Seed Collection Field Botanist Team – Rocky Mountain National Park

Seed Collection Field Botanist Team – Rocky Mountain National Park

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service, is seeking T
wo SOS Field Crew Botanists to contribute to seed collection projects alongside NPS Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: June 15th, 2026

Estimated
End Date: September 5th, 2026

Start and end date can be flexible. A 12-week minimum commitment is required, with the possibility to extend to 16 weeks.

Location Details/

Description:

Work will be conducted in Rocky Mountain National Park. Rocky Mountain National Park encompasses a spectacular range of mountain environments. From meadows found in the montane life zone to glistening alpine lakes and up to the towering mountain peaks, there is something for everyone to discover along the over 300 miles of hiking trails.

For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park, please visit the NPS website.

Position Overview:

We are seeking a team of two to support National Park Service botanical staff with native seed collection, data management, and seed curation. These locally sourced seeds play a critical role in habitat restoration efforts throughout the park. Team members will receive training in plant identification and the Seeds of Success (SOS) protocol (used by the BLM, USFWS, and NPS).

After initial training, this is a highly independent, field-based position. While NPS staff will provide periodic guidance and weekly check-ins, the team should expect to work largely on their own without daily supervision. Members will be responsible for planning and executing their weekly work, including scouting seed populations, conducting collections, managing data, and completing reports. The team will also ensure quality control of all seed and data collection efforts and may occasionally assist in guiding volunteers.

This position offers a strong leadership opportunity for individuals stepping into crew lead roles. It’s ideal for those interested in gaining hands‑on experience with the Seeds of Success seed collection protocol, building data collection and management skills, and making a direct impact on National Park Service restoration work.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Schedule: The position follows a 4-days-on / 3-days-off schedule
, with 10-hour field days
. The team will be camping in the field for four days
, requiring comfort with front‑country camping and self‑sufficiency.

Workdays shall be between Monday‑Thursday and it is expected that days will be at least 10 hours in length due to the commuting distance to work areas. Scheduling and start times are at the discretion of the crew, but shall be early enough to allow for 10 hours of daylight work. Members should expect that they will be camping at least 3 nights each week.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $800/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

This position is part of the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement must meet the PLC Eligibility Requirements to be considered for this position. Members may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of…