Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps at Conservation Legacy

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Harpers Ferry West Virginia

Can this position be fully remote: No 

Number of positions available: 1

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 01/12/2026

End Date: 04/06/2026

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve.

BENEFITS

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35 upon successful completion of position.
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
• Relocation Allowance of $450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
• Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly).
  • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly).
• For 52-week-long positions only:
  • Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
  • Childcare Coverage (opt in)

APPLICATION TIMELINE

The position will close after receiving 60 applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, 12 October, 2025, whichever occurs first. The review of applications will begin after Sunday, 12 October, 2025. Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, 12 October, 2025.

PURPOSE

This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. Located in Loudoun County, Virginia, on the south bank of the Potomac River, the Short Hill tract serves important ecological functions at the landscape scale. Threats such as invasive species and forest pests undermine the area’s ecological integrity, but with little data on the wildlife populations in the tract, park staff have no baseline from which to monitor how wildlife are responding to these threats and how the area’s species richness and varieties are changing. An additional stressor is unauthorized recreational use of the area. There is also increased public and political interest in creating official trails through areas of Short Hill that have not yet been adequately surveyed and inventoried for a variety of wildlife taxa. This project seeks to begin filling those data gaps through studies on the distribution and abundance of various taxa, with a particular focus on species of greatest conservation need as identified in Virginia’s State Wildlife Action Plan. These data will present a snapshot of the wildlife variety at the Short Hill tract, which park managers can use to better tailor management plans to the needs of imperiled species and inform decisions about expanding recreational use within the tract.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The SIP will design wildlife surveys for one or more taxa of wildlife that will be carried out at a later date at the park’s 370-acre Short Hill tract, including birds, herpetofauna, and mammals. The SIP will review applicable literature for potential survey methods for each taxa and will propose the methods that make the most sense for the park’s budget and staffing capacity and the area’s approachability and likely species. These methods could include acoustic sampling, camera traps, and/or physical traps. The SIP will use ArcPro and/or R Studio or similar software to prepare random sampling designs. The SIP will research equipment and prepare a budget and timeline for the surveys. The SIP will collaborate with the staff mentor, park biologist, and park resource manager, as well as regional scientists.

KEYWORDS: inventory, at-risk species, study design, ecology, wildlife, conservation

DELIVERABLES

The final project report will include detailed descriptions of proposed sampling methods with references to applicable literature, a list of potential at-risk species drawn from Virginia’s State Wildlife Action Plan, GIS layers depicting proposed sampling designs, a field equipment checklist, and a proposed budget and timeline. The SIP will present their proposal to park resource management staff and to natural resource staff from other parks.

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 NPS site location.
• The applicant must be available to participate for 12 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Candidates should be in the process of completing, or should have recently completed, a graduate degree in environmental science, environmental biology, ecology, wildlife biology, or a related field. Completed coursework in statistics and sampling design is required. Candidates must have strong writing, GIS, and data analysis skills and must demonstrate the ability to work independently and approach problems with a creative mindset. Candidates must have experience completing literature reviews. Wildlife sampling experience is strongly preferred.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

The project setting is primarily in an office, though occasional field projects may occur. The resource management office is located in a historic building in historic Lower Town Harpers Ferry. The main hazards from this types of tasks are prolonged sedentary periods and eye strain and repetitive motion injuries from computer use. The SIP will receive information on ergonomic practices to minimize these hazards. The park is primarily located in the eastern panhandle of West Virginia, with portions located in Washington County, Maryland, and Loudoun County, Virginia. The average elevation is 528 feet. Winters are typically mild, with temperatures usually not dipping below 20 degrees F and occasional snow and ice. The park’s housing units and office space are within walking distance of two major rivers, prominent trail networks, and expansive park overlooks. The park is within driving distance of four other national park units, multiple state parks, and numerous towns and cities, as well as the mountainous regions of western Maryland and West Virginia and the Maryland coastal plain and shore. Banks, grocery stores, and other shopping destinations are available in towns within a 15-minute drive from the park.

VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

• Applicant will not need to drive a government vehicle.
• A personal vehicle is recommended for this position.

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant.

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 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 email 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/.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

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.

TIME REQUIREMENTS

• This position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary. 
• Lunch breaks 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

• Orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Pertinent training from the NPS site location throughout the term of service.
• Free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff.

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.

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 Rocky Mountain Network will host a Ecology Assistant.

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 a 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!”