Natural Resource Management Assistant - AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Natural Resource Management Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Empire, Michigan

Can this position be fully remote: No

Number of positions available: 2

TERMS OF SERVICE

Duration: 20 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible Start Date: Yes

Start Date: 01/05/2026

End Date: 05/25/2026

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 Natural Resource Management Assistant is an AmeriCorps position. This position promotes hemlock health to prevent danger from hazard trees, protect water quality and prevent erosion on banks, bluffs, and dune edges, moderate stream/water temperatures, preserve scenic character, and deliver ecological benefit to various insects, birds, mammals, etc.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

​​This position consists of serving with a team to conduct meandering surveys for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), assessing sites to determine treatment priority, and delimiting treatment areas. Participants will gain experience with accurately identifying forest pests, identifying Great Lakes tree species, navigating to sites on and off trail in forested areas, interpreting maps and using mapping software to collect data, operating a 4-wheel drive government vehicle to travel to survey sites, communicating with park visitors, and maintaining tree measurement and data collection equipment. Daily projects will consist of inspecting branches of eastern hemlock trees for HWA, recording data on HWA and eastern hemlock presence, measuring, tagging, and mapping trees to be treated, and assessing a variety of site factors. ​

KEYWORDS: ​​Forest Health, Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, Tree Identification, Winter Field projects, Treatment Prioritization Assessment​

DELIVERABLES

Survey 400 acres for HWA. Assess 20 sites for treatment prioritization.

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
​​Applicants should have a valid drivers’ license. ​Experience with fieldwork in challenging conditions, especially during winter, is desired. Some college with a focus in biology, ecology, environmental sciences, or a related field is preferred.

ADDITIONAL POSITION AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION

POSITION SETTING

The position will be based out of park offices in Empire, MI and will consist of fieldwork throughout Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Field sites are generally a 45-minute or less drive from the office location. Field projects may be on or off trail in a remote wilderness setting. Participants must be able to walk or snowshoe up to 10 miles and carry up to 40 pounds for 8 hours a day, five days a week. In Empire, MI, the average low is 17.8 degrees Fahrenheit and annual average snowfall is 120”. ​

The town of Empire has a gas station, library, and a few restaurants. The nearest town with full amenities (e.g. grocery stores, banks, hospitals, numerous restaurants, etc.) is Traverse City, which is approximately 25 miles away.

VEHICLE AND DRIVER’S LICENSE REQUIREMENTS

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

HOUSING

Park housing is available and will be provided at no cost to the participant. ​​Provided housing consists of farmhouses (3-5 bedrooms) within a 15 minute drive from the office location in Empire, MI. Living spaces are shared and rooms may be shared as well. Housing is furnished and dishes are provided but tenant must provide linens, bedding, toiletries, and food. ​

Washer and dryer are not provided in park housing. The nearest laundromats are approximately 25 miles away in Traverse City.

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 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore will host a Natural Resource Management 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!”