Closing Ecology Assistant AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

Position (s): 4344

Position Title:

Ecology Assistant - Ameri Corps

Conservation Legacy Program:
Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements

Site

Location:

North Coast and Cascades Network, Port Angeles, Washington

Number of positions available: 1

Duration: 52 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible

Start Date:

Yes

Start Date:

05/03/2026

End Date: 05/02/2027

Ameri Corps Slot Classification: 1700 hours – this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.

• Segal Ameri Corps Education Award
  : $7,395.00 upon successful completion of position
• Weekly Living Allowance
  : $700.00 per week, fixed rate
• Relocation Allowance
  : $450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
• Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by My Ameri Corps , directly)
• Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through My Ameri Corps , directly)
• For 52-week positions only:
  • Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
  • Childcare Coverage (opt in)

Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, February 15, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the Final date to receive applications passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 15, 2026, whichever occurs first.

bats, acoustic surveys, mist netting, field data collection, applied ecology

This Ecology Assistant is an Ameri Corps position. This position supports a collaborative effort between the National Park Service and the U.S. Geological Survey to quantify the spread and impact of WNS over time in NCCN parks, to understand seasonal patterns in bat activity in those parks, and to vaccinate bats at select colonies on the gradient of disease spread across the NCCN.

Outcomes of this service will inform local to national efforts to understand impacts of WNS on bat populations as well as the efficacy of new vaccines to slow the spread and impact of the disease. The participant will gain hands‑on experience with bat capture and handling techniques while contributing to field data collection and long‑term biological monitoring. The participant will also gain experience in managing and summarizing ecological data and preparing technical reports, public-facing information, and presentations.

Ultimately the project will inform the potential for large‑scale treatment strategies across national parks and other managed lands in Washington state. Results of this project will leverage more than a decade of monitoring at these same sites and inform management strategies aimed at reducing spread/impact of WNS.

The bat monitoring position supports a long‑term research initiative aimed at understanding bat distribution and activity, and documenting and mitigating the impacts of white‑nose syndrome (WNS) in bat populations across North Coast and Cascades Network (NCCN) parks. Participants will assist in field‑based surveillance to determine the presence of Pseudogymnoascus destructans (Pd), the pathogenic fungus responsible for WNS, by collecting wing‑swab and guano samples from bat colonies.

SIPs will also assist with bat acoustic monitoring and other bat research projects, including planned bat vaccination efforts at multiple parks. Responsibilities include assisting with bat monitoring and capture in the field, maintaining detailed field records, and contributing to new WNS vaccination strategies. This position offers hands‑on experience in wildlife disease ecology, conservation biology, and applied field research.

Major duties include nocturnal field projects to capture bats using mist nets, funnel traps, and other capture methods across multiple NCCN park sites, as well as daytime fieldwork to maintain bat acoustic detectors and assist with other bat research activities. Duties include collecting wing‑swab and guano samples for Pd detection, recording biometric data, and safely handling bats in accordance with animal care protocols.

Additional responsibilities include assisting with the administration and monitoring of experimental WNS vaccines, maintaining…