Natural Resource Management Assistant AmeriCorps

POSITION DETAILS

Position (s): 4322

Position Title: Natural Resource Management Assistant - Ameri Corps

Conservation Legacy Program: Scientists in Parks, Stewards Individual Placements

Site

Location:

Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego, California

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.

Bees, Data analysis, Scientific writing, Insects, iNaturalist, Entomology

This Natural Resource Management Assistant is an Ameri Corps position. The ecosystem at Cabrillo National Monument supports approximately 70 native bee species, making it an essential habitat for these crucial pollinators. The park's unique environment is enriched by rare native plants that serve as food sources for these bees, some of which are specialists that depend on specific plant species. In alignment with the NPS mission, it is vital to conserve and protect these native bee populations and their habitats.

To effectively manage this rich ecological variety, conducting a baseline inventory of native bees at CA  is crucial. Traditional bee survey methods, while informative, are costly, time-intensive, and often invasive, leading to the death of collected specimens. In contrast, the proposed photography-based survey method presents a non‑invasive and cost-effective alternative. This innovative approach allows for the involvement of citizen scientists, enabling reliable inventory and assessment of the health of native bee populations.

An SIP participant engaged in this project will assess the quality and effectiveness of the new survey methodology, providing valuable insights that will enhance park management efforts. This initiative not only contributes to the understanding and preservation of native bee species but also aligns with the overarching goals of the NPS to safeguard natural resources for future generations.

By employing this new method, CA  can improve its conservation strategies and foster community involvement in ecological stewardship.

Despite Cabrillo Monument’s (CA ) small size of 160 acres, it is an essential habitat for over 70 species of native bees. Following the discovery of a bee species thought to only be found on the Channel Islands, a novel bee monitoring survey was designed and implemented at the park by park staff and Dr. Keng‑Lou James Hung (Assistant Professor of Biology/University of Oklahoma).

There are two goals of this monitoring project:
1) To determine the species of bees that visit the park and their population health.
2) Test the effectiveness of a novel, cost effective, and non‑invasive survey method— photography.

Through this experiment, two vastly different sampling strategies were tested on documenting bees. One strategy consisted of the traditional, lethal, netting collection. The other strategy is a photographic survey, where community scientists take pictures of bees.

The SIP participant will assist with analyzing the effectiveness and feasibility of this novel photography survey strategy. The SIP will collaborate closely with CA  resource division staff and academic researchers to analyze four years of data obtained during both traditional netting and photography surveys. The SIP will…