Geology Interpretive Assistant–AmeriCorps

GEOSCIENTISTS IN FORESTS PROGRAM

The USDA Forest Service Lands, Minerals and Geology (LMG) in partnership with the Conservation Legacy and the Geological Society of America (GSA) is pleased to announce the 2025 Geoscientists in Forests (GSF) Program —a new program— offering paid professional development opportunities to emerging geoscientists that leverage Agency capacity to conduct geologic work.

The Forest Service Geoscientists in Forests (GSF) specializes in opportunities that address geoscience related needs and management priorities. The projects will involve predominantly field-oriented research, inventory and monitoring, and geoscience interpretation for agency staff and the public. With the GSF assistance, the USDA Forest Service can accomplish essential geoscience projects that would otherwise be difficult to complete owing to lack of full-time staff geoscience specialists.

The primary purposes of the Geoscientists in Forests Program are to:

• Provide on-the-ground geoscience training and experience for the next generation of Forest Service geoscience stewards;
• Promote an immersive, paid developmental experience for emerging geoscience professionals under Forest Service mentorship;
• Address critical geoscience needs on National Forest System lands; and
• Promote career exploration and professional development for recent graduates with attention to underrepresented populations.

Position Title: Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument Geology Interpretive Guide– GSF/AmeriCorps [2 Positions]

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by January 31, 2025.

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: May 11, 2025
• End Date: November 8, 2025
• Position Length: 26 Week Position
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hour

Position Summary:

The Geoscientists in Forests Program is seeking geoscience professionals to address critical needs on National Forest System lands. 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. The USDA Forest Service - Lands, Minerals, and Geology in partnership with Stewards will host a Mount St Helens National Volcanic Monument Geology Interpretive Guide at the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Our Geoscientists in Forests participants will become an essential part of the interpretive programming cadre at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. This will be an opportunity to learn the concepts of interpretation and provide resource related talks and presentations to the public at the Johnston Ridge Observatory on the flank of Mount St. Helens. Presentations can be focused on a variety of topics such as geology, history, and ecology. Members will assist with the development or revision of interpretive materials such as guidebooks, handouts, and exhibits.

Our participants can work with us in the development of curriculum related educational materials about Mount St. Helens for local K-12 schools. They will provide also information to the public relating to site specific regulations, and recreation activities available on the Monument. They will assist with drafting a variety of written materials that include news releases, articles, correspondence, and event flyers designed to increase understanding of the Forest Service mission or that encourage attendance or assistance with special events. In addition, they will perform routine daily opening and closing procedures and assist with general office tasks and collects fees and assist with bookstore sales. Participants may be asked to assist with routine visitor center maintenance/cleaning and landscaping.

Description of Duties:

By the end of the project, the Geoscientists in Forests participants will have produced at least two different interpretive, geology/ecology-based programs. They will understand how to present scientific material to visitors in a way that will encourage participation and support for national forests. An Interpretive Activity Plan will be completed for each program and an outline will be turned in, so future interpreters will be able to present these programs as well.

Summary of additional duties:

• Communicate complex volcanic systems and safety to a wide range of the gernal public
• Provide visitor information services to visitors to the Coldwater Science and Learning Center
• Collaborate with partners both on and off site to futher mission goals; including interpretive work at different sites
• Develop one unique interpretive program or display for utilization out of the Coldwater area
• Create a communication product to share with the general public, staff, or partners around volcanic hazards, education or safety awareness
• Support conservation education programs and their updating
• Assist with site cleaning and organization
• Review current informational handouts for modernization and universal messaging

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a Legal Permanent Resident.
• At least 18 years of old, and to be eligible for Public Lands Corps certificate, must finish project while age 30 or under or if a military veteran, finish project while age 35 or under.
• 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.
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Able to pass a federal background.
• Possess a valid driver's license and a good driving record (if the GSF needs to drive a government vehicle during their position)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Applicants must be committed to work full time for four to six months (May-October 2025) and to live in housing accommodations made available by the USFS.
• Academic qualifications include: (1) being a recent geology college graduate or a sophmore-level or higher geology student in the later stages of an undergraduate (BS) degree.
• The applicant should be able to work independently, both in the office and in the field, with little oversight.
• Ability to speak a second language in addition to English is desirable but not required and they must be able to adequately communicate orally in English at a level that allows for daily and professional interactions with USFS personnel.
• The person hired should have a disposition to work collaboratively and to participate in various trainings as part of the job, which may include topics such as defensive driving, computer safety, geoscience education research, and GIS.
• The applicant must be comfortable living onsite in shared housing, and possess a valid, state-issued driver’s license and clean driving record.

