Vegetation Monitoring Individual Placement-AmeriCorps

Position Title: Vegetation Monitoring AmeriCorps Individual Placement

Conservation Legacy Program: Southeast Conservation Corps

Site Location: Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Address: 1316 Cherokee Orchard Rd., Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Position Available: 2

Housing: Not Provided

Terms of Service: 12 weeks

Start Date: 05/19/25

End Date: 08/07/25

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 hr

Purpose:

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. This individual placement is in partnership with the National Park Service and is an AmeriCorps Position. SECC empowers young adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility, and grit through community service and environmental stewardship. SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, to complete conservation projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC programs encourage environmental stewardship, foster community partnerships, and emphasize experiential learning. SECC serves a diverse population that is representative of the Southeast, including youth, graduates, veterans, and a cross-section of ethnicities and income levels.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GRSM) is a 522,000 square acre International Biosphere Reserve. The primary mission of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Resource Management and Science Division (Inventory & Monitoring Branch) is to protect and conserve natural resources throughout the park for both current and future generations. Protection and conservation are accomplished primarily through day-to-day resource management and science activities, including inventory, monitoring, restoration, data management, and data dissemination. Ultimately, these activities inform park policy, the public, and the park management team about the status and trends of natural resources within the park so that sound stewardship and management decisions can be made.

Position Overview:

Great Smoky Mountains National Park Inventory and Monitoring Branch is recruiting qualified applicants to assist with fieldwork, data collection, data management, data entry, and other tasks as needed to be related to several ongoing and long-term field projects, including forest plot monitoring, stream surveys for federally endangered rock gnome lichen, and rare plant monitoring. Fieldwork is labor intensive and requires several crew members to operate safely and communicate effectively. All data collected will inform park policy, assist in educating park visitors, and assist park management efforts to make sound stewardship decisions and protect critical natural resources throughout the park. The work will also help inform research interests from park partners and universities.

Data collected during these projects will assist park management efforts to monitor and protect 1) vegetation communities, including some that are either globally rare, at-risk, or locally endemic, 2) the federally endangered rock gnome lichen, and the riverine habitats in which it occurs, and 3) rare plants and other rare organisms that are at risk from human activity.

Description of Duties:

Inventory of Long-term Vegetation Monitoring Plots

• Collect data with ecologists and biological technicians in 32 long-term vegetation plots in various forest types throughout the park.
• Collect a wide variety of data including standard forestry measurements, species inventory, soil samples, photo documentation, and other field data as needed. Use dichotomous keys to classify plant community and identify unknown plant species.
• Perform data management, data entry, and data quality assurance checks as needed on all field data.

Federally endangered Rock Gnome Lichen inventory

• Work with rare plant biologists and bio-technicians to collect data on rock gnome lichen populations throughout the park. Surveys will be primarily focused in riverine habitats, but will also include exposed cliff and/or rock outcrop habitats.
• Collect data on rock gnome lichen abundance, extent, and cover; GPS point, polygon, and line data; and photo documentation.
• Perform various data management duties, including data entry and quality assurance checks, hard copy data management and organization, and spatial data entry and editing.

Rare Plant Monitoring

• Work with biological technicians to perform inventory and monitoring of rare and/or vulnerable plant populations throughout the park.
• Collect a variety of biological data on rare/sensitive plant populations throughout the park; Perform GPS mapping and data collection; Utilize iPads and other mobile devices for data collection.
• Assist with Ginseng monitoring, root processing, and replanting.
• Assist with a variety of rare plant management efforts including mechanical thinning and fence installation.
• Perform data management, tabular and spatial data entry, and data quality assurance checks on a variety of field data.

Potential environmental/human risk involved with the above service: Electric shock, slips, trips and falls in uneven, swift-moving water environments. Bee stings, venomous snake bites, dead trees and/or branches falling, habituated Black Bears that show little signs of fear around humans, Carpal Tunnel Suyndrome, numbness on the legs from prolonged periods of sitting, and paper cuts.

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 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 before using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.
• Valid Driver’s License and clean driving record

Preferred Qualifications:

• Applicants are pursuing or have completed a degree in ecology, biology, forestry, environmental science, or other related field.
• Applicants should be self-motivated, highly organized, and able to follow detailed protocols.
• Preferred knowledge and skills in ecology/botany/forestry, plant ID and the use of technical keys, vegetation sampling methods, orienteering, and GPS.
• Must be able to hike in mountainous terrain in inclement weather conditions, carrying a backpack, both on and off-trail.
• High-mileage field days are the norm.
• Good Good-fitting hiking boots and raingear are important items to have prior to arrival.
• Some overnight backpacking is a requirement. Intern will be a part of a team that operates safely and always communicates effectively.

Transportation:

A personal vehicle is not required but highly recommended due to limited public transportation. NPS vehicles will be provided for transportation only for park capacity. The Individual Placement will be a driver at this park location.

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:

Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week - 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 orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Training from the park will include:
  • Field Navigation and Site Assessment,
  • Plot Installation
  • Data Collection Methods
  • Plant Identification
  • Plant Community Classification
  • Data management and Databasing
  • GSA Fleet Defensive Driving online courses

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $1,956.35
• Living Allowance: $600
• Possible student loan forbearance.
• Member Assistance Program – 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist.
• Uniform shirts
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths.

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
• Monthly Accomplishment Report
• Narrative Monthly Report.
• Bi-Monthly Check-Ins
• Midterm and Final Evals
• Exiting Task

Substance Free:

In accordance with a drug-free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

If you have questions about the position, please contact:

Jon Cox

Biological Science Technician

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

jonathan_l_cox@nps.gov

If you have questions about the application process, please contact:

Ray Wilson

Individual Placement Coordinator

Southeast Conservation Corps

rwilson@conservationlegacy.org

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