Habitat Restoration Member - Pinnacles National Park
Summary
American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with Pinnacles National Park, is seeking One Habitat Restoration Member to contribute to habitat restoration projects alongside NPS Staff.
For the full position description and to apply, please visit: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/906799.html
Start Date: March 6, 2023
Estimated End Date: July 21, 2023
*a 20-week minimum commitment is required *
Location Details/Description: Pinnacles National Park in Paicines, California
Pinnacles National Park is located in California's Central Coast region of the Gabilan Mountain Range east of the Salinas Valley. The surrounding landscape is largely chaparral with areas of oak savannah and grasslands. The position is located at the eastside park headquarters in Paicines, CA. Nearest communities for shopping, doctors, hospitals, and other amenities are Hollister (40 miles, population 34,400), King City (40 miles, population 14,000), Gilroy (65 miles, population 41,400), Salinas (70 miles, population 151,000), and Monterey (90 miles, population 30,000).
Pinnacles National Park is remote. Applicants must have a personal vehicle, as the nearest services are a one-hour drive in any direction. Additionally, there is no cell-phone service in the park.
Position Overview: The ACE Members will directly serve within the Division of Research and Resource Management at Pinnacles National Park. Safety protocols related to COVID-19 will be observed. The members will serve as part of a crew conducting invasive plant treatment and habitat restoration efforts (80%). Additional duties (< 20 %) may include projects on other resource-related projects such as:
- Seed collection
- Planting
- Rare plant surveys
- Vegetation monitoring
- Aquatic resources
- Wildlife monitoring
- Physical resources monitoring
- Interpretation-related projects
- GPS mapping
- May use computer software applications (e.g., Access, Excel, Word, ArcGIS etc.) to enter, process, assemble, and summarize data
- Create reports and recommendations from natural resources projects.
Environment: Approximately 90% of this position is made up of physically demanding and mentally taxing projects in the outdoors. Crewmembers must be able to hike up to ten miles per day carrying gear and equipment weighing up to 40 pounds. Field work can, at times, be tedious. Additionally, crewmembers must be willing to mix, load, and apply herbicides with the direct supervision of a licensed applicator for the purposes of vegetation control as a major part of work duties. Duties in the field includes exposure to environmental hazards including extremes of temperature and moisture, rattlesnakes, ticks and biting insects, dense brush including poison oak.
Training: The park will provide opportunities in leadership development and career exploration within the field of land management. The park will provide training on park resource information, operating procedures, and safety protocols. Core duties will train applicants on GIS, plant identification, and invasive species management including the safe use of herbicides. In addition to regular duties, interns will be given an opportunity to learn from park professionals working in areas such as condors, raptors, bats, invasive wildlife species, entomology, herpetology, cultural and historical resources, interpretation, and maintenance. Interns are often able to observe many species of animals up close and experience many areas of the park not generally visited by the public.
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.
Schedule: This full-time position will require early morning starts, and the schedule will vary seasonally.
Position Benefits
Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $600/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
AmeriCorps Education Award Program: This position may be eligible for an 675-hour AmeriCorps Education Award while serving under the EAP 2022/23 grant year program, valued up to $2,474.27 upon successful completion of a complete service term and service hours.
Loan Forbearance: AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for federal loan forbearance. Additional enrollment steps are required.
Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online here.
Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or NPS.
Qualifications
Required:
- Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by 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.
- A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
- Willing to undergo and must pass the required three-part criminal history check.
- 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.
- ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
- Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement
- To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website here.
- Ability to serve outdoors in arduous field conditions
- Must be able to hike up to ten miles per day carrying gear and equipment weighing up to 40 pounds
- Must be willing to mix, load, and apply herbicides with the direct supervision of a licensed applicator for the purposes of vegetation control as a major part of work duties.
- Must be willing and able to observe all safety protocols.
- Possess a degree, experience, and/or demonstrated interest in biology, ecology, vegetation management, botany, environmental studies, natural resource management, park management, or a related discipline.
Preferred:
- Practical knowledge of a wide range of field restoration skills and invasive plant control techniques.
- Residents of San Benito, Monterey, and southern Santa Clara counties are highly encouraged to apply.
- Bilingual applicants are encouraged and welcome.
To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here:https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/906799.html.
Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. Please note that external site position postings may be out of date. If a position is still open and accepting applications through the link provided then the position has not yet been filled.
If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC NPS Recruitment and Outreach Manager, Victoria Yee, at vyee@usaconservation.org.
EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.