POSITION DETAILS
Position ID(s): 4506
Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: National Capital Region Network, Washington, District of Columbia
Number of positions available: 1
TERMS OF SERVICE
Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)
Flexible Start Date: Yes
Start Date: 02/01/2027
End Date: 01/31/2028
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: Data Analysis, Coding, ArcGIS, Data Management, Forest Ecology, Stream Health
PURPOSE
This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. The candidate will contribute by creating data products related to Inventory and Monitoring program data. Their will improve data visualization, data capture tools and QA/QC to enhance the program’s capacity for timely reporting to the parks and stakeholders.
I&M field will contribute to long-term monitoring of natural resource vital signs. The data produced by these efforts are vital for informing management decisions in the National Capital Area parks and across the NCRN.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The candidate will collaborate with Natural Resource and Science (NRS) staff, assisting with a variety of
projects related to natural resource management and monitoring from National Parks in the National Capital Region
(NCR), as well as other National Parks in the eastern US. There will be both an office and a field-based component to
the position.
Based on the candidate’s skillset and with guidance regional staff, the candidate will create data products like
dashboards, reports, and visualizers and analyze data using R, Python and/or other programing languages. Other
projects may involve creating data capture tools, mapping, and completing spatial analysis with software like ArcGIS
Pro, AGOL, Survey123, Field Maps, etc. The candidate will also be responsible for collaborating closely with the I&M staff to compile deliverables and post all completed products to the appropriate storage warehouse.
As part of the field component of the position, the selected candidate will assist the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) field crews with forest vegetation and water quality monitoring. The selected candidate will collect a wide range of data for trees, shrubs, vines, and herbaceous plants within established forest plots. They will also assist with the collection of water monitoring data such as temperature, conductivity, pH, and discharge. The candidate will also be involved with projects reviewing current and legacy data for QA/QC and analysis purposes.
DELIVERABLES
deliverables will include creating data capture (Microsoft available, Survey 123, Field Maps) and
analysis tools (QC scripts, dashboards) and products (Automated reports/summary of field data collection). It will also
include the data and associated information collected as part of monitoring activities (e.g. field data, photos, maps)
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
Data and programming Skills: Knowledge of geographic information systems, creating, editing, and publishing GIS data
in ArcGIS Pro and AGOL. Experience collaborating with Microsoft 365 applications like, MS Access and Excel. Familiarity
with python and/or R.
Field Skills: Comfort and willingness to conduct projects in challenging field conditions (hot, humid weather; biting insects; noxious
plants); skills related to successful teamwork (clear communication, situational awareness, reliability, respectfulness);
attention to detail; and strong commitment to safety and NPS operational leadership principles. Experience with
botanical research, forest vegetation monitoring, and/or invasive plant management would also be helpful.
ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
POSITION SETTING
The office is located in Washington DC, near Georgetown. Although one can get to the office using public transportation (there a bus stop near the office), a personal vehicle is recommended due to the typical time it takes to get to the office. Depending on where you live around the DC area, it can take over an hour to travel to the office using public transportation. There is a small convenience store/deli and a few restaurants near by the office but no large grocery store in the near vicinity.
During the late spring until early fall, projects will be conducted in both the field and the office. Once the field season is completed, the majority of projects will be conducted in the office with infrequent field days.
A typical field day begins at the office at 7am after which the field crew will pack up and drive a government furnished vehicle to monitoring sites around the region. Upon completion of the days field activities, the crew will return to the office to backup data and prepare for the following day of field activities. Crew members can expect to carry up to 50lbs of gear into the field traveling in backcountry settings up mountains, over uneven terrain and through thick vegetation. It can be hot and humid in this area during the summer months and freezing or below freezing in winter months.
HOUSING
Park housing is NOT available. The participant will be responsible for finding housing in the nearby area.
No park housing is available, but past seasonal staff and selected candidate have found reasonable housing in the DC area. Typically, this is shared housing, sublets, or studio apartments. The cost of rental can vary greatly depending on what locality (DC, VA or MD) you choose to live in but the typical rates for a one-bedroom apartment are $1500-2500 and shared housing is $800-1500 (depending on location and number of tenants). The further away from the city you live typically decreases rental costs but also increases commute time and cost of transportation to the office. NCR staff have materials prepared to assist selected candidate in locating housing. Local amenities (grocery, restaurants, etc.) will vary greatly depending on where housing is found.
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 National Capital Region 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!”
