Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Ecology Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Cabrillo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mediterranean Coast Network, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Thousand Oaks, California

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 2

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: No

Start Date: 02/02/2026

End Date: 06/22/2026

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve.

BENEFITS

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.14 upon successful completion of position.
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
• Relocation Allowance of $450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
• Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly).
  • Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly).

APPLICATION TIMELINE

The position will close after receiving 60 applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EDT on Sunday, 12 October, 2025, whichever occurs first. The review of applications will begin after Sunday, 12 October, 2025. Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, 12 October, 2025.

PURPOSE

This Ecology Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This position will contribute to the core objective of the national I&M program—to address management issues based on scientific analysis of data collected methodically over time. One of the primary duties of the participant will be to assist with the collection of vegetation data that will be used to understand the long-term trajectory of vegetation change at each of the MEDN parks. At SAMO, catastrophic wildfires have burned through nearly 90% of the Recreation Area in the last decade. At CHIS, one of the most important management decisions was the removal of non-native grazers. At CABR, impacts from high park visitation and previously extensive military use threaten the park's resources. How is the vegetation responding to these changes, and what management options may accelerate the recovery of native vegetation? Data we collect in 2026 will contribute to a foundation from which to address these management questions.

The participant will also make our bat monitoring program possible. North American bats face unprecedented risks from continuing and emerging threats including habitat loss and fragmentation, disease, wind energy development, and environmental change. Our local bat monitoring will provide reliable data to promote effective conservation decision making and support the long-term viability of bat populations across the continent. Finally, interacting with fellow scientists at MEDN and cross-training with coworkers around the 3 parks will facilitate the intellectual & professional development necessary for a career in natural resource management.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The Inventory and Monitoring program of the Mediterranean Coast Network (which includes CHIS, SAMO, and CABR) is one component of a national effort to understand the state and trajectory of the biological health of the parks. One of I&M's primary goals is to address management issues based on scientific analysis of data collected methodically over time. The first few weeks of the position will consist of an orientation to I&M, MEDN, and its three parks, as well as planning logistics and generating maps and species lists in preparation for field projects. The participant will then engage in two primary I&M disciplines—terrestrial vegetation and bat monitoring.

Terrestrial vegetation monitoring: From February to June, the participant will partner with staff botanists to conduct annual vegetation monitoring. The data collected will contribute to a long-term dataset that will help us understand large-scale shifts in the parks' vegetation communities over time, for example, in response to burning by wildfires, removal of ungulates, or trampling by people. On a typical field day, the botanist and participant will together drive and then hike to one, two or more pre-determined sites to collect data characterizing the species richness, density, and/or abundance of all vascular plants occupying a 10m x 30m area. Much of the field projects will occur in chaparral and coastal sage scrub vegetation types, but grasslands, woodlands, and riparian areas will also be surveyed. Field data will be recorded into an iPad, and unknown taxa will be collected and/or photographed for later scrutiny. After the field survey, site and plant photos will be uploaded and filed, and data will be error-checked and backed-up. While field days are planned to last approximately 10 hours, 12-hour days are not uncommon. Likewise, mentors attempt to have weeks average 40 hours, however, some include more than 40 hours and others less; regardless, the weekly stipend remains the same.

Bat monitoring: During an orientation week early in the position, in small part while on CABR and CHIS vegetation monitoring tours, as well as spread throughout the position at SAMO, the participant will co-lead the year's bat monitoring with another SIP participant. The team will deploy and retrieve acoustic bat detectors at pre-determined locations approximately two days per week. These data will contribute to the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat), which informs park managers on the variety and activity of bat species in the parks. Acoustic monitoring by SIP participants in recent years revealed at least 12 bat species at SAMO, and at least 14 species inhabiting CHIS!

Finally, on rare office days, the participant will help with general team goals, such as annual reporting and service toward their end-of-position briefing. Depending on time and interest, additional enriching activities could include GIS, restoration activities, rare plant surveys, preparing voucher specimens for submission to a permanent reference herbarium, exploring ways to improve the vegetation monitoring program, or discussing ideas for pursuing academia and scientific research. For example, our 2025 SIPs assembled an incredible study guide depicting the different forms of over 100 commonly encountered plants including photos of the challenging seedling phase.

KEYWORDS: Vegetation, Bats, Monitoring, Mediterranean, Ecology

DELIVERABLES

The most important deliverables will be to contribute to the successful operation of all monitoring expeditions and to a psychologically safe atmosphere. The participant will also contribute to the size and quality of the vegetation and bat monitoring datasets, assist with analyzing and summarizing the year's data, and deliver a presentation at their end-of-position briefing.

For vegetation monitoring, the primary deliverables and products will include assembling study plot materials for field projects, collecting field data, identifying plants to the highest resolution possible, and, if time permits, generating graphical visualizations and written summaries of the data collected, all together with (or under direct supervision of) the parks' botanists. Identifying plants to the highest resolution possible will involve preparing voucher specimens for collected plants, submitting the voucher information to public online herbarium databases, and uploading plant photos collected from their Field projects to CalPhotos (a curated online nature gallery), all of which will aid future MEDN staff and the general public in plant identification, especially of taxa or developmental stages that are difficult to identify.

For bat monitoring, the key deliverable will be acoustic data from approximately 10 NABat grid cells at SAMO, plus additional sites at CHIS or CABR, complete with proper metadata. Additionally, as time and expertise allow, summary statistics including graphs and tables produced by the participant will be used to update MEDN and park managers on the status and trends of bat species found in the three parks.

