Crew Member-AmeriCorps

Position Title: AIM Ecological Monitoring Crew Member – AmeriCorps 

Conservation Legacy Program: Southwest Conservation Corps 

Site Location:  

• Tres Rios BLM Field Office (Dolores and Durango, CO)
• 29211 Highway 184 Dolores, CO 81323
• Uncompahgre BLM Field Office (Montrose, CO)
• 2465 S Townsend Ave Montrose, CO 81401
• Grand Junction BLM Field Office
• 2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506
• Gunnison BLM Field Office
• 2500 E New York Ave Gunnison, CO 81230
• Royal Gorge BLM Field Office (Cañon City, CO)
• 3028 E Main St, Canon City, CO 81212
• San Luis Valley BLM Field Office (Monte Vista, CO)
• 1313 E Highway 160 Monte Vista, CO 81144

Terms of Service: 

• Start Date: 04/14/2025
• End Date: 10/03/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hours

Purpose: 

This AmeriCorps Program partners with Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff at local field offices throughout southern Colorado. This position is under direct mentorship and technical guidance of BLM staff in addition to remote administration under Southwest Conservation Corps. This program fosters invaluable mentorship to early-career individuals and provides a unique opportunity to develop relationships within and become familiar with the workings of non-profit and government agencies. The purpose of this position is to travel to remote plots of public land and conduct botanical and soil monitoring data collection using the BLM’s Terrestrial Assessment, Inventory, and Monitoring (AIM) methodology. These data are compiled into a massive publicly accessible database used by the BLM, local stakeholders, and the public to assess land health and inform land management decisions and practices. To dive deeper into the AIM methodology, visit the following website: https://www.blm.gov/aim/.  

Description of Duties: 

Crews typically consist of three individuals: two crew members and one crew lead. Together, they monitor land health by collecting AIM data on BLM lands including National Monument lands, vegetation treatments, burn scars, rangeland allotments, and wilderness study areas. The crew may also contribute to other public land management projects, encompassing wildlife, range, recreation, rare plant monitoring, and forestry. 

The goal of the crews is to sample a target number of plots using the AIM methodology. The crew is tasked with identifying plants to species, gathering species cover and composition data using line-point intercept, gap measurements, measuring soil stability, and describing the site and soil pits. All data are georeferenced and stored in an ArcGIS geodatabase to be later synthesized into various reports for future land management planning.  

Our crew members are responsible for maintaining and cataloging botanical specimens of known and unknown species throughout the field season. We value crew members who are passionate about sound scientific principles and recognize the immense value of their contributions to preserving and understanding our precious ecosystems. As the season progresses, members cultivate a deep understanding of the diversity of the local flora, learning tens to hundreds of plants by scientific name. Curiosity about the intricacies of the natural systems they encounter and a desire to continuously enhance their expertise in botany, soil science, and the broader ecosystem are prerequisites for success.   

Crew members assist with hitch preparation, planning, crew transportation using work vehicles, navigation to designated plots, equipment maintenance, and time tracking and management. The crew members take initiative to communicate and pursue their personal and professional development goals throughout the season.   

We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate discretion and judgment, embracing the responsibility of identifying, communicating, and proactively addressing safety, logistical, or interpersonal issues. We expect their proactive approach and involvement at every step. Furthermore, they complete mid-term and end-of-term written evaluations, both for self-assessment and for the crew lead. The crew members maintain effective and professional communication, fostering feedback systems among their fellow crew members.  

Qualifications: 

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien and able to produce identification as stipulated by the I-9 upon start date
• Aged between 21 and 30 (civilian) or 35 (veteran) years upon start date.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• College coursework (2 years at minimum) in ecology, botany, plant ecology, plant biology, plant systematics, soils science, geology, horticulture, natural resource management, environmental science, or a related field.
• OR previous college- or professional-level experience in the above fields, plus familiarity with data collection and sound science principles.
• Eligible to accept a 900-hour service term with AmeriCorps.
• Valid U.S. driver’s license and insurable driving record.
• Capable of standing and walking (up to 6 miles/day on rough, steep, off-trail uneven terrain using a handheld GPS for route-finding), bending and crouching for long periods while taking precise, repetitive measurements, and lifting/carrying items that weigh up to 40 pounds, in upwards of 100-degree (F) heat while maintaining attention to detail and overall positive attitude.
• Spend several hours per day safely operating 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads.
• Excellent judgment in assessing physical, mental, and emotional risk while effectively working in and around adverse conditions, including extreme heat, sun exposure, monsoonal rains, and hazardous wildlife (i.e., rattlesnakes, scorpions, biting/stinging insects, cattle, and horses).
• Willing to spend multiple days (1-8 days at a time) making day trips and car-camping in remote areas while adhering to low-impact principles.
• Capable of operating professionally both in an office and the field.
• Experience with Microsoft Suite Software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) or other data-collection software.
• Self-motivated, with a strong work ethic, and able both to work independently with limited supervision and to take direction and critical feedback.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Able to participate for the entire duration of the program dates.
• Education/experience with identifying plants to species, especially in the field or from photos, pressed specimens, field guides, taxonomic keys, or other means.
• Familiar with Colorado, neighboring flora, or deeper experience with floras from elsewhere in the world.
• Experience or education using taxonomic soil keys or equivalent mechanisms to identify ecological sites.
• Experience hand texturing various types of soils.
• Experience digging quality soil pits to characterize and document all horizons.
• Experience using soil series descriptions, Web Soil Survey, or equivalent soil datasets.
• Experience working as part of a small team and able to work well with others.
• Excellent communication (including in-person, email, and phone), organizational, and planning skills.
• Knowledge of downloading, using, and syncing ArcGIS Online Maps.
• Experience collecting data, especially electronically.
• Experience working or recreating in rangeland or desert systems.

Physical Requirements: 

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional 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. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager. 

Time Requirements: 

• Typically, this position is expected to serve 10-hour days either 8 days on with 6 days off or 4 days on with 3 days off with extensive camping, but exact service schedules may vary. A half-hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.

• 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 an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• During the first 2+ weeks, crews undergo extensive technical AIM training with the BLM and receive an in-depth orientation to the SCC culture and needed strategies for a successful field season.

Benefits: 

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50
• Living Allowance of $600-640 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $140 per week.
• $18+/day food allowance while camping in the field with crew collecting data. Smaller allowance for day trips.
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Paid attendance to Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder Recertification, or possible reimbursement
• Supplemental professional development opportunities related to other public land management projects involving wildlife, range, recreation, rare plant monitoring, or forestry.
• Two SCC field shirts
• Hiring Benefits: Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: a noncompetitive hiring status for consideration when applying to competitive service positions for a federal agency. Eligible to be used for two years upon completion of term.

Evaluation and Reporting: 

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of 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 and accomplishment tracking. 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information: 

Ecological Monitoring Program Coordinator – Madison McCluskey (she/her/hers) 

Contact information: mmccluskey@conservationlegacy.org 

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages. 

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.