Ecology Assistant AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

• Position (s): 4534
• Position Title:
  
  Ecology Assistant - Ameri Corps
• Conservation Legacy Program:
  Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements
• Site
  
  Location:
  
  Biological Resource Division, Greater Yellowstone Network, Klamath Network, Northeast Temperate Network, Rocky Mountain Network, Sierra Nevada Network, Upper Columbia Basin Network, Bozeman, Montana
• Number of positions available: 1

• Duration: 36 Weeks (not flexible)
• Flexible
  
  Start Date:
  
  Yes
• Start Date:
  
  10/12/2026
• End Date: 06/21/2027
• Ameri Corps Slot Classification: 1200 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.

• Segal Ameri Corps Education Award: $5,176.00 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 My Ameri Corps , directly)
• Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through My Ameri Corps , directly)

This Ecology Assistant is an Ameri Corps position. The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. Many recent advancements in technology and understanding of variables that impact whitebark pine are making it practical and more efficient to meet the NPS mission in the face of continuous environmental change.

Collaboration with scientists and resource stewards across the range of whitebark pine has resulted in increased efficacy in achieving conservation goals. Ensuring and maintaining strong communications targeting resource allocation (i.e., funding) and partnership opportunities increases NPS’s ability to continue high value conservation activities and achieve success of maintaining whitebark pine on the landscape. This project will support existing landscape-scale initiatives for whitebark pine by coordinating practitioners in multi-regional collaborative discussions and utilizing new monitoring techniques, data collection and analyses, and by sharing updated methodologies.

The SIP will develop organization and communication skills applied to large groups of practitioners, practice field data collection and analyses, and present results in written and oral formats. This is critical for this threatened species and can be applied to other five needle pine species that experience similar threats.

Whitebark pine is a federally-protected threatened tree (USFWS, 2023) as well as an important keystone species in high elevation montane systems. Whitebark pine often grows in places inhospitable to other vegetation, but once established, it creates habitat favorable to other species enabling forest succession to occur and stimulates subalpine variety. Whitebark pine trees have been declining in recent years across most of the species range, primarily due to non-native white pine blister rust, mountain pine beetle outbreaks, increased severity and frequency of fire, and indirect effects from a changing environment.

Extensive efforts are underway to restore whitebark pine across its range primarily focused on planting rust-resistant seeds and seedlings. This Scientist-in-Parks project will primarily help to advance collaboration amongst scientists and restoration practitioners within the National Park Service, organize and lead collaborating group communications and activities (e.g., development of best restoration practices, briefing documents, etc), and keep track of the status of activities occurring across the range of whitebark pine.

This will improve the NPS’ ability to conserve whitebark pine within the parks. This SIP will assist parks by capitalizing on existing data and also participate in data collection, data management, and data analyses to inform managers. Outcomes from this project will be shared with others across the whitebark pine community.

This project will require the SIP to demonstrate advanced coordination and communications skills to effectively lead a group of restoration practitioners and ecologists, collection of data from field sites, analyses of data, evaluation of monitoring protocols, and presentation of results. This project will collaborate with 10 Intermountain and Pacific West Regional park complexes affecting 15 park units. The individual will ensure continuity of a long-standing;

geographically dispersed team focused on whitebark pine and other five needle pine conservation across National Parks.

• 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 Ameri Corps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award.
• Prior to…