Invasive Plant Management Individual Placement (National Capital Region)

Title: Invasive Plant Management Individual Placement 

Positions: 4 internships available 

Location: Based out of Washington, DC 

Dates of Service: February 10th, 2025 – November 14th, 2025 (40 weeks) 

Schedule: Monday – Thursday, 630 am to 5pm, 10 hours/day 

Pay: $600/week living stipend paid biweekly 

Status: This is a full-time, temporary 1200-hour AmeriCorps National Service position. 

Questions? Contact ACCrecruiting@conservationlegacy.org

Appalachian Conservation Corps:   

Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.   

As an AmeriCorps program, Individual Placements commit to a term of service in order to gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as provides a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.   

Position Summary:  

The Invasive Plant Management Individual Placement is based in Washington, D.C. working directly with the National Capital Region of the National Park Service. This 10-month AmeriCorps position will serve as a member of the IPMT, focusing on control of invasive plant species using mechanical and chemical control methods which include but are not limited to herbicide application via backpack sprayers and gas operated tank sprayers, chainsaws, brush cutters, hand saws, pruners and loppers. In addition, the IPs will be trained on overall resource management, encouraged to attend NPS-sponsored trainings, and to take part in the activities of other resource programs. While this position is primarily field-based there may be some office-based responsibilities involving the use of GIS and paper and electronic files to conduct invasive plant ranking, evaluate tools for mobile data collection, collect data and/or perform data analysis, contribute to the development of reports, and assist in the development of communication materials. 

During their terms, Interns will receive training and certifications to be able to identify and treat a variety of invasive plant species. This position is heavily field based and involves frequent travel to parks in the capital region and daily physical activity.  

Housing is NOT provided for this position. We are seeking candidates who are current residents of Washington, D.C. or surrounding metro area. 

General Qualifications: 

To qualify for this AmeriCorps position, you must be between the ages of 21 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award. 

• Possess a valid driver’s license.
• Comfortable working in a field and office environment
• Physically capable of strenuous field activities (hiking, monitoring, survey, etc.) for 10 hours in adverse conditions (high heat, high humidity, biting insects, rough terrain, inclement weather) while carrying up to 40 lbs.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Two or four year college degree in a biology-related subject area or related experience
• Familiarity with local plant identification
• A minimum of 3 years of driving experience
• Demonstrated experience in a field environment
• GIS experience or coursework

Time Requirements: 

• These positions are full-time, 40 hour/week.
• This position runs Monday- Thursday. 10 hour days. 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.

Benefits:   

• $600/week living stipend, paid bi-weekly
• $4,826.50 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of 1200 hour service term (award amount varies based on length of commitment and can be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)
• $120 reimbursement for work boots with receipt, $100 for local ID guides
• Option to enroll in health, vision and dental insurance
• Eligibility for the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon successful completion – noncompetitive hiring status for two years when applying for federal positions.
• Federal student loan forbearance and interest payoff
• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist
• Additional subject-specific certifications and trainings may be offered (Chainsaw training, pesticides, etc)
• Depending upon the academic institution and program, positions may fulfill internship requirements
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths

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. 

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. 

Our Promise:  

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.