POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4539
Position Title: Biology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Brecksville, Ohio
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 03/29/2027
End Date: 06/21/2027
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: $ 1,956.00 upon successful completion of position (pre-tax)
- Weekly Living Allowance: $ 675.00 per week, fixed rate (pre-tax)
- Relocation Allowance: $ 450.00 (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: birds, migratory birds, field, ornithology
PURPOSE
This Biology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The preserved and restored eastern hardwood forests, wet meadows, and grasslands at CUVA provide habitat for many migratory birds; however, many species are experiencing sharp population declines (SIP Program Scope: Biological Sciences). The SIP will provide essential capacity during CUVA’s busiest and most data-intensive wildlife monitoring period. Spring banding requires operating multiple stations pre-dawn several days a week, and without SIP support the park cannot maintain the consistency or volume of data needed to track long-term population trends. Additionally, the SIP will assist with resighting efforts for Cerulean Warblers and Bobolinks, to obtain individual survival and return rates that permanent staff cannot complete alone. The results of the SIP’s service will illustrate how restoration efforts in the park are providing habitat for declining species and if these are able to support viable populations.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The SIP Resource Management Assistant (Avian Monitoring) will support CUVA’s long-term avian monitoring program. The SIP will join the park’s experienced bird banding crew to operate spring migration monitoring stations at multiple sites. They will assist with the operation and setup of the stations three times per week. A second duty will be assisting with re-sighting individuals in two color-banded populations of species of conservation concern, the Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) and Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus). Data will be collected at restored wet meadows and prairies, restored grasslands, and eastern hardwood forests. Duties: The SIP will be expected to collect detailed and accurate field notes, fill out data forms clearly and legibly, write summaries and create simple tables, graphs, and maps. The SIP will be responsible for maintaining field equipment, storage and office space in a clean and organized manner. The SIP will collaborate with volunteers, selected candidate, and staff in the field. Duties will be performed primarily outdoors, but some office time should be expected (data entry, equipment organization, ect). The SIP will be required to hike on and off trail in muddy, hot, humid, and buggy conditions. Re-sighting color-banded birds requires hiking on very uneven terrain, off-trail in hot and sunny conditions. field projects will regularly start pre-dawn. Job hazards include exposure to heat and humidity, ticks, insects, and occasional incidental exposure to poison ivy.
DELIVERABLES
(1) Data - the SIP’s primary deliverable will be the data gathered during field projects; specific data will include geospatial information for color-banded individuals, age, sex and morphometric data on captured birds, geospatial information on any bird nests encountered. The expectation for this deliverable includes the timely entry of data into spreadsheets and databases for long-term storage and use, and scanning/photocopying physical field data sheets for digital storage. (2) Final Presentation - a presentation of results of the spring bird monitoring season, and a comparison between sites and/or years. Usually SIPs present during the Resource Management Division staff meeting (in person) and/or the parkwide briefing room (virtual).
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
REQUIRED SKILLS: Candidate must have experience in avian ecology, conservation, and research. Experience with bird banding and/or re-sighting color-banded individuals is required. Candidate must demonstrate experience with bird banding (i.e. must be comfortable setting and storing mist-nets, removing birds safely from nets, knowledge of banding protocols and use of the “Pyle” guide). Excellent communication skills are critical. A degree in biology, zoology, wildlife management, or related field. Coursework in: Mammalogy, Ornithology, Field Methods, or related coursework. The SIP will conduct projects in the park’s bird banding stations, which requires early mornings (pre-dawn) starts and the ability to follow a flexible schedule that is dependent on weather and field conditions. Candidate must be comfortable conducting projects outdoors in hot, humid, cold, or buggy conditions, and walking in uneven terrain. Candidate must have experience using binoculars and/or spotting scopes. PREFERRED SKILLS: Experience with birds of the Eastern US is preferred, but not required. Experience with grassland or forested ecosystems is a plus. Candidate should feel comfortable speaking to groups of volunteers and/or park visitors. Though this position has a strong field component, the applicant should expect some office time (writing reports, entering data into spreadsheets). This position will be 30% office time and 70% field time, but this may vary throughout the season or be weather-dependent.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
Located in Northeastern Ohio, Cuyahoga Valley National Park is situated along 26 miles of the Cuyahoga River Valley in a suburban setting between the cities of Akron and Cleveland. The park is predominately natural forest and meadow with some areas of agriculture and excellent outdoor recreation opportunities. Winters are moderately cold with average temperatures in the 20-30F degree ranges. Heavy snowfall is not unusual. Summers are moderately warm, average temperatures in the high 70-80F with occasional warm spells in the 90's. Rural, suburban, and urban communities are all within a reasonable commuting distance. Excellent K-12 schools, numerous colleges, universities, hospitals, and cultural attractions are available in the area. There are also many museums including the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, National Football Hall of Fame, and many public art museums, as well as two NPS units within a 40 minute drive (First Ladies NHS and James A. Garfield NHS). Northeast Ohio is a mosaic of demographic variety where individuals can find communities with shared cultural, ethnic, and religious associations. The area has varied culinary opportunities (dinning and specialty grocery stores). Though there is no public transportation within the park boundaries, most of the area is bike-friendly and reachable through the Towpath Trail, a multi-purpose trail transecting the national park. Cuyahoga Valley National Park Park's Web Site: http://www.nps.gov/cuva
housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.
Shared housing is available within CUVA, so the SIP will part of the community of selected candidate and seasonal staff living within the park boundaries. Park housing includes private bedroom equipped with a full-size bed, dresser, and desk. Bedding and bath towels are not provided. The shared living spaces and kitchen area are fully furnished including plates, pots, pans, and silverware. All houses have shared bathrooms. Park housing accommodates between 3-6 individuals (depending on the house). Individuals are responsible for personal items, clothing, and bedding. All park houses are equipped with Wi-Fi, central air/heating, TV set, and washer/dryer. Most of the park has excellent/good cellphone coverage.
VEHICLE AND DRIVERS LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
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 Biology Assistant at Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
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!”
