POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4307
Position Title: Collections Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Page, Arizona
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 06/15/2026
End Date: 09/07/2026
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: $ 1,956.35 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: Resource Management, Museum Collections, Database
PURPOSE
This Collections Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. Glen Canyon NRA’s herbarium has experienced growth in the past years partially due to Inventory & Monitoring Programs, with only part-time staff available to accommodate for this growth. This has led to a backlog of herbarium specimens that need organized, digitized, and curated. The position will contribute toward the conservation, management, and organization of the park’s herbarium collection allowing more effective research and interpretation of the natural history, within Glen Canyon NRA.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The participant will assist the park museum staff with ongoing collection and museum needs relating to the natural history of Glen Canyon NRA. The primary project will be to support rehousing the park's herbarium collection.
Currently the park’s herbarium is overcrowded, and many species folders are acidic. In addition, many of the specimens have not been photographed and lack proper documentation of their locations in MCMS, the National Park Service’s electronic museum catalog program.
The SIP participant will be part of a team to improve these conditions and ensure the long-term care of specimens by determining the folders that are harmful, replacing them with acid free folders and relabeling the folder, reorganizing specimens currently located in two herbarium cabinets into three herbarium cabinets, photographing, and documenting specimen locations. During the course of this project the SIP will look for evidence of pest activity and notify museum staff if any is discovered.
Depending on participant’s skills and interests, they may also participate in any of the following: update collection database records, upload digital herbarium files to the Arizona-New Mexico Chapter of SEINet, participate in integrated pest management program, or perform general collections storage housekeeping and track environmental controls.
DELIVERABLES
The service the SIP participant completes will improve storage conditions by eliminating overcrowding and removing harmful agents such as acidic folders and pests, if present, ensuring the continued preservation of these specimens. It will also allow herbarium specimens to be easily approachable and searchable to museum staff, researchers and educators.
Deliverables will include:
1. Approximately 2,500 herbarium specimens will be housed in proper acid free folders, overcrowding of specimens will be eliminated, and photographs will be produced.
2. Approximately 2,500 herbarium specimens will be updated with correct locations as well as specimen photographs added to the records in the DOI Museum Database, MCMS.
3. As time allows, digital herbarium files will be uploaded to the Arizona-New Mexico Chapter of SEINet.
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 12 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Preferred applicants should be recent graduates or graduate students whose educational background and career objectives are in museum sciences, archives, and/or an applicable subject-matter field. Preferred applicant should have completed basic undergraduate courses in the natural sciences. Preference will be given to individuals who demonstrate ambition to pursue museum sciences as a career. Previous experience with museum collections and database management, including Excel is a plus.
Applicants should have strong leadership and team building skills, be able to conduct projects independently and as a team, and have the ability to collaborate with a variety colleagues. Excellent organizational, time management, and good handwriting skills are required.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Physical/Natural Environment:
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area covers an area of 1.2 million square acres on and near Lake Powell in northern Arizona and southern Utah. Duty station is in Page, AZ. Located on the Arizona-Utah border, 135 miles north of Flagstaff, Arizona, the nearest larger community, Page enjoys typical high desert weather with temperatures ranging from 100F in summer to mid-teens in winter with low humidity and sunshine most days of the year. Elevation in Page is 4,100 feet above sea level.
Project Environment:
The majority of the projects will be performed indoors at the park headquarters, oftentimes in the museum storage area, where temperatures remain in the low- to mid-60s. Office space is air conditioned and with more moderate temperatures.
Position requires lifting up to 30 pounds, stooping, walking, bending, using stools/ladders, and prolonged periods of sitting. Position also requires excellent dexterity for manipulation of fragile artifacts and specimens.
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.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The selected candidate will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
Availability of Park Housing: Yes, park housing is available for rent. At this time, rent must be covered by the selected candidate.
Park Housing Details: Park housing is available for rent at the Wahweap District (Wahweap, AZ) and is comprised of a community of permanent and seasonal staff. Housing consists of a shared dwelling with a private bedroom and rent split amongst occupants of the unit. Housing includes all amenities (kitchen with kitchen appliances, dishes, and cooking utensils; washer and dryer; bathroom; furnished living room and dining room; furnished bedroom with bed and dresser). Applicant would be expected to bring their own bedding, linens, and personal belongings. Wahweap District housing is located at the Wahweap Marina, approximately 8 miles from the duty station in Page, AZ at NPS headquarters. The SIP must provide their own transportation to and from the headquarters. Public transportation is not available.
The SIP is not required to rent government housing, and alternatively may find their own housing locally in Page, AZ or nearby communities.
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 Collections Assistant at Glen Canyon National 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!”
