POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4473
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Heartland Network, Republic, Missouri
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 02/08/2027
End Date: 02/07/2028
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 (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)
- 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, 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: Plants, Forests, Botany, Ecology, aquatic ecology, fishes, benthic invertebrates
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This position will support critical core monitoring projects both in the field and during data processing and analysis. The SIP member will also contribute to unique analyses to support management questions.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Heartland Inventory and Monitoring Network (HTLN) is a subunit of the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Program, responsible for monitoring ecological ‘vital signs’ in 15 National Parks located in the Midwest region. ‘Vital signs’ are environmental indicators that help us determine if the ecosystems within our National Parks are healthy. HTLN has been monitoring terrestrial and aquatic vital signs since 2000. The parks we serve focus on natural features as well as historical events and people, but vital signs play an important role in telling the stories of all these unique places. Through hiring a ‘Scientist in Parks’ (SIP) participant, we hope to leverage the knowledge and skills of a developing scientist to complete our vital signs field data collection. As a SIP participant, you will collaborate with NPS staff to apply your expertise in aquatic ecology, plants, data processing, analysis, and scientific writing. This position will help you further develop your field biology, laboratory, data processing, and analytical skills. Day to day tasks during the field season will involve following detailed protocols, carrying a pack, and walking long distances. Office days include using databases, spreadsheets, and other software and tools to process and understand patterns in biological data. You will collaborate closely with HTLN scientists to accomplish those goals. Ultimately, the effort will be an opportunity to make lasting and meaningful contributions to natural resource management in parks served by HTLN.
DELIVERABLES
You will contribute to a growing long-term record of natural resource data for each park. That data is critical for understanding change in those resources and providing a data driven foundation for developing management strategies. Without the long-term data, managers must make educated guesses as to the results of past efforts or what future actions to take. You will assist with aquatic invertebrate sorting, R coding analyses, or other project support in addition to the field data collection.
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
As a candidate, you will have a demonstrated attention to detail, such as following standardized methods, ability to travel away from home for 3-10 days at a time, walk carrying a pack over uneven ground, and be comfortable in stream environments. Biological training with plants and/or aquatic species, and familiarity with R coding and GIS may be helpful. Experience with biological statistics would be helpful. Excellent oral, electronic, and written communication skills are essential for success. A bachelors’ degree in physical, natural, or biological sciences is encouraged.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
The selected candidate will be officed with the aquatics team at Missouri State University in Springfield, MO. The network is based at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield, Republic, MO. Field projects will take place at Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, Buffalo National River, Pea Ridge National Military Park, Hot Springs National Park, Pipestone National Monument, and Ozark National Scenic Riverways. The applicant will need a personal vehicle for daily commute to Missouri State University or Wilson’s Creek National Battlefield. We anticipate >40 field days over the course of a year with the remainder supporting data entry and analysis projects.
The metropolitan area near the park has a population of more than 170,000 people. There are many options for groceries, health care, and other services. Springfield MO has several universities and cultural offerings. However, undeveloped open spaces are also easy to get to.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The participant will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
We anticipate local rentals costing $900-1000/month. We will encourage the participant to find a roommate to reduce costs. Springfield is within a 15-minute drive of the park and has a variety of rental options.
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.
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 Heartland Network.
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!”