QUALIFICATIONS

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• 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.
• Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the NPS site location.
• The applicant must be available to participate for 20 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
Required qualifications: It is imperative that the participant be able to maintain a positive attitude in the face of sometimes unpleasant field conditions, up to 12 hours a day, and be in excellent physical condition to hike comfortably and with agility up to about 10 miles per day including on trails, off trails through (sometimes) very thick brush, over (sometimes) steep and slippery terrain, carrying a backpack with field gear, food, and water totaling up to about 30 pounds. Ability to use electronic devices such as an iPad or tablet is also required. A valid driver's license and daily transportation to and from park headquarters in either Thousand Oaks or Ventura, CA, are necessary. Finally, good oral and written communication skills, and scheduling flexibility including with occasional last-minute changes, are also important.

Desired qualifications: An undergraduate degree in the natural sciences is preferred. While coursework in plant taxonomy would be considered amazing, any technical experience with plant identification such as using dichotomous keys and hand lenses is strongly desired, but not required. Experience deploying bat detectors is not required. However, the participant should be comfortable trouble-shooting electronics and gathering field data with accuracy. Experience driving 4x4 vehicles on dirt roads, and navigating with a global positioning (GPS) device, maps, and directions would be an asset. For office projects, familiarity with Microsoft Office products, Google Earth, Google Drive, and Google Sheets would be helpful. The successful candidate will be independent, technologically-minded, detail-oriented, organized, resourceful, and personable.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

The participant will serve at SAMO, and possibly CHIS or CABR. Southern California is one of five places in the world with Mediterranean-type weather, characterized by cool wet winters and warm dry summers. Temperature at coastal sites is strongly moderated, and dry-season fog is common; at inland sites freezing and 110+ F are occasional. Landscapes span clean sandy beaches, rolling grassy hills bounded by cliffs, and mountain ridges up to 3111 feet elevation sliced by steep valleys that are filled with shrubs and trees. SAMO is the largest urban national park in the USA, encompassing a seamless network of local, state, and federal parks interwoven with private lands and communities. CHIS features five remote, boat/air-access only islands with frequent and powerful winds. CABR occupies the southern tip of the Point Loma peninsula in San Diego, home to unique vegetation assemblages like maritime succulent scrub. The remoteness and isolation of CHIS islands offers no access to urban amenities, but SAMO and CABR are adjacent to major metropolitan opportunities. The participant will routinely serve outside for as much as 12 consecutive hours/day in hot, cold, windy, foggy, sunny, and/or extremely pleasant conditions, as well as hike off-trail over very steep and slippery terrain, often in recently burned areas (SAMO). Hantavirus is known from the region, and ticks, rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and poison-oak may be encountered. A 1:9 ratio of office to field projects is anticipated.

VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

• Applicant must have a valid driver's license to drive a government vehicle.
• A personal vehicle is REQUIRED for this position.

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. The participant will be provided their own room in SAMO’s centrally located Diamond X Ranch dormitory, which has eight single-occupancy bedrooms, four shared bathrooms, and a common living room in a 3250-square-foot, LEED-certified complex that was built in 2010. Each bedroom has a twin XL bed, closet/drawer spaces, desk, chair, loveseat, and nightstand. The participant should bring their own bedding, pillows, and towels. Amenities include a shared kitchen with microwave, oven/range, refrigerator/freezer, cooking utensils, as well as washer/dryer, cable TV Basic, Wi-Fi, and outdoor parking. Major and specialty grocery stores and other modern conveniences lie within a 10-15 minute drive. However, public transportation from near the dorms is unfortunately unavailable. Downtown Los Angeles is less than an hour drive to the east, and Santa Barbara is less than an hour to the northwest. For one of the two SIP SIP participants, one planned 7-night trip to a remote island within Channel Islands National Park (CHIS) will have provided housing similar to what’s provided at SAMO; however, there is no access to the mainland, stores, washer/dryer facilities, or personal vehicles. For the other of the two SIP SIP participants, the one planned 5-night trip to Cabrillo National Monument (CABR) will feature hotel accommodations provided in urban San Diego, CA, with close access to grocery stores, restaurants, and all modern conveniences.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply online, all Scientists in Parks positions are listed at: https://conservation-legacy.breezy.hr/. Complete the application for this position, highlighting why you are interested in the position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. Be prepared to upload your resume and unofficial transcript as part of completing the application questionnaire.

Once you begin applying for a position, the application must be completed in one sitting. You cannot save and return later to complete it. Applicants can apply for up to five Scientists in Parks positions per season. You need to complete a separate application for each position in order to be considered. You should receive a confirmation email after successfully submitting an application. Sometimes institutional email filters/settings can redirect or block emails related to the application. We recommend watching spam, junk, and promotional email folders in case your email service delivers messages there. Please visit How to Apply for additional resources and information about applying (i.e., learn what materials to have ready for applying, find a worksheet that previews application questions, etc.). Learn more about Scientists in Parks at: https://www.scientistsinparks.org/.

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.

TIME REQUIREMENTS

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

ORIENTATION AND TRAINING

• Orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Pertinent training from the NPS site location throughout the term of service.
• Free professional development webinars led by Conservation Legacy staff.

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.

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 Cabrillo National Monument, Channel Islands National Park, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mediterranean Coast Network, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area will host a Ecology Assistant.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to Scientists in Parks using the email address at the base of the home page, under “Questions? Contact us!”