POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4529
Position Title: Natural Resource Management Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Calumet, Michigan
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 10/19/2026
End Date: 01/11/2027
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: $ 775.00 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: Data curation, Museum collections, Biology
PURPOSE
This Natural Resource Management Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This project would ensure that the specimens and associated records/archival materials from projects permitted through the NPS’s Research Permitting and Recording System (RPRS) are physically located, downloaded, gathered, and cataloged into MCMS. This project would ensure accountability for all natural history specimens removed from NPS property and retained in other institutions. The final result would provide available data, field notes, maps, photographs, and final reports to park managers, other researchers, and park visitors. Any research conducted on federal lands should be available to the public once it is complete and published. Loan agreements for collections stored at other repositories would be completed to provide legal documentation, awareness, and guidance to the repositories.
The research permit guidelines require that copies of all field notes, photographs, maps must be turned over to the park upon completion of the project. Ensuring the property is returned and cataloged is required per NPS Management Policies 4.2 and DO-24, DO-28, NPS-77 and the Museum Handbook.
This data may help park staff with management goals regarding flora, fauna, and water resources, among others.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
This position will focus on data compilation and data management of past Natural History research and collecting projects at ISRO and PIRO. All specimens collected from national park units are required to be accessioned and cataloged into the park museum collection. Dozens of researchers have been collecting specimens, conducting research, and documenting various biological and geological processes in the parks over the past 60 years, but due to the lack of park staff, the parks have been unable to keep up with tracking down the data. Although lists of researchers were compiled by a previous museum specialist, additional communication and data collection is needed. The participant will contact the researchers via email or phone and request they submit all relevant field notes, data, maps, photographs, and GIS data. In addition, if the researcher still has natural history specimens, the participant will gather data on those specimens and collaborate with the park staff to catalog the collections into the Museum Collection Management System (MCMS) and create a loan agreement with their institution.
Approximately 40 out of 165 PIRO researchers and 70 out of 336 ISRO researchers (since RPRS began) noted that they would be collecting specimens. A small fraction of these have been in communication with park museum staff and their collections are already accessioned and either returned to the park or on loan. The rest need to be contacted and submit their data. If the researcher has left the institution, we will collaborate with their replacements to determine the location or disposition of their data and specimens.
DELIVERABLES
The expected deliverables for the project include:
- Update current researcher tracking list to include all permits issued through RPRS since 2022 for ISRO and PIRO.
- Contact approximately (100) researchers to follow up on location of natural history specimens and data (more if time allows).
- Accession and catalog entries in MCMS for at least 15 projects (more if time allows).
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
Candidate must have an enthusiasm for science, data management, and museum collections. Candidates should hold an undergraduate degree from a Social Sciences, Data Science, Natural Resources, Environmental Sciences or Museum Studies program, but other degrees will be considered. The position could be filled by a recent graduate, but higher skilled candidates can apply and job duties could be adjusted accordingly. No specific coursework is required. Experience with Excel and TMS Collections is preferred. The participant should possess an excellent job ethic, attention to detail, good oral and written communication skills, and most importantly, a positive attitude.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
This position is primarily office based and located at the parks' shared museum collection facility, the Lake Superior Collections Management Center (at Keweenaw National Historical Park) in Calumet, Michigan. The participant will have their own computer and desk space in a shared office. Occasional projects will be done at the parks' other storage facility in downtown Houghton, Michigan (about 20 minutes away). Calumet is located in Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula on the South Shore of Lake Superior. The region is dominated by vast areas of lakes, forests and wetlands. Houghton is the home of Michigan Tech University and the area offers many options for dining, grocery stores, retail shops, and has two hospitals. Houghton was rated as one of the top 10 U.S. adrenaline outposts by National Geographic Adventure Magazine, boasting excellent skiing, hiking, kayaking and mountain biking. There is a small regional airport which offers daily flights to Chicago.
Note: the participant will NOT have the opportunity to go to Isle Royale itself since it is closed from mid-October to mid-May.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The participant will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
The position will primarily be located at Keweenaw National Historical Park headquarters in Calumet, Michigan. Houghton and Hancock, Michigan are about 20 minutes away and Houghton is home to Michigan Tech University. Opportunities to sublease rooms or rent rooms, houses or apartments are available and in the range of $400 -$1000/month depending on location and size. Dormitory style housing may also be available on Michigan Tech campus.
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 Natural Resource Management Assistant at Isle Royale National Park, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
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!”
