GMCG/AmeriCorps Water Quality Resources Assistant 2025

Supervised by: GMCG Water Quality Coordinator

Timeframe: January 15th, 2025 – November 21st, 2025

AmeriCorps Member summary for 2025 season:
The Lakes Region Conservation Corps (LRCC) is an AmeriCorps service program that develops skills and experiences for conservation professionals. LRCC members are the driving force behind many of the conservation efforts of New Hampshire's Lakes Region. The 2025 full-term program is based out of the Squam Lakes Association with host sites at Green Mountain Conservation Group, The Nature Conservancy, Mount Washington Observatory, and the Squam Lakes Association. Green Mountain Conservation Group (GMCG) is a community-based, charitable organization dedicated to the protection and conservation of natural resources in the Ossipee Watershed.

GMCG is seeking two full-year (45 weeks; 1700 hours) AmeriCorps members for the 2025 season beginning January 15th, 2025. GMCG’s AmeriCorps members will have two roles: one AmeriCorps member’s role is Water Quality Resources Assistant (WQRA) and the other role is Education and Outreach Assistant (EOA). The WQRA will serve closely with GMCG’s Water Quality Coordinator on water quality monitoring and research projects, which will include assisting with water quality sampling, recruitment and training of volunteers, and expansion of water research programs at GMCG. The EOA will serve primarily with GMCG’s Education and Outreach Coordinators on educational programs and outreach throughout the Ossipee Watershed, which will include assisting with the coordination of GMCG’s Youth Water Literacy programs, designing/promoting water and resource conservation programs, and developing remote learning opportunities. The EOA will also work closely with the WQRA on water monitoring and research projects. Both members will also develop skills with the Land Trust Committee from reviewing conservation easement applications to physically monitoring the existing easement lands and updating reports and files, in addition to being responsible for developing and maintaining interpretive trails on GMCG properties.  AmeriCorps members will also help the Building Committee with miscellaneous building and property maintenance projects as needed.

Water Quality Resources Assistant position description:

Serving in cooperation with the GMCG Water Quality Coordinator to oversee aspects of GMCG's research programs, including:

• Water Quality Monitoring programs, including our flagship community science tributary monitoring program (RIVERS) and lake testing programs (VLAP and LLMP);
• Conduct research on water, sediment, plankton, and/or mollusk communities to survey microplastic impacts and develop children and adult educational events utilizing data collected in accordance to state funding requirements;
• Assists in coli and/or cyanobacteria collections, identification and surveys;
• Assists in genetic identification of host organism when high coli levels are detected;
• Conducts laboratory analysis on eDNA using genetic techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis;
• Contribute to quarterly newsletter and appropriate brochure development, weekly press release writing and/or development of online “Experimentation Station” activities.
• Assist the EOA AmeriCorps members and/or the Education and Outreach Coordinators on any educational and/or outreach event that may require help, such as our GET WET youth drinking water program, summer educational programming, and our fall macroinvertebrate programs.
• Recruitment of new volunteers for river and/or lake monitoring.
• Co-presenting 2024 water quality information to municipal officials, and other stakeholders.
• Assisting with annual events such as GMCG field programs and the Annual Meeting.
• Supporting GMCG’s land trust program by assisting with conservation easement monitoring; boundary marking; updating land trust records and, if appropriate, creating GIS maps of those properties.
• Helping to develop, implement, and maintain interpretive trail systems on GMCG properties and/or on pre-approved collaborating properties (such as another NPO’s grounds).
• Assisting with any building/maintenance projects around GMCG’s grounds as needed.
• Assisting with any other research, education, advocacy and land conservation projects as needed.

Reporting Requirements and Evaluations:

Members will be responsible for reporting requirements, such as bi-weekly timesheets, AmeriCorps program metrics, and any other organizational metrics that are pertinent to their position.  Members will also receive mid-term and end-of-term performance evaluations, in addition to one on one meetings with their supervisor.

Minimum Qualifications:
• Science based studies preferably with focus on environmental sciences and strong writing skills
• Strong people skills and an interest in developing skills for sharing science-based information with a non-science audience
• Desire to develop experience leading small to medium groups in a classroom or field setting
• Excellent oral and written skills
• Strong computer and word processing skills, data entry and analysis, including Word, Publisher, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe, Google Suite. Experience with ArcGIS and video editing highly recommended
• Experience and ease in presenting information to small and large groups
• Must be 18 years of age by January 15, 2025
• Able to serve independently and with a group
• Willingness and ability to travel across the 7 towns of the watershed
• Full-year: Available from January 15 2025 through November 21 2025
• Must apply online
• Must pass all certification exams
• Must meet the Corporation for National Community Service's minimum requirements
• Must clear all required National Service Criminal History Checks
• Must be a US citizen, US national, or legal permanent resident of the US  
• Must be a high school graduate, GED recipient, or must be working toward attaining a high school diploma or GED during their term of service

Physical Requirements & Serving Conditions:
Normal office tasks, driving (day/night), night meetings (some weekends), walking, climbing stairs, bending, lifting in relation to field work, walking and lifting as required by field educational programs on water. Must be able to swim and be comfortable on the water. Willingness to travel throughout the Ossipee Watershed and have reliable transportation.

Benefits:
• AmeriCorps Health Insurance (available to full-year members)
• Housing provided (Note: GMCG will not provide a housing stipend if you choose to live off campus)
• Living allowance stipend distributed bi-weekly ($831.11 biweekly)
• AmeriCorps Segal Education Award amounting to $7395 received upon successful completion of program (minimum of 1700 service hours for full-year)
• Student loan forbearance and interest repayment on qualifying loans
• NH Commercial Boating license
• Wilderness First Aid & CPR Certification
• Other professional trainings as available.