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Watershed and Geology Program Assistant

Stewards Individual Placement Program
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GEOSCIENTISTS IN FORESTS PROGRAM

 

Position Title: Watershed and Geology Program Assistant, George Washington & Jefferson National Forests - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements

Site Location: 5162 Valleypointe Parkway, Roanoke, VA 24019

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by November 7, 2025

Terms of Service:

  • Start Date: 1/5/2026
  • End Date: 1/1/2027
  • AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour

GEOSCIENTISTS IN FORESTS PROGRAM:

The USDA Forest Service Washington Office Lands, Minerals and Geology (WO-LMG) in partnership with the Conservation Legacy is pleased to announce the 2026 Geoscientists in Forests (GSF) Program offering paid professional development opportunities to emerging geoscientists that leverage Agency capacity to conduct critical geologic work in alignment with the administration’s priorities (see Executive Orders and Secretarial Memos listed below).

The GSF Program specializes in individual placements that address geoscience-related needs and management priorities. The program is designed for individuals aged 18-30, and veterans up to age 35. Projects involve predominantly field-oriented research, inventory and monitoring, and geoscience interpretation for agency staff and the public. GSF programs support Forest Service responsibilities under Executive Orders on American energy (EOs 14154, 14156, 14241), Secretarial Memo 1078-005, and the Public Land Corps Act’s workforce development focus.   

The primary purposes of the Geoscientists in Forests Program are to:

  • Address critical geoscience needs on National Forest System lands;
  • Foster geoscience career growth to support mineral and energy development in alignment with the administration’s priorities;
  • Provide on-the-ground geoscience training and immersive paid developmental experience for emerging geoscience professionals under Forest Service mentorship

 

POSITION:

The Geoscientists in Forests Program is seeking geoscience professionals to address critical needs on National Forest System lands. 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. The USDA Forest Service - Lands, Minerals, and Geology in partnership with Stewards will host a Watershed and Geology Program Assistant at the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

This Watershed and Geology Program Assistant is an AmeriCorps position that will support multiple programs including watershed, soil, and geology for the George Washington & Jefferson National Forests (GWJ). The Geoscientists in Forests (GSF) participant will primarily be working with the Forest Geologist, Soil Scientist, and Hydrologist.

 

Under the Geology Program, the Geoscientists in Forests (GSF) participant will conduct inventory and monitoring of abandoned mine lands (AML), karst resources and geologic hazards. Duties will include conducting field assessments and monitoring throughout the national forest. Underground entry for conducting cave health assessments will be part of these duties. Additional duties may include project management of specific reclamation projects along with fossil location and identification. The individual placement will work under the guidance of the Forest Geologist. All field work will rely on topographic maps and satellite imagery to assist in determining where pertinent resources are located and through use of LiDAR, accurately document resource concerns and follow up action items or remediation needs.

 

Under the Watershed Program (i.e., soils, hydrology, air/climate), the individual placement will inventory and assess risks to surface water quality, groundwater, groundwater dependent ecosystems, and stream habitat. The individual placement will field verify and map the water resource, and assess the hydrogeologic setting, soils and vegetation, land use, etc.  Other needs include conducting stream classifications, spring and karst inventories, as well as monitoring of project implementation and best management practices effectiveness. The participant will field verify and map springs/seeps and may collect flow data, water chemistry, aquatic life, etc. The individual placement will also use a variety of protocols to monitor best management practices and overall soil and watershed conditions, and stream health.

 

The position will require a brief training by USFS personnel to become familiar with the applicable regulations and dynamics of hydrology and geology related projects and environmental impacts that occur on the ground. The position duration will be a minimum 52 weeks, with potential for the project to be extended for 52 additional weeks. This position requires long hours in the field, safety awareness when driving and hiking over rough terrain in all types of weather, as well as knowledge of data management and report writing.

