POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4326
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Southern Plains Network, Pecos, New Mexico
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 05/04/2026
End Date: 09/21/2026
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 2,817.14 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)
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: ecology, vegetation surveys, inventory, monitoring, long-term studies
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The National Park Service invests heavily in monitoring the health of native vegetation communities and detecting the establishment and spread of exotic plants. These data are used by park managers to assess, plan, and develop natural resource protection activities and are essential for understanding the status and trends of park ecosystems and for informing management decisions. This projects would help to make the data more available to park managers, researchers, and the public, and to raise awareness of the importance of ecological monitoring and conservation. Overall, the project data we collect and manage is analyzed and conveyed to park managers, providing them with the scientific information on resource condition that they need to make decisions and take actions to conserve park resources. The gathered information is vital for assessing the health, ecological variety, and resilience of park ecosystems.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Ecology Assistant will service with the Southern Plains Inventory and Monitoring Network (SOPN) and participate in long-term, vital signs monitoring. This position will support the collection of vegetation community and invasive plant data in national park grasslands.
The Ecology Assistant will participate in vegetation sampling at our 10 network parks across the southern plains. Field projects will occur in small, 2-4-person teams. Sampling methods will include line-point intercept, recording plant species presence/absence in small plots and mapping of invasive plant infestations. Ideally, candidates will have a strong background or interest in botany and plant sciences. Assistants will learn to identify grasses, forbs, shrubs, and trees of the Southern Plains using field guides and dichotomous keys. Monitoring sites are off trail, and hiking and carrying equipment in a backpack for moderate distances is necessary.
The position will provide the Ecology Assistant with the chance to learn the flora of the Southern Plains ecoregion while gaining valuable field sampling experience. This position can serve as an excellent introduction to plant taxonomy and identification, or act as an opportunity to develop advanced skills such as the use of dichotomous keys and grass identification.
Office projects will consist mainly of data management, identification of unknown plant specimens, pressing of said specimens and providing general support to SOPN office staff.
DELIVERABLES
The Ecology Assistant will collect detailed vegetation community and invasive plant data from long-term grassland monitoring sites across 10 parks. These data will be synthesized into data packages, summary reports and visualizations to share with park managers and scientists. High quality data improve our agency’s understanding of grassland and invasive plant changes within and across SOPN parks.
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 20 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Applicants must have completed at least three years toward an undergraduate degree in natural resources, botany, ecology, environmental science or a related field and have a valid driver’s license. Applicants must be interested in and capable of completing projects in outdoor environments. They must be physically able to complete projects in rugged terrain and extreme temperatures and conduct field projects in uncomfortable and arduous situations (high humidity, biting insects, poisonous plants, heavy backpacks, off-trail). Applicants must be able to complete projects well independently or as a member of a small team. Skills related to successful teamwork (clear communication, situational awareness, reliability, respectfulness) and building successful relationships with colleagues are highly desired. Plant taxonomy, botany, and vegetation sampling experience and/or coursework are preferred.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Position setting will be primarily in the field, with 10-20% time in the office. The project schedule will be 8 days on/6 days off. The position will be based out of Pecos National Historic Park, which will be the primary office environment, though any office days may be done remotely. Pecos NHP is at the intersection of the Southern Rockies and the Great Plains, just outside of Santa Fe, and within 1-2 hours of Albuquerque and Taos. Santa Fe is a vibrant, variety city with a renowned arts scene, historic architecture dating back to the 1600’s, a distinct cuisine and amenities common to a mid-sized city. It sits in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristos at ~7000 ft elevation, with hiking trails and ski resorts just outside of town. Nearby Albuquerque is the largest city in NM, hosts the University of NM and has a range of affordable housing options. Taos is a beautiful ski town and artist colony tucked into the Rockies and is within reasonable distance of the once-a-week commute required by the work schedule. Summer setting in this area can range from 50-90 degrees F. Monsoons can produce regular rains during late summer (late July through September).
The Ecology Assistant will participate in long-term vegetation monitoring in 10 national park units across the Southern Plains ecoregion. The Southern Plains Network includes northern and central Texas, western Kansas and Oklahoma, southeastern Colorado and northeastern New Mexico. The terrain of the Southern Plains is a mix of prairie interspersed with tablelands and low, rolling hills. Vegetation includes mixed grass communities and deciduous woodland in the eastern portion, extending to shortgrass communities and pinyon-juniper savanna in the western portion. Summer temperatures can reach into the 90’s F and off-trail hiking in uneven terrain will be common. Projects will occur in areas with hazards that include venomous snakes, poison ivy and biting insects.
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.
A housing stipend will be provided with housing options available in nearby Santa Fe, NM, and more reasonable options available in Albuquerque, NM. Office service may be done remotely.
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 Southern Plains 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!”
