POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4415
Position Title: GIS Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Buffalo National River, Harrison, Arkansas
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 36 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 5/4/2026
End Date: 1/11/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 5,176.50 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: GIS, Cartography, Data Management, Surveying, Resource Management
PURPOSE
This GIS Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The National Park Service is ultimately a land management agency, and a critical component of land management is creating and maintaining high quality and well-organized spatial data resources. At the Buffalo National River, GIS data are collected/used for natural and cultural resource protection on a regular basis. Over 50 years of inconsistent file organization has made the park's GIS resources cumbersome and difficult to use. This creates significant hurdles for both resource protection but also communication of information to the public and partners. The GIS Assistant will serve closely with resource staff to better structure our GIS data resources to a more standardized organizational format. This will enable more efficient use of GIS resources by park staff to aid in the park's natural resources management. Map resources created by the GIS Assistant will be used primarily by park staff, but also by park visitors, aiding with communication and interpretation of park resources. Any new spatial data collected in the field or new GIS resources created in the office by the GIS Assistant, will further aid park staff with management of the terrestrial, hydrological, and cultural resources of the park. Maps created by the GIS Assistant will also be used to maintain compliance with Federal Laws and communicate plans to Tribal, Cultural, and Biological Resource Partners and Stakeholders.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Under the supervision of the Biologist (who also acts as the primary GIS manager at the park), this GIS Assistant position will help park staff with GIS data management, spatial data collection for field projects, cartography, and support documentation to aid park staff in fully utilizing available GIS resources. Duties include: --Data Management: The primary task will be GIS data management and organization for both local and cloud storage. Data management improvements are already underway, so an existing framework will be available. Data storage resources are transitioning to cloud servers, and this has had major impacts on GIS data storage protocols. -- Datum Transition: In the near future, the federal government will transition to a new datum standard, NATRF2022, from the existing datum standard, NAD83 (2011). The new datum standard will come with many improvements to geospatial resources but will also require considerable time and effort adjusting GIS resources and data collection workflows. The GIS Assistant will aid the Biologist with the various aspects concerning this transition, including changes to data management and field data collection workflows. -- Field Data Collection: Use high accuracy GNSS equipment and workflows to collect spatial data for various park projects. Data collection workflows will use ESRI and QGIS resources. Field data collection projects include hiking trails, survey markers, signs, utilities, cultural resources, and natural resource project needs. -- Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)/Support Documentation: Create SOPs, tutorials, and additional support documentation to inform current and future staff on how to use the many GIS resources (both internally and externally developed) available that can aid in park management. Examples include GNSS hardware, data collection apps, ESRI ArcGIS Online resources, QGIS/QField workflows, internally created/maintained maps and web tools. -- Collaborative Projects: Service with external park partners as needed to aid in data collection and data sharing. -- Resource Creation: Create maps (digital and hardcopy), digital forms for data collection apps, web maps, and web apps as needed for park management. These resources will primarily be designed for ESRI ArcGIS Online and QGIS environments. -- Miscellaneous: Aid the Biologist in other GIS needs as they arise. -- Resource Staff Support: Support other resource staff in the office and field on various projects as needed.
DELIVERABLES
Deliverables will include: -- Completed (or nearly completed) organization and finalized file structure for park GIS data resources following NPS GIS guidelines. -- Online web app creation and/or maintenance in an ESRI ArcGIS Online environment for increased ability to access key spatial resources for park visitors and staff. -- SOPs for data management, field data collection, and use of GIS resources by park staff with varying levels of GIS experience. -- Various digital and hardcopy maps as needed.
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 36 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Desired Qualifications include: -- Bachelor’s degree in Geography, GIS, Environmental Science, or related discipline, or a combination of relevant education and field experience. -- Computational experience in GIS related tasks, including cartography and data management. -- Background in the ESRI platform, including ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online resources like web apps, Dashboards, Experience Builder, etc. -- Experience with QGIS and other GIS software platforms. -- Experience creating spatial data collection forms for field surveys with ESRI and QGIS data collection apps (Field Maps, Survey123, QField, etc.). -- Experience with high accuracy GNSS equipment (ex. Trimble, Leica, etc.) for spatial data collection in the field. -- Ability to safely navigate to field sites using maps/compass and GNSS equipment. -- Excellent organizational skills. -- Experience with data entry and QA/QC procedures. -- Reliable, team-player with strong leadership and communication skills. -- Possession of a clean, valid, state-issued driver’s license. -- Experience with outdoor activities like hiking, camping, canoeing. -- Applicant must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent legal resident at least 18 years of age. -- Prior to starting this position, a government security background clearance will be required.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
The candidate’s office will be at the Buffalo National River headquarters in Harrison, Arkansas, located 17 miles (30 minutes) from provided housing. Harrison has a population of about 13,000 people and amenities include restaurants, grocery stores, a hospital, and other resources that should cover most needs. This position requires both office and field projects. Offices duties are mostly computer-based, GIS data management and creating various kinds of GIS resources for park use including maps, support documentation, and ESRI/QGIS resources for online or field use. field projects will include using survey grade GNSS equipment to collect spatial data for numerous projects in the park. field projects will likely require moderate to strenuous physical exertion due to rugged local topography. Since this is a river park, some field projects will also require time spent in and around water. Canoeing is a common mode of travel for projects which can be moderately strenuous and includes the typical potential risks associated with working around water. Environmental hazards for the park include hiking injuries, water-related injuries while floating or being near the river, inclement weather, ticks, chiggers, and snakes.
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 available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.
Provided housing for the candidate will be in Jasper, Arkansas which is about a 30-minute drive from the headquarters. Jasper is a small town with a population of about 500 people but includes amenities like a few restaurants, a city park, and is located along the Little Buffalo River, while also being near the Buffalo National River. The house is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home with standard utilities and amenities (water, electricity, kitchen, bathroom, internet, hvac, washer and dryer). The house will possibly be shared with multiple people, but each person will have a private room.
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 Buffalo National River.
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!”
