POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4535, 4536
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Alaska Region Office, Fairbanks, Alaska
Number of positions available: 2
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 26 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 10/18/2026
End Date: 04/18/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.
BENEFITS
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $ 3,697.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 775.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
- Relocation Allowance: $ 1,100.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck) (pre-tax)
- 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, June 14, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the application deadline passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EDT on June 14, 2026, whichever occurs first.
KEYWORDS: fire ecology, fuel moisture monitoring, trend analysis, ArcGIS web apps, R, Python, data archiving and management, fire occurrence, fire history, FEMS, fire danger rating, StoryMap, data visualization, fire risk analysis, fire ecology data analysis
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The Alaska NPS fire ecology program has accumulated decades of data representing one of the most comprehensive long-term fire environment records in the nation's northern boreal parks. Despite its breadth, this dataset has never been fully synthesized or made broadly attainable. These two participant positions will directly address that gap by advancing analyses of the long-term fire ecology record across several avenues of investigation, including but not limited to fuel moisture trends, relationships between fuel moisture conditions and fire occurrence, and fire-on-the-landscape analyses. Results will inform fire management decision-making at both the park and regional level and contribute to a growing understanding of how Alaska's fire environment is changing over time. By building on the effort of current participant and moving toward finalized summary products and public-facing outreach, these positions will leave a lasting contribution to the program and provide a foundation for future research and management applications.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Wildland fire is one of the most widespread and significant disturbances in Alaska's boreal forests. Fire reinvigorates ecological processes, restarts successional sequences, and contributes to a complex mosaic of vegetation communities throughout Alaska. The National Park Service Fire Ecology Program has been collecting and analyzing data on affected environments, fire behavior, and short- and long-term vegetation change related to fire management actions for several decades. Since 2001, the Alaska Regional fire ecology program has established more than 1000 monitoring sites associated with several dozen fire ecology projects, and has maintained a network of long-term fuel moisture monitoring sites whose data are archived in the national Fire Environment Mapping System (FEMS). Data collected across these efforts represent an invaluable but largely unsummarized record of changing fire environment conditions across Alaska's national parks, one that is increasingly relevant as a rapidly changing environment reshapes weather patterns, fuel conditions, and fire regimes across the boreal landscape.
The purpose of this position is to place two participant to projects collaboratively with the Alaska NPS fire ecology team on a suite of fire and fuels related analyses, building on projects currently underway. The participant will advance investigations across several avenues of inquiry into Alaska's long-term fire ecology record, with fuel moisture trend analysis and its relationship to fire occurrence serving as one example of the analytical projects to be pursued. Additional analyses may explore connections between weather, environment, and fire environment conditions, fire-on-the-landscape dynamics, fire history, fire danger, and other emergent program priorities. In addition to this primary analytical focus, the participant will contribute to broader program needs including the development of code to support ongoing analyses and the organization and archiving of existing fire ecology records and data.
DELIVERABLES
The primary project will build on fuel moisture analyses currently underway, with the goal of extending and finalizing the project findings into a summary report. Additional deliverables may include a StoryMap or interactive dashboard to publicly highlight findings from the long-term fuel moisture record, code products supporting fire-on-the-landscape analyses, and contributions to the ongoing archival and organization of fire ecology program data. The scope will be defined collaboratively with the participant at the start of the season based on the state of the ongoing projects and their demonstrated skills. This written agreement will clearly define the scope and methodologies to be employed as well as final deliverables expected.
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 26 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
The ideal candidates will be undergraduate or graduate students with a demonstrated interest in fire ecology, fire management, or related natural resource fields. Candidates with experience or coursework in statistics and data analysis are strongly desired, as is proficiency in R or Python for data manipulation, analysis, and visualization. Familiarity with ArcGIS or other spatial analysis tools is a plus, as is experience with database or data management workflows. Strong science writing and communication skills are valued, particularly an ability to translate analytical findings into products attainable to both technical and general audiences. Experience or coursework in fire ecology or fire management is desirable but not required. Academic background is open; candidates from any discipline who can demonstrate relevant analytical and communication skills are encouraged to apply. A willingness to participate collaboratively as part of a two-person participant team and to engage with a broad range of fire and fuels related analytical tasks is essential.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Duties associated with this position require that applicants are on site in Fairbanks, Alaska at the NPS Fairbanks Administrative Center. The Fairbanks NPS office houses the Park staff from Yukon-Charley National Preserve, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, as well as Inventory and Monitoring staff for two NPS Networks, and is located across the road from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. With this wide range of Park staff, serving in the Fairbanks NPS office is a unique opportunity to network with varied park staff that serve many roles in over eight different National Parks in Alaska. Fairbanks offers unparalleled skiing and opportunities to try various winter activities (snowshoeing, dog mushing, curling, ice carving, aurora viewing) and has all the amenities one needs (restaurants/grocery stores, entertainment, doctors/hospital, etc.).
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The participant will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
Housing is available for selected candidate to procure for themselves, with options ranging from furnished units with water and utilities to dry cabins. Costs for housing with water and utilities typically range from $1,200 to $2,000 per month depending on distance from the town center. Dry cabins (waterless) are also available and typically range from $500 to $1,000 per month. selected candidate are encouraged to have a personal vehicle, particularly if housing is located more than a mile from the project site, given Fairbanks' environment.
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.
OUR COMMITMENT
Stewards Individual Placements and Conservation Legacy are committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation 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!”
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 the host site throughout the 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, monthly accomplishment tracking, a mid-term report, and a final report.
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 (5) 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 Alaska Region Office.
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!”
