Individual Placement-AmeriCorps

Position Title:  USDA Forest Service Forestry Technician – AmeriCorps       

Conservation Legacy Program: Southwest Conservation Corps – Los Valles, Salida  

Site Location: Royal Gorge Field Office – 3028 East Main Cañon City CO, 81212  

Terms of Service:      

• Start Date: 05/05/2025    

• End Date: 09/05/2025     

• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hours  

• Position is dependent on grant funding             

Purpose:      

This AmeriCorps program partners with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) staff at local field offices throughout southern Colorado. This AmeriCorps position is under direct mentorship and technical guidance of the Royal Gorge Field office with additional management, support, and administration from Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC). The Wildlife Program is responsible for analyzing impacts to wildlife habitat as a result of varying actions on public lands in the surrounding areas. The Wildlife Program makes recommendations to BLM line officers to minimize and/or mitigate impacts. In addition, the Wildlife Program monitors populations of special status species, conducts habitat improvement projects, and leads education activities for youth and other visitors of these public lands. 

This AmeriCorps position will primarily assist with surveys for bumble bees, pinyon jays and Mexico spotted owls as well as be involved in several research, monitoring, and inventory projects pertaining to raptors, BLM designated sensitive species and threatened and endangered species. This AmeriCorps position will gain exposure to study design, data collection, data analysis, and writing and communication of overall findings during the season. 

Description of Duties:      

• Sampling bumblebees in pinyon-juniper treatment and control sites 
• Conduct vegetation surveys of conifers and flowering plants 
• Identify and classify samples of bumblebees and plants 
• Search for pinyon-jay nesting colonies  
• Conduct point counts 
• Observe nesting colonies to locate nests and sample vegetation around nesting colonies 
• Survey for Mexican spotted owls 
• Determine the presence of breeding pairs and/or juvenile owlets 
• Monitoring and inventory of raptors and designated sensitive species    

Potential Environmental/Human Risks:     

• Slips, trips, falls with uneven and varied terrain  
• Variable weather ranging from freezing cold temperatures to hot temperatures     
     

Required Qualifications:      

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident    
• At least 17 years of age      
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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      
• Valid U.S. Driver’s License      
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check    
• Per grant funding, candidate must be 18-30 years of age, up to 35 years of age if veteran status     

Preferred Qualifications:     

• Completion of a bachelor’s degree in wildlife science or similar field 
• Experiencing serving in a physically demanding landscape and capability of conduction field data collection in remote, mountainous terrain  

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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.      

Time Requirements:      

• Typically, this position is expected to serve on a four-day ten-hour schedule, Monday through Thursday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break 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 in-depth orientation provided by Southwest Conservation Corps that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities     
• Partner will provide appropriate orientation and training(s) for field activities    

Benefits:      

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.14   
• Living Allowance of $740 per week, distributed bi-weekly      
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible       
• Professional development opportunities with both SCC and the BLM    
• Two SCC field shirts     
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible      
• Loan forbearance if Eligible      
• Interest Payments if Eligible   

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.     

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:      

Individual Placement Program Coordinator – Niki Antonio (she/her)     

Contact Information: nantonio@conservationlegacy.org     

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 reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.  

Salary : $740