Botany Support Specialist - Conservation

Position Title:

Botany Support Specialist – Conservation

(Ameri Corps Individual Placement)

Conservation Legacy Program:
Conservation Corps New Mexico Site

Location:

Bureau of Land Management (BLM) - Carlsbad Field Office (CFO)

620 East Greene St Carlsbad, NM 88220

Terms of Service:

Start Date:

5/26/26
End Date: 11/20/26
Ameri Corps Slot Classification: 900 Hours

Purpose:

Ameri Corps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. Ameri Corps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Environmental stewardship programs help conserve natural habitats, improve energy efficiency, and protect clean air and water among other environmental efforts.

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM)

As part of Conservation Legacy and an Ameri Corps program, CCNM aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across New Mexico and western Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation.

The CCNM Las Cruces office manages the Individual Placement Program.

Mentorship

These Individual Placements are unique development Ameri Corps positions. Participants are paired with a local supervisor and gain technical, hands‑on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. Site supervisors commit to facilitate career development; introduce participants to numerous pathways within the conservation field; create meaningful learning opportunities; and provide technical, hands‑on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies.

Position

Summary

The Bureau of Land Management in partnership with Conservation Corps New Mexico seeks to fill a need for a Botany Support Specialist – Conservation Individual Placement out of the Carlsbad BLM Field Office. The successful candidate will provide support to the Botany Program including but not limited to support field‑going Botany crews, assist with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) actions, and monitor/manage for Special Status Plant Species (SSPS).

BLM

New Mexico (including Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas) has one of the largest oil and gas programs in the Bureau. The four‑state area has over 45 million acres of mineral estate and more than 2 million acres of Native American mineral estate. Two of the most prolific oil and gas basins in the United States are in New Mexico--the San Juan Basin in the northwest corner and the Permian Basin in the southeast.

The Carlsbad Field Office is located within the Permian Basin and manages oil and gas lease sales to ensure orderly, effective, timely, and environmentally responsible leasing of oil and gas resources. The CFO focuses heavily on permitting and Individual Placement will learn how BLM navigates and balances conservation efforts with oil and gas management.

The selected individual will work with BLM staff under the mentorship of Conservation Corps New Mexico and the BLM field office botanist. These positions are intended to be entry‑level botany with opportunities for professional development such as shadowing various BLM departments and attending training/conferences. Individual placements must provide their own personal transportation to the duty office; however, the individual placement will be provided with a vehicle for use between the office and the field.

Housing may be available; more information will be provided during the interview.

Below are 2026 priorities and focus projects for the BLM‑CFO. These projects will come with a deliverable depending on the length of the participant’s term and project schedule.

• Pollinators with a focus on 6 proposed bumble bees - working closely with wildlife staff
  • Adoption of cell 120 from Bee Atlas.
  • Analyze wildlife water exclosures for pollinator suitability.
  • Design an appropriate pollinator habitat project.
• Scheer’s beehive cactus research
  • Continue tagging and obtaining life history on the cactus.
  • Assist with camera traps to determine…