The following interests and skills are recommended:

• Basic knowledge of public outreach and communication tools and techniques to identify audiences and messages.
• Familiarity with the diverse range of outdoor facilities and maintenance requirements, such as, visitor centers, trails, wayside exhibits, to provide safe, wildlife/environmental-dependent recreation opportunities for visitors.
• Skills in oral and written communication.
• Graphic design skills are a plus.
• Ability to assist with the implementation of natural resource-dependent recreational programs.
• Ability to perform work within well-established parameters; employee will have some responsibility for initiating, developing, or modifying work methods.
• Knowledge of the resources and objectives of the visitor center, subject matter, and audiences when developing specific interpretive programs. Interest in the overall mission and goals of the Forest Service.
• Ability to provide quality information, education, and interpretive services to increase the public’s understanding and appreciation of natural resources, their conservation and management. Work will include specific routine duties to support the Forest Service’s visitor services program.
• Interest in the development of natural resource-dependent recreational opportunities that minimize impacts to public land while simultaneously promoting the overall mission of the Forest Service.
• Interest in making contacts with the public, co-workers, volunteers, support groups, conservation organizations, and other audiences to welcome and orient visitors, interpret recreational and/or historical sites, explain Forest Service policies and regulations coordinate work efforts, and assist with partnerships.

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. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Additional Position and Community Information:

At 8:32am Sunday morning, May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens erupted. Within a few moments, nearly 150 square miles of forest was blown over or left dead and standing. Fifty-seven lives were lost, and the ensuing 9-hour eruption left a dramatically changed landscape.

In 1982, the President and Congress created the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument to be managed by the Forest Service for research, recreation, education, protecting local communities, and allowing natural processes to unfold. In addition to the legislated Monument, Mount St. Helens administrative unit also includes general forest areas. These areas are primarily to the south and east of the Monument and are where most dispersed recreation activities occur.

Today, Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument contains many popular trailheads, waterfalls, lakes, forests, and lava tubes, managed by the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. This position will be in the Northern section of Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/giffordpinchot/home/?cid=fseprd734630&width=full

Approximately 70% of the work occurs in a visitor center. The participant will be provided shared office space, a desk, and a computer equipped with relevant software. About 30% will consist of day trips to monitor and maintain developed recreation sites or provide roving interpretive programs. Walking, bending, or carrying of a day pack may be involved.

Housing Description:

Shared government housing is available at Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument. Available housing is in duplexes with shared bedrooms (2 bedrooms, 4 occupants), with one bathroom, and a washer/dryer available in each. Housing is remote (1 hour to shopping) and located at the Coldwater work center, so a personal vehicle is highly recommended. Off duty opportunities include hiking area trails and kayaking on Coldwater Lake.

Is a personal vehicle required: No

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $100 per week.

Application Instructions:

Please submit resume and respond to all job-related questions. Positions will close on January 31st or when 75 applications are received. Applicants may apply for up to five open positions.

Application Timeline:

Positions open on December 1, 2024. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on January 31, 2025 or when 75 applications are received, whichever occurs first.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Program Contact information: James Gasaway, jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org

Forest Service Contact information: Tim Schenk, timothy.schenk@usda.gov

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Additional Details

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.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary.
• Lunch breaks will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service
• Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• The participant will engage in different multi-faceted projects that focus their skills and reveal the work qualities of the individual. The project provides the opportunity for the participant to develop or apply personal responsibility in their work. The participant will also work with multiple partners in their project, which will help the individual develop/demonstrate communication skills, and experience navigating organizational hierarchies.