Career Center

Summary: American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit conservation corps, in partnership with the National Park Service (NPS), is seeking ONE Water Quality Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) Member to monitor and protect significant natural resources in National Parks as part of the NPS Appalachian Highlands Inventory and Monitoring Network (APHN).

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.


Start Date: March 1, 2022 (flexibility available for the right candidate)

End Date: September 2, 2022 or 26 weeks after start date

*a 26-week commitment is required*


Location: Oneida, TN

Fieldwork will be in National Park Service units in four southeastern states (KY, NC, TN, and VA). These are large natural resource parks protecting some of the most significant ecosystems in the Southern Appalachians, including cliff-lined river gorges (Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, Obed Wild and Scenic River), and montane forests (Blue Ridge Parkway).

For more information regarding the Appalachian Highlands Inventory and Monitoring Network please visit the NPS website at: https://www.nps.gov/im/aphn/index.htm


Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $380/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. While traveling for projects, accommodations will include motels and park housing; reimbursable travel expenses are covered by the ACE.


Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or the NPS.


AmeriCorps: This opportunity may be eligible for a 900-hour ($3,097.50) AmeriCorps Education Award Upon Successful Completion of membership service hours. Additional enrollment is required.


Position Description: This is a six-month position with the NPS Appalachian Highlands Inventory and Monitoring Network (APHN) where the ACE member will serve as a member of a team that conducts field-oriented natural resources monitoring. Duties are mainly assisting with field data collection, data management and related laboratory testing for the Network's water quality monitoring program. Other duties may include assisting with freshwater mussel and vegetation monitoring.

Assist APHN staff with a variety of field-oriented projects, including:

• Water quality monitoring. Duties may include assisting with operation and maintenance of data sondes used to collect continuous water quality data, as well as assisting with collection of discrete water quality samples;
• Operation and maintenance of water quality meters, and laboratory instruments and equipment;
• Entering and quality-checking continuous and discrete water quality monitoring data using Microsoft Access and Excel, and other proprietary database software;
• Occasionally providing field and data management assistance for other long-term monitoring projects, including freshwater mussel and vegetation monitoring;
• Entering data and species occurrence information (from legacy reports and collection records) in databases and spreadsheets, using Microsoft Access and Excel, and other proprietary database software;
• Field operation and basic management of Global Positioning System (esp. Garmin) instruments and data;
• Creating basic Geographic Information System maps (with ESRI's ArcGIS software) for natural resources inventory and monitoring projects;
• Organizing and carrying out field logistics to support monitoring teams of two or more people.

APHN will provide field training and experience using a variety of water quality monitoring instruments and techniques, as well as techniques for vegetation and freshwater mussel monitoring. Training and skills will be provided in data manipulation using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Access, ESRI ArcGIS software, as well as other proprietary software, including Aquatic Informatics' Aquarius software, Garmin GPS software, and National Park Service natural resources inventory and monitoring databases. Training will be provided in Wilderness First Aid and Operational Leadership (a safety awareness course).

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.


Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a hiring authority upon completion of their term of service.

Qualifications:

Required:

• Members must be U.S. citizens or Permanent Residents, as required to comply with U.S. government contracts.
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.

• Interest and ability to serve in remote field areas.
• Able and willing to serve outdoors in varying weather conditions and capable of participating in sustained physical labor.

• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a minimum of a bachelor's degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as aquatic ecology, hydrology, environmental science, natural resource management or related disciplines.

• Strong interest in hydrology, aquatic ecology, and natural resource management.

• Knowledge, interest and/or experience conducting aquatic field projects.
• Experience in various field data collection methods using standard protocols.
• Experience in backcountry hiking and navigation in steep terrain.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Access, Garmin GPS units, and/or ESRI's ArcGIS.