POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4427
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Southwest Alaska Network, Anchorage, Alaska
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 5/25/2026
End Date: 5/24/2027
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: $ 1,100.00 (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: thermal refuges, water temperature, Pacific salmon, aerial infrared imagery
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. Freshwater resources in southwest Alaska parks are abundant, featuring thousands of kilometers of rivers and two of the largest lakes in the National Park system: Naknek Lake (58,824 ha) and Lake Clark (31,117 ha). In establishing and expanding these parks, Congress recognized the importance of freshwater resources, with reference to protecting and maintaining salmon habitat in the enabling legislation (ANILCA 1980). This project furthers the NPS mission of maintaining salmon habitat. Specifically, mapping and characterizing thermal refuges are critical steps in understanding the susceptibility of streams to weather increasing. This understanding can then inform the development of management strategies to maintain the condition of thermal refuges in key stream reaches.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Pacific salmon depend on cold water temperatures to survive their migration through freshwater habitats and spawn successfully. With Alaska’s changing environment, the water temperatures of these habitats are increasing, making identifying and protecting discrete areas of colder water increasingly important.
Previous monitoring efforts of water temperature in salmon habitat by the Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network (SWAN), while temporally rich, were spatially poor. They were designed to capture localized, long-term temperature trends rather than broad scale thermal differences. Therefore, in 2024, SWAN began a short-term project using aerial thermal photogrammetry to map and characterize discrete cold spots in widespread anadromous streams.
Aerial infrared and red-green-blue images covering >500 river km in 29 streams across 3 parks have been collected by aircraft so far. Orthomosaics created from the images have been used to manually identify cold-water refuges, defined as areas with temperatures at least 2°C colder than the surrounding waters. A subset of these refuges has been selected for intensive study by deploying arrays of water temperature loggers (thermistors) at each refuge. Additional flights will be used to link thermal images and thermistor data for ground--truth purposes.
The SWAN is seeking an SIP participant to help complete this project by collecting, processing, and analyzing thermal images and thermistor data, and then conveying the results in various ways. Specific tasks of this position include: (1) planning and conducting aerial surveys of thermal refuges; (2) processing and interpreting the resulting imagery; (3) quantifying key characteristics of thermal refuges (i.e., distribution, frequency, connectivity, extent, 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).
DELIVERABLES
(1) Orthorectified thermal imagery, with thermal refugia identified, published through the regional GIS team;
(2) Corrected and graded water temperature data for all intensively studied sites, with the data made publicly available at NPS' DataStore portal;
(3) R code created during the course of the project, fully commented for transparency and reproducibility;
(4) A map and a brief for each park where data are collected, documenting methods and results in layperson’s terms;
(5) A technical report or scientific paper documenting methods and results in detail;
(6) 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 host site.
- The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 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 projects independently and meet agreed-upon deadlines are also required. Ability to work comfortably in remote outdoor areas is a must. 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. Familiarity with Correlator 3D software and 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
Service site will be 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 within three parks (Katmai, Lake Clark, and Kenai Fjords) 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 variety 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 wide variety of, 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 interests lie in indoor activities or the wild outdoors, there is something for everyone.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS 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 selected candidate will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
Park housing is not available. 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 one-room apartments (at the high-cost end). For example, a single room in a shared house typically costs ~$700 – $1,000 per month, and a one-room apartment typically costs ~$1,320 – $1,400 per month, depending on amenities and location.
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 Ecology Assistant at Southwest Alaska Network.
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!”
