POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4440
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Anchorage, Alaska
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 5/4/2026
End Date: 5/3/2027
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: Marine bird and mammals, boat-based surveys, long-term monitoring, Gulf of Alaska, nearshore ecosystems
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. Marine upper trophic levels, including birds and mammals, are indicators of ecosystem structure and function, and highly sought-after viewing subjects for coastal park visitors. Understanding differences in abundance and distribution of marine birds and mammals through time, across seasons, and among parks allows evaluation of (1) the scale and consequences of changes in marine ecosystems, (2) geographic differences in habitat suitability for various species, (3) seasonal changes in habitat value among parks, and (4) trends in abundance of valued species. To achieve these benefits, we propose analyses of existing nearshore marine bird and mammal survey data from KEFJ and KATM, where surveys have been conducted since 2006. These data and analyses will provide a regional perspective on the specific dynamics occurring within each park. This will allow park managers to understand whether observed variation is a result of broad-scale phenomena (e.g., the Pacific marine heatwave) or park-specific change potentially subject to local management action, and whether particular species or feeding guilds are trending differently than others, which may indicate underlying ecosystem drivers.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The SIP participant will become part of the SWAN I&M nearshore team. Our primary tasks during the summer are to collect data along the park (and partner) coasts of the Gulf of Alaska. At the interface between oceans and continents lie nearshore ecosystems, defined by well-known species with well understood ecological relations, where high densities of specialist predators (sea otters, sea ducks, black oystercatchers, sea stars) exist within a variety and productive system full of kelps and invertebrates that don’t occur in any other habitats. This is the marine ecosystem that is most familiar to and highly valued by society. However, nearshore marine ecosystems face significant challenges at global and regional scales, with threats arising from both the adjacent lands and oceans. Monitoring composition and abundance of species and understanding functional relations in the nearshore ecosystem is essential when responding to and managing present and future threats.
For a 52-week position, we would expect the field portion of the position to successfully morph into the data proofing, analyzing and publishing phase. We are explicitly looking for an participant to support the marine bird and mammal portion of this project and examine variation in marine bird and mammal community structure and trends across coastal parks. We are proposing to: 1) Assemble existing nearshore survey data to quantify marine bird and mammal communities across coastal parks adjacent to the Gulf of Alaska using long-term monitoring data collected from 2006-2025/26 in KEFJ and KATM. Both parks have existing summer and winter data available, which is important because these park coastlines support large aggregations of over-wintering marine birds as well as summer breeders; and 2) help support skiff-based, nearshore surveys (winter and summer, 2026).
Once data are collected and assembled, the SIP participant will lead efforts to examine differences in community composition among parks (KEFJ vs. KATM) and between seasons (summer vs. winter). Analyses also will indicate which species or guilds may be driving any observed differences across space and time. Taken holistically, contrasting trends in a variety of species across multiple locations can be very informative about what underlying factors influence individual species’ abundance and distribution, as well as changes in community structure. These data also will be formatted consistently and made available, so that any future questions and analyses will be facilitated, such as examining species densities in relation to finer-scale oceanographic data, or evaluating effects of any natural (e.g., regime shifts) or anthropogenic (e.g., oil spills) perturbations.
https://www.nps.gov/im/swan/nearshore.htm
https://gulfwatchalaska.org/monitoring/nearshore-ecosystems-4/
DELIVERABLES
This project will result in an agency report and a peer-reviewed publication describing spatio-temporal variation in nearshore marine bird and mammal communities. Also, data (both historical and contemporary) will be assembled in a consistent format, distributed to the parks, made publicly available on NPS and USGS sites (including the USGS North Pacific Pelagic Seabird Database [NPPSD]; Drew and Piatt 2015), and highlighted to Resource Management staff.
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
A successful SIP participant will have an academic background in ecology with an emphasis on predator/prey dynamics, avian ecology, survey design and/ or food web studies. A MS in biology or ecology is desired. A background in marine ecosystems is desired, but more importantly, a strong background in field data collection and analyses of survey data to examine population dynamics (familiar with R software). The SIP participant will have support and oversight by seasoned ecologists with decades of experience in this field. The SIP participant may also have access to other experts in the field that are SWAN collaborators such as UAF and the Alaska Sea Life Center.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
The SIP participant will be duty stationed in Anchorage, AK. No housing is available and when not in the field, the office for the SIP participant will be located at 240 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501. The NPS regional office in Anchorage is downtown with shops, restaurants, etc. However, if the SIP participant is a 52-week commitment, there may be park housing available during the winter months (~October - April) in Seward, AK, location of park headquarters for Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ). KEFJ will be one of the parks the SIP participant spends time in as well as one of the parks with a long history of boat-based marine bird and mammal surveys. Park housing in Seward is within walking distance to the NPS KEFJ office, where the SIP participant would projects on proofing and analyzing survey data.
When not in the office, we expect the SIP participant to participate in data collection for the NPS Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring (SWAN I&M) Network in support for the nearshore program. The nearshore program collects long-term monitoring data along the coasts of KEFJ, KATM and LACL as well as supports data collecting in Kachemak Bay and Prince William Sound. All projects is boat-based (Liveaboards with shore access with small skiffs). Field trip duration is 10-14 days starting in May with trips through July (~40 days). Food and lodging are provided while in the field.
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 NOT available. The selected candidate will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
The SIP participant will be duty stationed in Anchorage, AK. No housing is available and when not in the field, the office for the SIP participant will be located at 240 W 5th Ave, Anchorage, AK 99501. One-bedroom apartments in Anchorage run approximately $1,300 - $1,500 / month. However, if the SIP participant is a 52-week commitment, there may be park housing available during the winter months (October - April) in Seward, AK, location of park headquarters for Kenai Fjords National Park (KEFJ). KEFJ will be one of the parks the SIP participant spends time in as well as one of the parks with a long history for boat-based marine bird and mammal surveys. When in the field, lodging (liveaboard boats) and food are provided.
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 Katmai National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
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!”
