POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4345
Position Title: GIS Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, Fort Collins, Colorado
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 06/01/2026
End Date: 05/31/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 7,395.00 upon successful completion of position
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 700.00 per week, fixed rate
- Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
- Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
- Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)
- For 52-week positions only:
- Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
- Childcare Coverage (opt in)
APPLICATION TIMELINE
Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, February 15, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 15, 2026, whichever occurs first.
KEYWORDS: GIS analysis, Overflights, Natural Soundscapes, Air Tour, Park Outreach
PURPOSE
This GIS Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The National Parks Air Tour Management Act mandates that air tour operators provide reporting data about the air tours they conduct. To support effective on-the-ground management of natural and cultural resources as well as visitor experiences, this data must be analyzed and shared at the individual park level. As a national office we also synthesize the data on a large scale and report it to parks and stakeholders. This position will facilitate the synthesis of this data for multiple offices.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division (NSNSD) is seeking an SIP participant to support the Overflights Program, which manages commercial air tour activity over more than 50 national parks to protect natural and cultural resources, including the acoustic environment. The SIP will interact closely and collaborate with stakeholders—including air tour operators, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) staff, and park managers—to download, process, and summarize air tour reporting data, use advanced Microsoft and GIS tools to manage and analyze general reporting data (Excel) and geospatial datasets (GIS), and assist parks in preparing for their annual meetings. The position may also provide planning and technical support to the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group. The SIP will also likely collaborate with park partners to collect, archive, process, and report on passively collected ADS-B geospatial data. Strong communication skills (both oral and written) and the ability to conduct outreach with a variety of stakeholders are essential, as well as the capacity to complete projects both independently and as part of a small team.
DELIVERABLES
There are three primary deliverables and products: 1) Support annual meetings with at least six parks that have an approved Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) by incorporating geospatial data analysis; 2) include 2025 reporting data on commercial air tour operations over units of the National Park System, and 3) classify and manage air tour data effectively using SharePoint as the central platform.
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 52 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Proficiency in GIS products and strong data management skills, with the ability to complete projects both independently and as part of a small team. Strong communication skills and comfort engaging with a wide range of stakeholders are essential, as is a solid understanding of Microsoft Suite applications such as Power BI and SharePoint. Flexibility and adaptability in dynamic project environments, along with a demonstrated ability to quickly learn new tools and concepts, will also be highly valuable.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
This is primarily a technical, desk/computer-based position stationed in Fort Collins, CO. Fort Collins is located in northern Colorado along the Front Range. It has a growing population of approximately 165,000 and is home to Colorado State University. The city is located at ~5000 feet elevation, with low humidity and average summer high and low temperatures of 87F and 59F, respectively. Although the city itself is ecologically plains/grassland, Fort Collins is approximately an hour's drive from Rocky Mountain National Park. It is also approximately an hour drive to Denver or Boulder to the south, or Cheyenne, WY to the north. The SIP participant will be based at the NPS NRSS building at 1201 Oakridge Drive in Fort Collins. The SIP will have a designated desk space and station, and access to office amenities such as microwave, electric tea kettle, and small gym with shower. Standing desk options may be available.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant will not need to drive a government vehicle.
- A personal vehicle is recommended for this position.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The selected candidate will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
Park Housing is not available.
Nearby housing options in Fort Collins and the surrounding towns include apartments and room rentals. Rent costs start at around $900/month for a room in a shared house to $1200/month for an apartment, and vary depending on furnishings, amenities, and location. Fort Collins is home to colleges and universities, so sublet options may be available. Colorado State University and Front Range Community College are in Fort Collins. A few websites that list available rentals are Apartments.com, Roomster.com, and Zillow.com. For reference, the Fort Collins office location is within the zip code 80525.
OUR COMMITMENT
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 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 host site throughout 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 and accomplishment tracking.
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 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 GIS Assistant at Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division.
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!”
