POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4389, 4390, 4391, 4392, 4393, 4394
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Fire Island National Seashore, Patchogue, New York
Number of positions available: 6
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: No
Start Date: 5/4/2026
End Date: 9/21/2026
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: $ 600.00 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: research, threatened and endangered species, habitat management, vegetation, and wildlife.
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This project focuses on data collection, analysis and summarizing information to determine efficacy in management decisions made it the park. The data the participants will help in collecting may result in documenting resource management success. The data could give park mangers justification to adopt adaptive management strategies. Either way, the participants will be integral in helping Fire Island National Seashore properly managing natural resources.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
SIP participants will mostly be working in the field but will have office tasks from time to time. Assist NPS biologists with natural resource monitoring projects at Fire Island National Seashore. Primary duties include: 1.) monitor endangered species, such as piping plover, least terns, and seabeach amaranth (75%) 2) trap/tag/release small mammals and conduct tick drags (5%); 3) survey vegetation within permanent plots (5%); 4) participate in horseshoe crab spawning surveys and manage this program’s database (5%); produce GIS maps, assist in end-of-season reports, assist in other resource management and monitoring programs and assist visiting researchers (10%).
DELIVERABLES
Survey 80 permanent vegetation plots looking at impacts from herbivores (particularly white-tailed deer), 18 small mammal trap nights total, drag for ticks in 6 sites for a total of 24 times, protect habitat for threatened and endangered species, conduct 6 horseshoe crab spawning surveys. Use all data collected to draft end-of-year reports the park will utilize for documentation and to possibly justify resource management actions.
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
Bachelor’s Degree (or working up to one) in Natural Resources, Wildlife Management, Wildlife Biology, or an equivalent degree preferred. Must be able to follow all safety protocols to ensure safe navigation throughout the day. participants are expected to use good judgment to stay safe and projects efficiently. Must be able to projects independently and interact professionally and respectfully with project managers, biologists, technicians, etc. Must be able to collect and manage data with great attention to detail and must possess the scientific background to be able to adhere to scientific methods and report results of field studies. Skilled use of compass, global positioning system devices, binoculars, range finders, and digital cameras as well as the ability to maintain equipment.
Physical Requirements: Applicants must be in good physical shape, as surveys will be conducted in locations where temperatures and conditions can be extreme. Candidate must be comfortable with hazards typical of the environment (sharp vegetation, driving a four-wheel drive vehicle, sand, extreme heat and cold, ticks, and biting insects). Successful candidates must be willing and able to spend most of the day walking up to 10 miles over uneven terrain.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Fire Island is a barrier island located off of the coast of Long Island, New York. Housing is located on Fire Island at Watch Hill. Most of Fire Island National Seashore's sites are only reachable by ferry, work boat, or a government issued 4-wheel drive vehicle. Fire Island is also known for having high densities of ticks and mosquitoes. The Fire Island Lighthouse Area (and adjacent housing) is close by personal vehicle and parking will be available for housing occupants and is located behind a gate. Park headquarters, offices, and Watch Hill ferry dock are located on the mainland of Long Island, in Patchogue, about a 45-minute drive from the Fire Island Lighthouse, and about a 30-minute boat ride from Watch Hill. The mainland of Long Island is a densely populated setting with access to a variety of amenities. Grocery stores, hospitals, restaurants, beaches, airports, and so much more are within a 45-minute drive.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
- Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
- A personal vehicle is recommended for this position.
HOUSING
Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.
Shared house with private rooms. Houses have kitchens and are usually 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms. Housing is on Fire Island (Watch Hill). You can only access housing by work boat or ferry. Most of your grocery shopping should be done, off island. Housing has general amenities, pots, pans, utensils, etc. participant should bring their own bedding, clothes for both hot and cold weather, cleaning supplies, and paper products. Beds in the rooms are full sized.
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 Fire Island National Seashore.
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!”
