Position Title: GIS Cultural Resources Steward – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Virgin Islands National Park, 1300 Cruz Bay Creek, St. John, VI 00830

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by March 23, 2026

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 06/01/2026
• End Date: 11/13/2026
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675 Hours

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career internship 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 in partnership with the NPS GIS office is hosting a cohort of GIS stewards.

Virgin Islands National Park, known for its beautiful white sandy beaches, coral reefs, forested mountains and vibrant Caribbean culture, encompasses a diverse historic and archeological landscape dating back at least 3,000 years before present. The Cultural Resources Division is committed to accurate spatial documentation and preservation of cultural resources both on and below the ground surface. The GIS Stewards will work with Cultural Resource staff to improve and manage existing geospatial site data, create new databases from field collections and legacy data, and develop workflow standards and protocols. The steward will utilize GIS (geographic information systems), GPS (global positioning systems), and GPR (ground penetrating radar) technologies for data collection, processing, analysis and management. Additionally, Cultural Resources Division staff provides GIS and cartographic support to other divisions within the park, including Maintenance, Interpretation and Management.

Description of Duties:

Duties of the GIS steward position include, but are not limited to the following:

• Establish data collection/editing workflows and best practices for collecting and processing NPS portal data and geodatabases

• Develop standard operating guidelines for data creation, management, access, and sharing spatial data

• Use ESRI ArcGIS Pro and Field Maps and QGIS and QField for data collection, processing and map making

• Operate GSSI SIR 4000 and 350 HS Antenna ground penetrating radar (GPR) system for subsurface feature identification and imaging

• Participate in weekly GIS Team meeting and other team-oriented events and discussions

• Participate in weekly Cohort meetings led by NPS GIS Stewards Program support staff

• Design a capstone presentation for the NPS GIS community at the position conclusion

Requirements:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 18 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced GIS skills and experience with ESRI ArcGIS and/or QGIS desktop and online applications are essential, whether gained through coursework, certificates, degrees or applied experience. Applicants must be able to demonstrate proficiency in geospatial data management, including serving with geodatabases, performing database queries, editing vector and raster data, and producing well-designed cartographic products. Experience using Python is a plus. Coursework or experience in anthropology, archeology, or other cultural resource discipline is preferred. Generally, the applicant should be detail-oriented and organized, technically inclined, and possess good collaboration and communication skills, including writing and presenting. A successful applicant will also be self-motivated and, after the initial training period, comfortable working independently, reaching out to the core workgroup or outside specialists as needed.

Applicants must also be enrolled at an institution of higher education or within two years post-graduation. Applicants who have obtained or are pursuing a GIS degree or certificate and/or with GIS experience are preferred. Prior to starting this position, a federal government security background clearance will be required.

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work 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. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve 40 hours per week, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break 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 training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $2,817.14
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $120 per week.
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible

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.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Program Contact information: stewardssupport@conservationlegacy.org

Service Site Contact Information: glunagolya@nps.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.

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