Water Management Technician - AmeriCorps

Position Title: Water Management Technician - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements- BIA WaterCorps Program

Site Location: Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by February 17th, 2025

Terms of Service:

• Ideal Start Date: June 2nd, 2025
• End Date: November 28th, 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 partners with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to facilitate the WaterCorps Program to provide opportunities to Tribal Members seeking to gain experience in the water resources field. This WaterCorps position will be hosted at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge (NWR).

The Water Management Technician is an AmeriCorps position that will participate directly with the Water Manager to improve water management on the refuge, chemically and mechanically treat invasive species and weeds that inhibit native seed production and threaten refuge water control structures, mow and manage moist-soil units, and conduct seed yield surveys. The selected candidate will have learning opportunities in both the field and office. The Water Management Technician will also work with other staff within the Biology, Visitor Services, and Maintenance Departments, depending on interest level. Additional opportunities could include conducting waterbird and shorebird surveys, participating in New Mexico meadow jumping mouse monitoring efforts, assisting with local school group environmental education programs, and/or learning more about heavy equipment and facilities maintenance.

The selected candidate will assist with completing water management tasks and other high priority conservation work that will not only benefit the refuge in meeting its four biological priorities but will also benefit the community that enjoys the refuge for recreation and the local economy that depends on refuge visitation.

Description of Duties:

The selected candidate will be based in the Biology Department and will focus on assisting the Water Manager in completing water and moist-soil management tasks at Bosque del Apache NWR. Water management tasks include but are not limited to:

• Daily water checks within our management units.
• Cocklebur treatments within the refuge’s moist-soil units.
• Fall moist-soil mowing/moist-soil mowing to prep for arrival of winter waterbirds.
• Invasive species and noxious weed treatment around the refuge’s water control structures, facilities, and moist-soil units.
• Conducting moist-soil seed yield surveys.
• Maintaining issued GOV and refuge housing.
• Data management.

Additional responsibilities may include:

• Cleaning ditches using a shovel and/or mini-excavator.
• Maintaining moist-soil management database, including seed yield data.
• Maintaining service roads and public tour loop using a chainsaw, pole saw, and/or handsaw.
• Cutting stop logs to be used in outflow water control structures.
• Masticating willow and other vegetation along/around water control structures.
• Conducting wildlife surveys.

Qualifications:

• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
• Exposure to or some use of agricultural tractor or heavy equipment.
• Ability to lift 30lbs.

• Must be a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, Band, or Village; Alaska Native; or meet one of the following descriptions:
• • Persons who possess at least one-half degree Indian blood derived from Tribes Indigenous to the United States.
  • Descendants of Members of Federally recognized Indian Tribes, Bands or Communities who were residing on any Indian Reservation on June 1, 1934 – shown by completing BIA Form 4432.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• 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.
• 18 years of age or older
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete National Service Criminal History Checks.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience operating an agricultural tractor.
• Experience with pesticide application.
• Experience utilizing ArcGIS Pro and GIS applications
• Experience with plant identification.
• Experience with 4x4 vehicles.

Experience with hand and small powered tools

Additional Position and Community Information:

Bosque del Apache NWR encompasses 57,000 acres and is located at the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert in Socorro County, New Mexico. It straddles the Rio Grande River and supports perhaps one of the most diverse and unique assemblages of habitat and wildlife within the Middle Rio Grande Valley. The extraordinary diversity and concentration of wildlife draws people from around the world. The summer climate in the area is fairly hot with temperatures reaching 100 degrees . Average annual precipitation is about 11 inches.

Shared, on-site refuge housing is available at no cost to you. Each unit has 3 bedrooms, a bathroom and a kitchen/dinette area. Next to the casas is a lounge where you’ll have access to a Wi-Fi, a full industrial kitchen and entertainment options such as a TV with DVDs, pool table, ping-pong and various board games. Cell phone service is very limited inside the casas and some of the other buildings.

The closest town of Socorro is about 20 miles from the refuge and has a population of about 9,000 people. It has a Walmart, restaurants, movie theatre, a small seasonal farmers’ market and a college which has a performing arts center. Los Lunas, Belen and Albuquerque are about 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes away from the refuge and have large city amenities, as well as a commercial airport.

It is important that the selected candidate has a personal vehicle since the refuge is located in a fairly remote location. Although, if the selected candidate does not own a vehicle, you will still be allowed to use a government vehicle to pick up groceries in town. A government vehicle will not be allowed to use for personal use other than picking up groceries in Socorro.

Benefits:

• Career development opportunities with other USFWS staff throughout the state.
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.00 awarded upon successful completion of position.

• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $100.00 per week.
• Professional Development fund of $2,255 for entire term.
• Option to choose free Healthcare Coverage and Childcare Coverage
• 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, you must upload a copy of your Tribal ID proving you are enrolled in a federally recognized Tribe, Band, or village. Please also 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 February 17th, 2025 Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close when a successful applicant has been identified.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

• Program Contact information: Ali Jones, ajones@conservationlegacy.org
• Service Site Contact information: Claire Revekant, claire_revekant@fws.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

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 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 program expectations and AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

• On-site training:
  • Agricultural tractor
  • ORUV
  • Pesticide application
  • Chainsaw (maybe)
  • General safety
  • Plant identification
  • Wildlife survey techniques

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.