Position Title: Vegetation Monitoring Botany Assistant - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: Sonoran Desert Network, Inventory and Monitoring Program, 12661 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85748

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by 07/20/2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Terms of Service:

Ideal Start Date: August 24^th, 2026 (funding dependent)

End Date: August 27^th, 2027 (contingent upon final start date)

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour, 52 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 in partnership with the Sonoran Desert Network will host a vegetation monitoring botany assistant.

The Vegetation Monitoring Botany Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will collaborate with an NPS team of biological science technicians to revisit permanent upland and riparian vegetation monitoring plots and conduct invasive plant surveys across about six National Park Units in southern Arizona. This project is part of the core long-term ecological monitoring program of the NPS and collects rigorous data crucial for park managers to assess, plan, and develop natural resource protection activities, informing decisions and actions to conserve park resources. Our goal is to revisit 50+ sites on a 5-year schedule and collect detailed vegetation species occurrence and abundance data. The program aims to establish natural resource inventory and monitoring as a standard practice to help conserve park ecosystems.

The Vegetation Monitoring Botany Assistant will contribute by assisting with vegetation and soils data collection, including identifying plants to species. They will be responsible for participating with a team to revisit plots and collect data, then enter and quality assure the data, helping the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program fulfill its mission.

Description of Duties:

• As part of crew, navigate to remote vegetation monitoring sites across the back country of NPS units, carrying monitoring gear and field safety gear.
• Use botanical knowledge to identify native and non-native plants at each site recording them to the species level using Latin binomials. Collect and document unknown plants.
• Collect detailed data on plant abundance and diversity using established protocols and entering data into protocol databases. Maintain records of sites visited and tasks completed.
• Collect data on soil stability and biological soil crust presence using established protocols.
• Collect landscape characteristics and erosion feature information for each site. Complete site diagram. Perform repeat photography at the four corners of each site.
• Collect fuels data on litter and downed woody material
• During riparian surveys - collect tree diameter and height data, perform greenline surveys for obligate riparian species, conduct shrub and sapling counts.
• Either in pairs or solo, navigate along linear vectors such as roads, trails and washes to survey and document the presence of non-native plants.
• Use botanical knowledge to identify non-native plants at each site recording them to the species level using Latin binomials.
• Using a GPS-enabled tablet and specialized data collection form, map all observations of non-native plants including data on phenology and abundance.
• Conducting projects alone under guidance of the crew lead, enter data into databases or spreadsheets following established practices.
• Conduct standardized verification and validation checks on entered data, making corrections as needed.
• File or scan datasheets, rename photographs, and process other data types as needed.
• Using dichotomous keys, floras or other plant guides, dissecting kits and microscopes, identifying any unknown plants collected during field work and update records accordingly. Press specimens for herbarium use.
• Under guidance of NPS staff, participate in other network monitoring protocols as needed
• Protocol tasks may include wildlife camera deployments and retrievals, photo processing and sorting, springs sampling for water quality and quantity, macroinvertebrate collection and channel morphology surveys.

Qualifications:

• Applicants must have completed at least three years toward an undergraduate degree in natural resources, botany, ecology, or a related field.
• Applicants should have a strong foundation in plant identification or plant systematics class or prior work experience identifying plants in a field setting.
• Applicants must have an interest in and ability to conduct projects in rural, mountainous, high desert locations and must be physically able to work in rugged terrain and extreme temperatures.
• Ability to conduct field projects in arduous backcountry situations (heavy backpack, tent camping, off-trail; wilderness);
• Must demonstrate skills and abilities to conduct scientific research and produce summary documents from this research; and must possess good computer and organizational skills.

• 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 if a 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 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 National Service Criminal History Checks for Conservation Legacy and the host site.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Vegetation field measurement experience and/or coursework is desired.
• Experience working outdoors in the desert southwest (Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Utah or California)
• Experience working in crew/team settings
• Outdoor first aid training such as Wilderness First Aid, or Wilderness First Responder
• Must have an ability to work well independently and with little supervision
• Experience driving larger trucks and 4x4 vehicles

Additional Position and Community Information:

The Sonoran Desert Network is officed within the Desert Research Learning Center (DRLC) located on the eastern edge of Tucson. It is adjacent to the east district of Saguaro National Park with nearby trails and frequent wildlife sitings. Shopping is approximately 10 minutes (driving) away. Tucson is a vibrant large city with numerous amenities and is home to the University of Arizona. The city is recognized for its rich cultural heritage and was designated a city of gastronomy in 2015. Tucson boasts hiking, biking and birding trails, vibrant music and food scenes and many other cultural events throughout the year.

Field projects comprise about 70% whereas office projects are ~30%. Travel is frequent with approximately 16 nights per month. Per diem reimbursement is provided. Field projects may create exposure to a variety of physical settings including extreme climatic conditions and rugged terrain. Summer temperatures can exceed 100F, with mild fall and winter conditions. When participating in field projects, applicants will need to hike on trails and off-trail in a wilderness setting and camp overnight for 3-8 days. Sturdy boots are recommended. Backpacks and camping gear will be provided. Many backcountry trips will be supported by packers and mules, but field staff could be asked to carry 25+ pounds of personal or project gear in a backpack. Field days are typically 10 hours depending on weather and safety considerations. The botany assistant will be provided with their own desk and workspace, within a large shared open-plan office setting. Ergonomic equipment is available.

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 full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary according to project needs. Lunch breaks and days off will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hour accumulation.
• 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.
• Members will receive training in all components of field data collection associated with this position.
• Orientation to common plants of the region
• Biological soil crust identification
• Field safety and first aid kit preparation
• Vehicle pre-trip checks and basic maintenance
• Bear spray training
• Leave no trace and other camping etiquette
• NPS operation leadership principles and GAR (green, amber, red) work assessment.
• Standard Operating Procedure development
• Government computer system use

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395 (pre-tax)
• Living Allowance of $600 per week (pre-tax)
• Additional Benefit of $270 per week (pre-tax)
• Per diem reimbursement of $42/day when participating in travel to NPS units with overnight stays
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

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.

How to Apply:

Find position in table at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions. Open position, review full position description and click apply.

In addition to your resume, please 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.

Supervisor/Mentor Name and Contact Information:

· Service Site Contact information: Sarah_Studd@nps.gov

· Program Contact information: Emma Savely emma@conservationlegacy.org

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.