Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks; 47050 Generals Hwy, Three Rivers, CA 93271

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 2/7/2025

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: March 3, 2025
• End Date: October 24, 2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 Hour

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 Sierra Nevada Inventory and Monitoring Program will host a Logistics Fellow.

This Logistics Fellow is an AmeriCorps position that will support the planning, logistics, operations, and data management for a wide variety of biological and natural resource monitoring projects. Project Leads, monitoring protocols, and associated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) provide detailed guidance on many aspects of the work, but the position is frequently required to use independent judgment to help support project goals and needs to possess a solid understanding of field operations in large wilderness or back country settings. The majority of work will take place in an office setting, though there will be opportunities to join field staff working in remote, backcountry locations with overnight camping and travel required. This position will be supervised by the network's program manager.

The Logistics Fellow will enhance the efficiency of backcountry field crews tasked with monitoring and conserving the Sierra Nevada's unique ecological characteristics. This role is crucial for supporting conservation efforts that benefit both the environment and local communities by ensuring the effective planning and execution of field operations, which allows crews to focus on data collection and analysis. Additionally, the Logistics Fellow’s contribution to organization will enable more reliable environmental monitoring, providing essential data for informed decision-making by park managers.

Description of Duties:

• Provides logistical support (e.g., arranging vehicles, campsites, and backcountry caches, and managing equipment and supplies) and solves logistical or operational problems within the scope of the incumbent's authority.
• Works in a team environment, interacting regularly with network staff, park staff, and cooperators to support program logistics, safety, and communication needs.
• Operates, tracks, and maintains field gear and sampling equipment (e.g., camping equipment, cameras, communication devises, etc.) and works with network staff to order replacement parts, new equipment, and additional supplies when necessary.
• Supports management of collected field data, including organizing digital files (both tabular and spatial), creating meta data, and documenting and cataloging photographs.
• Uses GIS tools to perform tasks related to geoprocessing and manipulation of spatial data to create field maps and document and archive data collected on multiple GPS units.
• Joins crews in the field to learn various projects and protocols for monitoring data collection.

Qualifications:

• Office or administrative experience that included supporting different teams (ex; coordination, arranging logistics, tracking moving schedules and details).
• Strong communication and organizational skills, with experience working independently and with different teams.
• Experience working with tabular data in relational databases (e.g. Access or similar platform) and spreadsheets.
• Possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.
• 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.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or coursework and experience in biology (wildlife or conservation), ecology or a related field.
• Prior field experience that included adhering to safety protocols and conducting ecological surveys, leadership experience preferred.
• Extensive outdoor and backcountry experience, with a mind for safety and logistics.
  • Including ability to use a GPS unit for navigation and data collection.
• Experience with spatial data and mapping applications.
• Ability to safely drive a 4WD vehicle on unpaved roads that can be steep and rutted. Ability to work in harsh and rapidly changing environments, work in all types of weather conditions, traverse uneven terrain, carry upwards of 40 pounds in a backpack, and otherwise maintain good physical condition.
• Ability to work productively, consistently and cooperatively as part of a team to accomplish mutual goals.
• Familiarity with backcountry, low-impact principles preferred.

Additional Position and Community Information

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks represent an extraordinary continuum of ecosystems (96% designated wilderness) arrayed along the greatest vertical relief (1,370 to 14,505 feet elevation) of any protected area in the lower 48 states. They are the highest, most rugged reaches of the Sierra Nevada

Mountains (including Mount Whitney at 14,500 feet elevation) and feature the world's largest trees -Giant Sequoias. Sequoia National Park is the nation's second oldest national park (established September 25, 1890) and encompasses 404,863 acres. Kings Canyon was established on March 4, 1940, and encompasses 458,847 acres. Both parks provide a wealth of recreational opportunities via 835 miles of trails, wild and scenic rivers, alpine lakes, and caves.

The duty station for the position is Sequoia National Park with the main office at Ash Mountain Headquarters located in Three Rivers, CA. Three Rivers is a rural town with a population just over 2,000 people in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, at about 1,000 ft elevation. Shared in-park housing with other temporary staff is available for the incumbent. Pets and smoking are not allowed in temporary housing. There is a small market and restaurants in the town of Three Rivers which is about 6 miles away from Ash Mountain. For access to more grocery stores and shopping, the city of Visalia is the closest option and is also the nearest hospital. Fresno International Airport is the closest airport which is about 1.5 hours away. Due to the remoteness of this duty station, it is recommended to have a personal vehicle if possible.

Summers in Ash Mountain can often reach over 100 degrees, however, there is access to the Kaweah River for swimming and you can also access ~7,000 ft elevation (and cooler temperatures) with less than an hour drive. Three Rivers offers many outdoor recreational opportunities, including mountain biking/running trails in town, fishing, rafting/boating, etc. all with close access.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,176.50
• Living Allowance of $720 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $200 per week.
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

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. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary.
• Lunch breaks will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive Wilderness First Aid training.
• Member will receive radio and communication training.
• Member will receive GIS skills and database management training.
• Member will receive fieldwork SOP and sampling techniques training.
• $7,500 Training Budget for Professional Development and Travel

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.