What are the responsibilities and job description for the Biological Science Technician (Plants) Fellow - Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park position at American Conservation Experience - EPIC?
Summary:
American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the National Park Service, is seeking ONE Biological Science Technician (Plants) Fellow to assist with herbarium collections and rare plant species conservation and habitat restoration.
For more information about ACE, please visit our website.
Start Date: February 24, 2025 (or ASAP)
End Date: July 12, 2025
*a 20-week minimum commitment is required*
Location: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park traverses 184.5 miles across four physiographic provinces, five counties in Maryland and West Virginia, as well as into the District of Columbia. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.
For more information regarding Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, or the National Park Service, please visit the NPS website.
Position Description:
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park (CHOH) traverses 184.5 miles across four physiographic provinces, five counties in Maryland and West Virginia, as well as into the District of Columbia. Such physiographic diversity subsequently cultivates plant and wildlife diversity, which is evident as one travels through the Park. The Park contains records of nearly 200 rare, threatened, and endangered plant species as well as globally unique plant communities. Management of these species and plant communities is imperative to the natural resource program at CHOH.
This position will focus on two goals: 1) assist with establishing and digitizing a reference herbarium at C&O Canal NHP and 2) assist with rare plant restoration by assessing survivorship of individual plants and managing restored sites.
Duties for this position include:
- Mount pressed plant specimens using herbarium quality standards.
- Digitize specimens using cameras and work with staff to create a page on the park's website for the digitized collection.
- Maintain herbarium database using quality control measures to ensure correct labeling, organization, and taxonomy.
- Conduct survivorship assessments of rare plants that were planted in previous years using Field Maps and GPS.
- Manage restoration areas by mechanically or chemically treating non-native invasive plants, increasing canopy light, and/or managing for deer browse.
- Assist Park staff with planting, mapping, and watering propagated rare plants in globally unique habitats.
- Cross train with other program areas including a multi-park rare plant survey and mapping, grassland restoration, forest resiliency improvement through invasive plant management and tree planting, monitoring long-term vegetation plots, wildlife surveys, and public engagement opportunities.
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: Monday-Thursday, 7:00 am - 5:30 pm EST
Position Benefits
Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $900/week to cover the costs of food, housing, and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
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 and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age (You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.
Housing: Housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or NPS.
Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support. Specific training may include First Aid/CPR, Operational Leadership, defensive driving, herbarium management, webpage design, GPS/GIS, rare species conservation, pesticide applicators license, and National Environmental Policy Act. The ACE member will also attend and contribute to the Natural Resource Advisory Team with natural resource managers throughout the National Capital Region.
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 criminal history checks
- Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
- 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.
- To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website located on our Indeed homepage.
Preferred:
- Competitive applicants for this position may hold a bachelor's or graduate degree and/or experience in biology, botany, ecology, or a related discipline.
- Experience identifying flora and conducting botanical surveys/research in a field setting.
- Experience with herbarium collections.
- GIS/GPS skills.
- Experience with invasive plant identification and management.
Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:
- Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain.
- Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
- Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.
- Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
- Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
- Travel: This position does not require unique travel.
Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.
Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the NPS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the NPS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to NPS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.
To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACE's online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC NPS Eastern Member Manager, Corinna Mokotoff.
ACE values an inclusive workforce - if you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications, we want to hear from you!ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.
EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information (including of a family member), veteran or military status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.
Salary : $900