Ecology Assistant

Position Title: Ecology Assistant – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placement Program

Site Location: Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory and Monitoring Network

420 Forest Resources Building, 466 Bigler Road, University Park, PA 16802

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 05/11/2026
• End Date: 09/25/2026
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hour Slot

Purpose:

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 Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN) will host an Ecology Assistant.

The Eastern Rivers and Mountains Network (ERMN) conducts long-term forest health monitoring as part of the National Park Service’s nationwide Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Division that provides science for park management. The information provided by the I&M Division helps park managers make sound, science-based management decisions that help the National Park Service meet its mission to conserve America’s most treasured places for the benefit of future generations.

As part of an AmeriCorps Program, this Ecology Assistant will collect information that promotes science-based adaptive management of key park resources in a collaborative

partnership between park staff and Inventory and Monitoring staff. Forest health information that the Ecology Assistant generates will provide parks with early detection of new invasive plants and forest pests / pathogens, as well as information on changing forest conditions so parks can mitigate threats and protect resilient forests.

Description of Duties:

• While assisting with ERMN forest health monitoring, the participant will be expected to work on a team (with 1-4 other individuals) collecting data from permanent monitoring plots in eight parks.
• They must be prepared to work in hot and humid conditions, including carrying up to 40 lbs of sampling gear in a backpack across uneven, steep and rugged terrain. Plots are located in remote locations of each park, and often include hiking 1-5 miles (or more) per day.
• The successful candidate will learn and conduct complex detailed field data collection protocols for tree diameter measurements, tree regeneration and shrub assessments, down woody debris counts, and stand characterization.
• In forest health monitoring, crew works in 4 large parks centered on rivers (Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Gauley River National Recreation Area, New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, and Bluestone National Scenic River), as well as four smaller parks with historical focuses (Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, and Friendship Hill National Historic Site).
• A week or more may be spent collecting field data in riparian areas to monitor rare riverscour communities in the large river parks. This project will offer the participant an excellent opportunity to learn the local flora across parks within the Appalachian Mountains, understand threats to park vegetation, and work with vegetation ecologists and park natural resource staff.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Strong interest in Appalachian forest ecology
• Enthusiastic about working outdoors as part of a small team in a variety of weather conditions
• Meticulous data collection skills, strong work ethic, and positive attitude
• Ability to identify common trees and shrubs of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, or the interest to learn woody plant identification
• Familiarity with entering data into Access databases on field tablets or interest to learn

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is 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 the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
• This position may use alternative work schedules such as four 10-hour days
• 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.
• Plant identification, primarily woody plants in Appalachia
• Forest mensuration equipment (such as laser hypsometer, clinometer, densiometer, DBH tapes, etc), as well as using a Toughbook, Microsoft Access database, and digital camera
• Safety training addressing environmental and human risks.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.14
• Living Allowance of $800.00per week.
• Professional Development Fund of $2,000.00 for training and travel
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible

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:

Program Contact information: Emma Nehan-Springstead at enehan@conservationlegacy.org 

Host Site Supervisor Contact Information:

Stephanie Perles, Ecologist, Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory and Monitoring Network, National Park Service, 420 Forest Resources Building, 466 Bigler Road, University Park, PA 16802, stephanie_perles@nps.gov , 814-441-9643

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 the hiring manager.