 

The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests occur in two primary geologic provinces. The Valley and Ridge province consists of long, parallel ridges and valleys that are underlain by folded Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. The characteristic topography of this region results from differential erosion of linear belts of rocks that are repeated by folding and faulting. Rivers draining the Valley & Ridge province typically display a trellis drainage pattern. The oldest sedimentary layers in the Valley & Ridge are Cambrian (~520 Ma) and the youngest are Carboniferous (~300 Ma). A thick sequence of primarily carbonate rocks underlies the Great Valley (known as the Shenandoah Valley in central and northern Virginia), these rocks were deposited in a shallow tropical ocean along the southeastern margin of ancient North America (Laurentia). Well-developed karst topography is characteristic of the Great Valley, and many subsurface caverns exist. The Blue Ridge geologic province is a distinctive highland region that also exposes Virginia’s oldest rocks. In central and northern Virginia, the Blue Ridge Mountains rise dramatically to elevations above 1,200 m (4000’) with local relief up to 1000 m. In southern Virginia, the Blue Ridge forms a broad plateau-like upland that rises over 500 m from the Piedmont along the prominent Blue Ridge escarpment. In the southwestern Virginia Blue Ridge, Mt. Rogers (1,746 m), forms Virginia’s highest peak. The Blue Ridge forms a massif with Mesoproterozoic igneous and metamorphic basement rocks at its core and Neoproterozoic to Early Paleozoic cover rock on its flanks. During the Grenvillian (1.2 – 1.0 Ga) orogeny the Blue Ridge experienced the intrusion of a diverse suite of granitic rocks and widespread granulite-facies metamorphism, this magmatic and tectonic activity was associated with continental collision that ultimately produced the supercontinent of Rodinia. Two hundred and fifty million years later Neoproterozoic (750-700 Ma) granites intruded older basement rocks during an early phase of continental rifting that also produced basins into which coarse- to fine-grained sediment accumulated.

Description of Duties:

  • By the end of the project, the participant will have produced a suite of products including summary reports of findings with accompanying photos and geospatial and tabular data that provides location and attributes of water resources as well as identified risks to these resources. Reports will include recommended corrective action or Best Management Practices to mitigate risks to identified risks to water resources.

Qualifications:

  • Relevant coursework in geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and mineralogy are preferred.
  • The participant should be able to work independently or as part of a team, both in the field and in the office.
  • Prior to starting this position, the participant will need to pass a background check either with the host agency, GSA’s staffing partner Actalent, or both.
  • 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 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.
  • Able to pass a federal background check for Forest Service credentialing and technology access.
  • Over 21 and possess a valid driver's license (or have had a valid driver’s license for 3 or more years) and a good driving record if needed to drive a government vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications: 

  • Relevant coursework in geology, geomorphology, hydrology, and mineralogy

 

Additional Position and Community Information

 

The project is primarily based out of the Supervisor’s Office in Roanoke, VA. The participant will work intermittently with a Geologist, Hydrologist, Soil Scientist, and Fisheries Biologist, but will also do field work independently in steep forested terrain and in areas where historic strip mining and/or adit/shaft mining have occurred. Potential hazards include inclement weather and wildlife encounters (black bears, venomous snakes, etc.). The participant will be provided office space, a desk, and a computer equipped with the relevant software. The majority of time will be spent developing and conducting field assessments, entering field data, writing reports, organizing photos, and creating GIS products. Work typically takes place Monday through Friday.

Housing is not provided.

 

Benefits:

  • Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00
  • Living Allowance of $600.00 per week.
  • Additional Benefit of $100.00 per week.
  • 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)

 

 

How to Apply
Apply on-line at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions.  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. 

 

 

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by October 31, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position will close on November 7, 2025.

 

 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

 

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. 

 

 

Additional Details

Our Commitment:

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full inclusion 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:

  • This position is expected to serve 40 hours each week, but exact service schedules may vary. 
  • Lunch breaks 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.
  • The selected participant will be provided opportunities for cross training by the Forest Geologist, Hydrologist and Soil Scientist and will learn established survey techniques for each of these program areas, including use of geospatial and remotely sensed data for planning of field surveys and projects.
  • The participant will also spend time working in an interdisciplinary environment with other program areas including wildlife, fisheries, timber, engineering, and recreation to gain understanding of multiple resource management and the interrelationships of these program/resource areas in land and resource management planning and project development.

 

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.