Position Title: Fisheries and Habitat Technician- AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location:
Northern Alaska Fish and Wildlife Field Office
101 12th Avenue, Rm 110
Fairbanks, AK 99701
Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by 12/14/2027. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will be closed when filled

Terms of Service:

• Ideal Start Date: February 15, 2027
• End Date: August 13, 2027
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 hour, 26 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 partner with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to facilitate the WaterCorps Program to provide opportunities to federally enrolled Tribal Members seeking to gain experience in the water resources field.

This WaterCorps position will be hosted by the Northern Alaska Fish and Wildlife Field Office (NAFWFO), who is seeking a Fisheries and Habitat Technician.

The Fisheries and Habitat Technician is an AmeriCorps position that will support temperature and habitat monitoring and streambank restoration projects in important Chinook salmon streams across the Yukon River watershed. There is an increasing need for water temperature monitoring and habitat assessments across Alaska as changing environmental conditions continue to affect freshwater aquatic ecosystems and salmon populations. The Yukon River watershed is one of the most data-sparse regions in the state due to its remote location and the high cost of travel. The purpose of the temperature and habitat monitoring is to provide NAFWFO biologists data to identify and prioritize potential restoration and protection opportunities in the Yukon River watershed, which has one of the longest salmon runs in the world and is experiencing a severe decline in salmon runs. This project specifically will build community capacity through outreach and coordination with Alaska Native communities throughout the watershed. They will also have the opportunity to interact and collaborating with other technicians, biologists, and agency and university partners.

The mission of the Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The focus of the NAFWFO Fisheries team are anadromous fish, especially salmon. The Fisheries and Habitat Technician will support priority research and management goals of the NAFWFO by reviewing and analyzing temperature and habitat data, preparing instruments for summer field projects, and conducting field monitoring at sites in Fairbanks and across the Yukon Watershed.

Description of Duties:

• Review and enter historic temperature and habitat data
• Prepare watershed habitat descriptions using geographic information system (GIS) data and historic reports
• Calibrate and test water quality instruments
• Collect abiotic and biotic habitat data such as water quality and stream riparian vegetation data
• Deploy temperature loggers
• Deploy and retrieve minnow traps looking for juvenile salmon
• Assist with implementation of stream restoration projects
• Coordinate with local communities and conduct outreach activities

Qualifications:

• Must be a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, Band, or Village; Alaska Native; or meet one of the following descriptions:
  
  • Persons who possess at least one-half degree Indian blood derived from Tribes Indigenous to the United States.
  • Descendants of Members of Federally recognized Indian Tribes, Bands or Communities who were residing on any Indian Reservation on June 1, 1934 – shown by providing information asked on a BIA Form 4432.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• 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.
• Current Alaska Driver’s License

Preferred Qualifications:

• Interest and/or college coursework in biology or fisheries
• Knowledge of Alaskan fish species and habitats
• Experience conducting field investigations or surveys in Alaska
• Experience using database systems such as geographic information systems (GIS) to collect, organize and maintain data
• Report writing and data management
• Attention to detail
• Strong oral communication and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work well with a team

Additional Position and Community Information:

• Fairbanks, Alaska is the largest city in Interior Alaska with a borough population just under 100,000 people. It is located on the Chena River, a major Chinook salmon spawning river, just above the confluence with the Tanana River. Fairbanks typically has extremely cold dry winters and warm sunny summers. There are lots of community activities, grocery stores, shopping and a hospital.
• The member will need to provide for their own housing in Fairbanks. If they do not have a personal vehicle, a bicycle can be provided to get around town.
• For project activities, a vehicle will be provided.
• Much of the winter projects will be office based, but during the summer fieldwork will be performed at various locations, including remote areas of Alaska. Travel will be primarily by small aircraft or boat. There may be harsh weather and lots of mosquitoes.

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 must complete all required service hours to obtain the AmeriCorps Education Award.
• 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.
• First Aid and CPR and/or Wilderness First Aid
• Motorboat Operation Certification Course
• Defensive Driving
• Fish Passage, Streambank Restoration and/or Stream Habitat Assessment
• Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50 (pre-tax)
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Additional Benefit of $120.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
• Childcare Coverage (opt in)
• 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, you must upload a copy of your Tribal ID proving you are enrolled in a federally recognized Tribe, Band, or village. Please also 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:

NPS Service Site Contact information: Chandra McGee, chandra_mcgee@fws.gov
Program Contact information: Cassie Sebas, csebas@conservatinlegacy.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.