Position Title:  Fisheries Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements- BIA WaterCorps Program

Site Location: 4900 Asheville Highway, Greeneville, TN 37743

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 02/28/2025

 

Terms of Service:

Ideal Start Date: 03/31/2025End Date: 09/26/2025AmeriCorps 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, Unaka and Watauga Ranger Districts.

 

The Fisheries Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will assist the office by maintaining and collecting long-term monitoring site data including macroinvertebrates, substrate, habitat, large woody debris, canopy, seining, minnow trapping, and electrofishing. The participant will ensure efficient and effective project assignment completion by way of assisting the Fisheries Biologist and Hydrologist with field equipment maintenance, condition assessment, and reports all deficient equipment and repair needs. Additional duties may include assisting with fisheries-related stream restoration project tasks, as well as occasional, limited inter-departmental projects with hydrology, archaeology, recreation, fire, wildlife, silviculture, engineering, or administration.

 

Description of Duties:

The Fisheries Assistant will serve with the North Zone of the Cherokee National Forest (Unaka & Watauga Ranger Districts). The primary duty station will be the Unaka Ranger Station but technicians may be asked to report to the Watauga duty 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 07:30 daily unless otherwise discussed, specified, and approved.The selected candidate will be asked to utilize various hand tools and scientific equipment including but not limited to electrofishing equipment, battery powered pruners, grip hoists, etc. to perform fisheries habitat enhancement projects.The selected candidate should also be comfortable assisting with educational outreach efforts and leading programs with school groups and the public.Duties will include supporting the fisheries and watershed restoration and monitoring program as well as assisting with the freshwater snorkeling program. Technicians 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. Technicians will learn and use established monitoring protocols and techniques to assess stream health and aquatic biological communities.

 

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. Willing to undergo and pass a required criminal history check for the host site prior to start date.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 termYou must be over 18 years of ageUnited States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alienHas 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.Ability to lift up to 50lbsAgrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check. The Fisheries Assistant 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 comfortable working independently outside in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Some duties may be physically demanding and occur in a variety of environmental conditions.

 

 

 Preferred Qualifications:

Experience in and around water with the ability to swimExperience with 4x4 vehiclesExperience utilizing ArcGIS Pro and GIS applicationsExperience with hand and small powered toolsExperience with backpack-style electrofishing methods (3-pass depletion, presence/absence, etc.)

 

Additional Position and Community Information:

No government housing available Individual will need reliable transportation to and from work

 

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 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 02/10/2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on 02/10/2025.

 

 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Program Contact information: Gillian Watson, gwatston@conservationlegacy.org Service Site Contact information: Andrew Balch, Andrew.balch@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 identificationGear disinfection and repairWater qualityGear techniques such as setting and pulling block nets, proper electrofishing probe usage techniques, seines, minnow traps,USFS survey techniques including macroinvertebrates, substrate, habitat, large woody debris, canopy, seining, electrofishing, etc.

 

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.