Position Title: GIS Cultural Resources Steward – AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Gateway National Recreation Area, 210 New York Ave., Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, NY 10305 (Teleservice eligible within commuting distance to Gateway National Recreation Area or other NPS site)

Application Due: Friday, July 3rd

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 10/05/2026
• End Date: 03/19/2027
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 675-Hour Slot

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.

Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE) protects over 27,000 acres of coastal ecosystems interwoven with hundreds of precontact, coastal defense, and maritime archeological sites in New York and New Jersey. Accurate geospatial data of these sites is a fundamental component to understanding and managing cultural resources.

The selected Steward will work with the park archeologist and the Region 1 Northeast Archeological Resources Program (NARP) archeological baseline inventory and GIS group. The Steward will review and update sensitive archeological data including the location and extent of archeological sites and surveys through archival data review, digitization of legacy data, and the creation, management, and assessment of data utilizing GIS. The Steward will also review and update nonsensitive cultural resources data including the location and extent of cultural landscape features, historic buildings and structures, and National Register data. Additional duties include improving mobile GIS workflow in FieldMaps and Survey123, creating project maps as needed, and developing a StoryMap for the park website.

Service will occur primarily as an individual. This position can engage in teleservice, however, the Steward must be able to travel to park headquarters in Staten Island, New York, for research. It is estimated that travel would be one week near the beginning of the position and potentially an additional week at some time during the position. Travel costs and per diem would be provided.

Description of Duties:

• Review and digitize legacy resource datasets for source accuracy and complete metadata.
• Update legacy data to NPS and NARP GIS Guidelines.
• Improve mobile GIS workflows in FieldMaps and Survey123.
• Create Standard Operating Procedures and tutorials for managing park cultural resources GIS data including field mapping, updating data, maintaining online maps, etc.
• Engage in the NARP community to gain new skills and experience. There may be opportunities to assist and independently work with other GIS projects as the position progresses.
• Participate in weekly GIS team meetings with GATE and NARP staff.
• Participate in weekly cohort meetings led by NPS GIS Steward program support staff.
• Design a capstone presentation for the NPS GIS community at the position conclusion based on park needs and on the steward’s interests, skills, and career goals.
  
  

Requirements:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.
• 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 knowledge of ESRI ArcGIS software and field applications are required, whether gained through coursework or applied experience (they will work with ArcGIS Pro, NPS Portal & ArcGIS Online, Field Maps, Survey 123, and StoryMap). Applicants should have strong data management skills, including working with geodatabases and producing well-designed cartographic products. Experience digitizing historic and legacy datasets found in analog formats and completed coursework in archeology or anthropology are preferred but not required.

Must possess strong organizational, teamwork, and communication skills, including technical writing and presenting. A successful applicant must be self-motivated and able to complete work with minimal supervision after initial training. Although most of the work will be conducted in an office setting or remotely, some field work to support program activities through in field data collection will take place.

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
• Weekly Wage of $600.00
• Weekly Additional Benefit of $200.00

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: James Gasaway, jgasaway@conservationlegacy.org

Service Site Contact Information: Holly Staggs, (718) 440-5098, holly_staggs@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.