Position Title: AmeriCorps Individual Placement – Engineering Technician
Conservation Legacy Program: Southeast Conservation Corps
Site Location: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Blue Ridge Ranger District
Address:
2042 Highway 515 W
Blairsville, GA 30512
Term of Service: 50 weeks
- Start Date: 04/05/2027
- End Date: 03/17/2028
- AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 hr
Status: This is a full-time, seasonal, 50-week, 1700-hour AmeriCorps National Service Program.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00 upon successful completion of the program
- Living allowance of $480.00 per week, paid bi-weekly
- Additional Benefit of $465.00 per week, paid bi-weekly
Other Benefits: AmeriCorps health insurance, uniform shirts, personal protective equipment, Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Certificate (upon successful completion of hours), member assistance program, and other professional development opportunities available.
Positions Available: 1
Purpose
Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC):
Empowering youth and adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility and life skills through community service, hard work and land stewardship.
Southeast Conservation Corps, a program of Conservation Legacy, is a non-profit AmeriCorps program. We engage youth (age 15-17) and young adults (ages 18-30, up to 35 for veterans) in service projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC collaborates with land management agencies (United States Forest Service, National Park Service, State Parks, local municipalities, and non-profits) to host day or overnight camping crews and individual placements.
Our AmeriCorps positions provide impactful educational and service opportunities that benefit both communities and landscapes. SECC’s participants reflect the population of the Southeast region, including youth, graduates, veterans, and individuals from various backgrounds.
United States Forest Service:
The phrase “Caring for the Land and Serving People,” captures the Forest Service mission. As set forth in law, the mission is to achieve quality land management under the sustainable multiple-use management concept to meet the many needs of people.
Blue Ridge Ranger District:
The Blue Ridge Ranger District Civil Engineering Program is responsible for approximately 500 miles of Forest Service roads within the district's area of responsibility. Duties include data collection, survey, maintenance, repair, and inspection of roadways ranging from suitable passenger cars to high clearance vehicle-only roads. Additionally, Civil Engineering duties include data collection, inspection, survey, and limited scope maintenance and repair of Forest Service facilities.
Position Overview:
This Individual Placement is designed to provide an entry-level professional opportunity to serve directly with a federal land management agency, developing relevant skills, qualifications, and experience. The projects will focus on field data collection to provide a comprehensive assessment of current conditions in relation to recent natural disasters and weather impacts. Hurricane Helene, along with many other recent impacts, has created significant impacts on the Blue Ridge Ranger District.
The Individual Placement will serve alongside Forest Service technicians and specialists in various resource areas, including trail management, wilderness stewardship, engineering, archaeology, outdoor recreational facilities, wildlife management, silviculture, forestry, and wildland fire management. Most tasks will be primarily focused on erosion control. Storm-damaged or improperly maintained roads lead to erosion, resulting in excessive entry of pollutants into waterways. Out of the district’s 500 miles of road, it is estimated to seek improvements of approximately 150 to 200 miles during this period of disaster repair.
While the service project will focus on road engineering related tasks, utilizing GIS technology and associated devices to collect real-time data from the field, the exposure and training are designed to provide the Individual Placement with the experience necessary to compete for an entry-level position with a land management agency upon program completion.
Description of Duties:
Roadway Disaster Data Collection
- Serve with the Supervisor to gain an understanding of the data needed and the overall intent of the assessment.
- Build an assessment plan for the district to prioritize different resource needs and concerns.
- Gain proficiency with GIS technology and applications
- Keep consistent records of data gathered.
Maintenance Planning
- Serve with the Engineering Technician to gain an understanding of road condition expectations.
- Assist Engineering with routine activities to include road condition surveys, site assessments, mapping, road feature counts, etc...
- Assist in Engineering to prioritize needs.
- Assist Engineering in plan development, 811 marking, cost estimate, and procurement.
Maintenance Operations
- Assist Engineering with safety notifications, site preparation, and pre-stage.
- Assist Engineering with mobilization.
- Use a variety of hand tools, power tools, and limited complexity equipment operation under the supervision of certified personnel.
- Assist team with clean-up and monitoring after the day is completed.
Potential environmental/human risk involved with this term of service: uneven terrain, physical exertion, inclement weather, and remote service sites.
Qualifications:
- United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
- Must be between the ages of 18 and 30, or up to 35 if a military veteran.
- 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 before using the education award
- Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
- Strong interest in road construction, serving outdoors, and natural resource management.
- Proven ability to complete assignments and meet deadlines with minimal supervision.
- Comfortable navigating by map throughout the forest, including areas with limited or no cell coverage.
- You must possess a valid driver’s license and pass Conservation Legacy’s Driver Insurability requirements.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with hand tools, power tools, and tractors.
- Crosscut or chainsaw sawyer Certification.
- Experience with navigation by map and terrain association.
- Experience with ESRI Field Maps, Survey123, and ArcGIS software.
Transportation:
A personal vehicle is required to report to/from the service site/office, and for all personal business. A USFS/SECC vehicle will be provided for transportation to conduct operations within the forest. This Individual Placement must be a driver and pass Conservation Legacy’s driver insurability requirements.
Housing:
Housing will not be provided. USFS staff will assist with finding housing in the local area near the park.
Physical Requirements:
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 functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional 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. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.
Time Requirements:
- Typically, this position is expected to serve from 8 am – 5pm, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week – but exact service schedules may vary and will include evening and weekend service depending on project needs.
- A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
- Members may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
Orientation and Training:
- Members will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
- Defensive Driving – how to drive on gravel/USFS roads
- ArcGIS, Survey123, FieldMaps, Avenza, USDA Guidelines for Maintenance Levels
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:
- Monthly Accomplishment Report
- Narrative Monthly Report.
Substance Free:
In accordance with a drug-free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.
If you have questions about the position, please contact:
Jonathan Key
Civil Engineering Program Manager
USFS: Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest
Blue Ridge Ranger District
Jonathan.key@usda.gov
If you have questions about the application process, please contact:
Angela Gerstner
Individual Placements Program Coordinator
Southeast Conservation Corps
agerstner@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.
