Hydrology Technical 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: Hydrology Technical Assistant– GSF/AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

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

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 05/12/2025
• End Date: 08/01/2025
• Position Length: 12 Week Position
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 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 Hydrology Technical Assistant at the Tongass National Forest.

This position is part of the Aquatics Team hydrology crew, based at the Craig Ranger District. The participant will assist the Hydrologist in collecting, organizing, and analyzing hydrologic data in preparation for natural resource management on Prince of Wales Island. Fieldwork will include a variety of surveys related to the protection and management of aquatic resources, including stream and road inventory, stream productivity, physical and biological characteristics, and habitat improvements. Some physical labor may be required for stream restoration projects. This position requires long hours in the field, hiking over rough terrain in all types of weather, and a knowledge of ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS online.

Description of Duties:

The participant is responsible for performing work supporting hydrologists, civil engineers, and other professionals engaged in scientific studies of surface water and water quality for water resource and land management planning and design. The participant can expect to produce a summary of the work done over the summer, emphasizing issues found within the assessed roads and streams, and also complete analysis of the collected survey data. Data will be collected using ESRI Survey123 and Field Maps. The analysis will be done using Excel spreadsheets, and a concise report will be prepared. In addition, the participant will update a map of the surveyed locations using ArcGIS Pro/Field Maps. A template will be provided.

This is a field-going position that will require working outside in wet, rugged conditions in locations where cell phone communication is not available. Transportation to and from field sites may include the use of ATVs/UTVs, boats, helicopters, and/or float planes. The participant must be comfortable with these means of transportation and be willing to complete necessary training to be a certified operator and/or passenger.

Major Duties:

• Helping to implement the management of aquatic resources by collecting and processing information for stream restoration, fish passage, stream and road inventory, stream productivity, stream function, physical characteristics, and habitat improvement or rehabilitation projects.
• Providing support in watershed restoration planning, watershed protection, and stream restoration within the framework of multi-use management.
• Participating in stream condition and habitat surveys using a variety of data collection techniques, including the use of electronic field equipment, such as tablets, flow meters, and GPS devices.
• Working with hydrologists and fisheries biologists to update and promote methods for efficient mapping and watershed monitoring.
• Coordinating logistics for field work.
• Other duties as assigned.

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:

• The participant should be able to work well in both field and office environments.
• This position will involve primarily outdoor work and requires physical hiking and labor in remote areas on rough terrain.
• The participant should be willing to be a team player and work independently sometimes.
• The applicant should have basic ArcGIS Pro skills and be able to generate maps and work with GIS data.
• Ideal candidates will be familiar with Aquatic resources, and coursework in geology, hydrology, ecology, or natural resources conservation is preferred.
• Experience in off-grid, remote, or backcountry environments is also preferred.

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:

Prince of Wales Island (POW) is the largest island in southeast Alaska’s Alexander Archipelago and the third largest US island. It measures approximately 130 miles from north to south and encompasses approximately 1,427,659 acres. POW has thousands of miles of coastline and hundreds of smaller islands west of POW. The climate is mild but wet. Summertime temperatures range in the 60's, and most winter days rarely fall below freezing. Precipitation is abundant, and snowfall is variable. The lush ferns and foliage carpeting the forest floor result from over 100 inches of rainfall annually. The most pleasant months generally fall between May and September. The land is heavily forested with Sitka spruce, hemlock, and cedar. The emerald green slopes of the island drop off abruptly into marine waters and provide some of the most breathtaking scenery in the United States. Day length changes with the seasons, from 18 hours of daylight in the summer to 18 hours of darkness in the winter. The geology is generally characterized by recently glaciated, Paleozoic through Cenozoic sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks.

Prince of Wales Island is approximately 40 air miles from Ketchikan, Alaska. It is accessed via the Inter-Island Ferry or by charter float plane. The community of Craig (approximately 1250 people) is remote with minimal amenities; however, there is a grocery store, library, sports shop, gas station, one pizza place, a couple of restaurants, and a community gym and aquatic center. There are hundreds of miles of roads on Prince of Wales, mostly unpaved. Recreation opportunities are abundant, and water-based activities such as boating and fishing are prevalent. There is little development on the island. The setting is typical of southeast Alaska, with abundant rain, rugged terrain, and dense old-growth forests.

Housing Description:

The housing is bunkhouse-style facilities where communal living exists, and rooms are used as residential quarters. The bunkhouse includes a TV with VHS and DVD player, two bathrooms with shower/bathtub, laundry room with washer and dryer, and full kitchen with plenty of cookware and utensils. Each room has two twin beds and wardrobes. There is a possibility of not having to share a room, depending on occupancy.

Is a personal vehicle required: No

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,956.35
• 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

Service Site Contact information: Malcolm Cross, malcolm.cross@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.
• Staff will educate the participant on the many aspects of public land management on the Tongass National Forest, including travel management, watershed restoration, sustainable timber harvest, and working with partners (tribal, state, non-profit). Training will include basic GIS, data management in the Forest Service, Survey123, and field maps. The participant will work directly with the Hydrologist on conducting water resource and road inventories following established procedures to support management programs and Forest planning. This will give them a good foundation for completing the fieldwork. The participant will have many opportunities to work with other resources to see what a career at the Forest Service would be like.