Position Title:  Fisheries Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements- BIA WaterCorps Program

Site Location: South Zone Cherokee National Forest; 2800 Ocoee Street North, Cleveland, TN 37312

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 2/28/2025

 

Terms of Service:

Start Date: 3/31/2025End Date: 9/26/2025AmeriCorps 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 Cherokee National Forest, Supervisors Office.

 

The Fisheries Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) by working alongside CNF Fisheries Biologists and Hydrologists to restore stream habitat and collect long-term aquatic monitoring data including but not limited to fish populations, macroinvertebrate communities, and physical stream habitat.  Additional duties may include occasional, limited inter-departmental projects with archaeology, recreation, fire, wildlife, silviculture, engineering, or administration.

 

Description of Duties:

The Fisheries Assistant will be located on the South Zone of the Cherokee National Forest (Ocoee & Tellico Ranger Districts). The primary duty station will be the Cherokee National Forest Supervisors Office, but the assistant may be asked to occasionally report to the Ocoee Ranger Station during their service term.The Fisheries Assistant will work a relatively flexible schedule, minimum 80 hours bi-weekly, and are expected to report to the office at 8:00 am daily unless otherwise discussed, specified, and approved.Main duties will include supporting the fisheries and watershed restoration and monitoring program. Assistants may also be exposed to other resource areas including hydrology, wildlife, botany, timber, fire, recreation, and engineering.Primary tasks associated with the fisheries and watershed program could include collecting data pertaining to fish population dynamics, assisting with hellbender monitoring surveys, macroinvertebrate biomonitoring, physical stream habitat surveys, and participate in stream restoration projects. Assistants will learn and use established monitoring protocols and techniques to assess stream health and aquatic biological communities.The selected candidate will be asked to utilize various hand tools and scientific equipment including but not limited to backpack electro fishers, benthic samplers, battery powered pruners, grip hoists, etc. to perform fisheries monitoring and habitat enhancement projects.The selected candidate should also be comfortable assisting with educational outreach efforts and leading programs with school groups and the public.

 

Qualifications:

You 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 alienApplicants must be at least 18 years or older.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.You must be eligible to serve in AmeriCorps State & National direct Service programs (must not have served more than 4 terms in AmeriCorps).You must be available to work a 40-hour week for the 26-week termAgrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check. Willing to undergo and pass a required criminal history check for the host site prior to start date. You must possess a valid driver’s license and will be required to pass driver’s history in order to be issued a certification to operate a Forest Service vehicle. The selected candidate must be willing and able to work independently or with a team outdoors in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Some duties may be physically demanding and occur in a variety of environmental conditions. Ability to lift up to 50lbs.

 

 Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with field work, ideally in stream and wetland ecosystems.Ability to swim.Experience using applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Web Browsers.Experience with hand and small powered toolsExperience driving 4x4 vehicles

 

Additional Position and Community Information:

 

No government housing available Individual will need reliable transportation to and from site station.

 

Benefits:

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697 awarded upon successful completion of position.Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.Additional Benefit of $100.00 per week.Professional Development fund of $2,255.00 for entire term.Option to choose Healthcare Coverage and Childcare CoverageStudent 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 2/10/2025.  Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on 2/10/2025.

 

 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Program Contact information: Gillian Watson, gwatson@conservationlegacy.org Service Site Contact information: Matt Grove, matthew.grove@usda.gov

 

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 50 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 a full time schedule 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 of: Aquatic species identificationWater Quality SamplingStandardized techniques in fisheries management, electrofishing and safety, and other sampling techniques. Training in standardized USFS survey protocols and techniques including benthic macroinvertebrate biomonitoring, physical stream habitat assessment, stream habitat restoration techniques, and freshwater snorkeling techniques. Forest Service Driving TrainingCPR/ First Aid

 

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.