Restoration & Seed Collection Assistant- AmeriCorps

Position Title:  Restoration & Seed Collection Assistant- AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Pinnacles National Park, 5000 East Entrance Road Paicines, CA 9503

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 3/16/2025

Terms of Service:

• Ideal Start Date 4/28/2025
• End Date: 10/24/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 Hour, 26 weeks

Purpose:

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. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards in partnership Pinnacles National Park will host a Restoration & Seed Collection Assistant.

The Restoration & Seed Collection Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist with carrying out the Campground Riparian Restoration plan and collecting seed for post fire recovery. This position will be focused on restoration activities that both protect sensitive habitat and directly benefit park visitors. Restoration activities will be focused on restoring riparian habitat in the park’s popular campground and in collecting seed to restore native habitat and mitigate erosion around facilities and waterways in the case of a wildfire.

The Restoration & Seed Collection Assistant will work with staff and other corps members to learn hands on habitat restoration techniques such as plant propagation, planting, and erosion control, and learn to collect and process seeds. Member will also assist with vegetation monitoring and other biology related tasks as needed. Interest in and experience with plant identification are important components of this position.

Description of Duties:

• Carry out Campground Riparian Restoration Plan to protect sensitive riparian habitat, including: install container plants from nursery and coppice native blackberries and other suitable plants according to prescription, install plant protectors, install setback signage/fencing, install erosion control measures such as biodegradable blanket and willow mattresses and fascines, and block social trails with brush.
• Tend container plants in nursery until ready to be planted out
• Remove target non-native weeds from the campground and vicinity
• Collect seed from target seed collection list for post fire and restoration activities
• Dry and process seed collected to remove most non-seed material and store appropriately in cool dry storage locations
• Collect spatial and other information for each seed collection using GPS
• Prepare larger seed collections for seed increase by partner
• Maintain seed collection database
• 10 miles each day on steep and rugged terrain carrying up to 40 pounds of equipment/supplies.
• Maintain equipment and facilities.
• Follow safety protocols and general practices.
• Other duties as assigned to gain experience with other work groups at Pinnacles, such as habitat restoration and public outreach and education.

Qualifications:

• Some experience and knowledge of plant identification, especially California plants and/or use of dichotomous key to identify plants.
• Willingness to work outside, to conduct manual labor on the job, and hike up to 10 miles per day
• Ability to hike off-trail in steep, rugged terrain carrying up to 40 lbs of gear/equipment
• Possession of a current, valid driver’s license

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity
• 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 National Service Criminal History Checks for Conservation Legacy and the host site.

 Preferred Qualifications:

• Degree in Biology, Environment, or Natural Science desired
• Education or experience related to riparian habitat monitoring or restoration.
• Experience with seed collection or processing.
• Experience with GIS
• Great attention to detail and clear notetaking ability.
• Tolerance of high summer temperatures that often exceed 100°F.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
• High degree of patience and sense of humor.

Additional Position and Community Information:

• Pinnacles National Park is located in rural San Benito and Monterey Counties. Duty station will be on the East Side of the Park out of Paicines, CA, accessed via Highway 25 south of Hollister, CA.
• Housing is not guaranteed. No housing is currently available but may be possible depending on availability at time of hiring. Housing would be either in the park or in Hollister if available. Grocery stores are located approximately 1 hour north or south of the Park in Hollister or King City, CA.  
• Members should have a personal vehicle

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697 (pre-tax)
• Living Allowance of $719.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Additional Benefit of $270.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

How to Apply:

Apply on-line at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions.  In addition to your resume, please submit a one page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position.

Application Timeline:

Preference given to applicants who submit applications by 3/16/25. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close will filled.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

• Service Site Contact information: Amelia Ryan, amelia_ryan@nps.gov
• Program Contact information: Gillian Watson, gwatson@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. 

Additional Details

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. 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.

Time Requirements:

• This position is expected to serve full time 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 program expectations and AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

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.

Salary : $270 - $719