Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4512
Position Title: Geology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Oneida, Tennessee
Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 10/11/2026
End Date: 1/11/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.

BENEFITS

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 1,956.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
  • Weekly Living Allowance: $ 775.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
  • Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck) (pre-tax)
  • Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
  • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

APPLICATION TIMELINE
Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, June 14, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2026, whichever occurs first.

KEYWORDS: Oil and Gas Well Site Inventory/Inspections, Abandoned Mine Land Site Inventory/Inspections, GIS Data Collection, Inventory/Inspection Reports, Interdisciplinary Resource Management including cultural and natural resources

PURPOSE
This Geology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This position will help the park identify and plan for safety and environmental issues associated with private and abandoned minerals in the park. Coordination with private mineral owners and operators is ongoing and this position will help support monitoring and reduction of potential impacts to natural and cultural resources. Proposed SIP positions must focus on Resource Management needs, though interdisciplinary projects exist with a clear tie to Resource Management. The position will have the opportunity to collaborate with Resource Management disciplines including physical science, archaeology, botany, wildlife biology and hydrology. Other Park disciplines include law enforcement, interpretation, GIS and facility management.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Resource Management program at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is responsible for all aspects of natural and cultural resource management. The park has privately owned oil and gas wells and abandoned features associated with past coal mining. The project will include updating and field checking existing conditions of active and inactive oil and gas wells and abandoned coal mine areas including documentation of existing and potential environmental impacts. The selected candidate will be supervised by the park’s Environmental Protection Specialist and duties will include:

  1. Review and validation of existing inventory inspection sheets, photographs and maps
  2. Field projects to update existing conditions of oil and gas wells and abandoned mine features including but not limited to completing inspection forms, taking photographs and collecting GPS locations at each site
  3. Final reports of the updated information will be completed by the selected candidate including inspection results, documentation of environmental conditions, photographs, maps and recommendations for action needed

DELIVERABLES
This project will result in the documentation of current conditions in the park related to oil and gas operations and abandoned coal mines. Up to date well and mine site inspections will allow park management to identify potential impacts to park resources and formulate concise and complete requests for funding. Current conditions are also useful for continuing relationships with private mineral owners and operators in the park.

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 host site.
  • The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 26 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Highest priority will be given to applicants seeking a degree in geology, minerals management, petroleum engineering and other related fields, have a strong active knowledge of GPS equipment, compass and maps, be able to travel on foot through rough terrain to remote conditions, and have a strong active knowledge of ESRI GIS software products (ArcPro, ArcGIS online, Collector and Survey 123).

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING
The area is located on the Cumberland Plateau. The hardwood forests protect the free-flowing rivers and their tributaries. The area boasts miles of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, is rich with natural and historic features and has a wide range of outdoor recreational activities. Summers are hot and humid with temperatures above 90 degrees. The area is approximately 10 miles from small cities that contain grocery stores, shopping and other facilities. The project environment will be a mix of field (60-70%) and office-based activities (30-40%). field activities can take place in remote locations several miles from the nearest road and the applicant must be able to travel on foot through rough terrain carrying a pack and field equipment.

HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The participant will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.

If park housing becomes available, housing will be in a 4 bedroom dormitory. Each bedroom has two beds, two closets and a desk. You may be assigned a roommate based on demand. Each side of the dorm has two bedrooms, which share a bathroom and a kitchen. Those who stay in park housing must bring their own bed linens and towels. The center of the building contains a common area with a large living room with a TV and a utility/laundry room with a washer and dryer. No pets are allowed. This unit is ADA compliant. The selected candidate must have their own transportation for use during off-duty hours to get to grocery stores and take care of other personal needs. (The distance from the housing area to the nearest grocery store is approximately 10 miles).

The average private monthly rental rates in the area are $600 - $1500 per month.

VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

  • Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
  • A personal vehicle is REQUIRED for this position.

OUR COMMITMENT
Stewards Individual Placements and Conservation Legacy are committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or 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!”

TIME REQUIREMENTS

  • This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary based on project needs. Lunch breaks and days off 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

  • Member will receive pertinent project and site training from the host site throughout the term.
  • Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
  • Access to free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff.

EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of minimum AmeriCorps 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, monthly accomplishment tracking, a mid-term report, and a final report.

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 (5) 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 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/.

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 Scientists in Parks program will host the Geology Assistant at Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations 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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