Natural Resource Management Assistant AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

Position (s): 4380

Position Title: Natural Resource Management Assistant - Ameri Corps

Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements

Site

Location:

Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Cross Plains, Wisconsin

Number of positions available: 1

Duration: 12 Weeks (not flexible)

Flexible

Start Date:

Yes

Start Date: 05/18/2026

End Date: 08/10/2026

Ameri Corps Slot Classification: 450 hours - this is the minimum number of hours the selected candidate must serve throughout the duration of their position.

• Segal Ameri Corps Education Award: $1,956.35 upon successful completion of position
• Weekly Living Allowance: $700.00 per week, fixed rate
• Relocation Allowance: $450.00 (distributed as a one-time lump sum with first paycheck)
• Student Loan Forbearance if applicable (administered by My Ameri Corps , directly)
• Student Loan Interest Payments if applicable (administered through My Ameri Corps , directly)

Preference given to applicants who submit applications before Sunday, February 15, 2026. Applications will be reviewed after the Final date to receive applications passes. Positions will close after receiving 60 complete applications, or at 11:59 p.m. EST on February 15, 2026, whichever occurs first.

KEYWORDS: Monitoring, restoration, bats, plants, prairies

This Natural Resource Management Assistant is an Ameri Corps position. As the Ice Age National Scenic Trail is still a new park unit, formally designated in 2023, the staff size is small in comparison to the 1200 miles of Ice Age National Scenic Trail being trails being administered. On site at NPS IATR headquarters, there are only 2-3 full time staff involved in natural resources.

Having an SIP participant on site to facilitate larger projects and lead smaller projects will have high potential impact on the overall output of the natural resources staff. Being able to expand the overall service of the unit will also result in a positive impact on the restoration progress of the scientific reserve.

The IATR office is in the third year of funding for a habitat restoration project to convert 45 acres of old agricultural brome fields back to oak savanna and prairie, which are both threatened ecosystems. This prairie restoration project is essential for improving the plant variability and subsequently providing better habitat for threatened and endangered species such as the Rusty Patch bumblebee or the Monarch butterfly.

The IATR staff is particularly interested in determining how these restoration efforts will impact species richness on the property, with an emphasis on bat populations. The SIP participant will be tasked with establishing and executing a long-term monitoring project to observe changes in bat activity seasonally as well as in response to ongoing restoration efforts. Throughout the term, the SIP will become familiarized with restoration and monitoring protocols, including but not limited to: GIS field data collection, vegetation monitoring, vegetation surveying, monitoring acoustic bat equipment and data analysis, inventorying species on site, and use of large equipment to facilitate restoration efforts.

There are also opportunities for the SIP to attend trail-building and habitat restoration events throughout the state and affiliate with our partner agencies.

The primary deliverable would be a standard operating procedure (SOP) manual detailing the monitoring of bat species on the property, including field data collection and analysis. Several other potential deliverables would include photo monitoring data, monitoring reports for the vegetation surveys, summaries of restoration efforts, maps, etc. Additionally, there is potential for creating an independent project in their area of interest, should the SIP participant so choose.

• 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 Ameri Corps participant and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Prior to starting the position, agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check for the employer of record, Conservation Legacy, and a separate government security background check for the host site.
• The applicant must be available to participate for the entire 12 Weeks in order to be considered and participate.

All applicants must have completed at least three years towards a degree in biological sciences, with a preference towards candidates who have completed natural resources courses (ecology, botany, limnology, geology, etc). A working knowledge of GIS and plant  preferred but can be taught for the right candidate. This position is intended to be a learning position. Reliability, hard-working,…