance, and how to implement it. However, there will be opportunities for occasional field visits to observe park conditions, take part in ecological monitoring, and understand the variety of park habitats and management challenges under climate change. Field visits may include hiking in a variety of high elevation terrain on steep rocky slopes in forests with a variety of weather conditions in wilderness and remote areas at the North and South Rim of the Grand Canyon.


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. No. Park housing is not available. The member will be responsible for finding housing in a nearby area, such as Tusayan, Parks, or Flagstaff. Housing costs vary widely depending on exact location and set-up. This position is stationed at Grand Canyon National Park at the Flagstaff, AZ office located in Northwest Arizona. Flagstaff has a population of about 66,000 and has multiple K-12 public and private schools, Northern Arizona University, and diverse community, medical and other support services. Recreational opportunities include hiking, backpacking, fishing, cross-country and downhill skiing, and golfing in nearby communities. Flagstaff Housing: The rental market in Flagstaff is high with an apartment studio/efficiency starting at $800/month and a 3-4 bedroom home or apartment starting at $1800/month.


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 Grand Canyon 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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