Invasive Species Individual Placement

Position Title:  Invasive Species Individual Placement – AmeriCorps 

(2 Openings)

Conservation Legacy Program: Conservation Corps New Mexico

Site Location: Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge

601 FM 1011, Liberty, TX 77575

 Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 2/24/25
• End Date: 5/23/25
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 Hours

Purpose:

AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Environmental stewardship programs help conserve natural habitats, improve energy efficiency, protect clean air and water, and help to mitigate the effects of climate change among other environmental efforts.

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM)

As part of Conservation Legacy and an AmeriCorps program, CCNM aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across southern New Mexico and western Texas that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Las Cruces office manages the Individual Placement Program. 

Mentorship

These Individual Placements are unique development AmeriCorps positions. Participants are paired with a local supervisor and gain technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. Site supervisors commit to facilitate career development; provide an introduction to numerous pathways within the conservation field; and create accessible, meaningful, learning opportunities and gain technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. 

Under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Trinity River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1994 for the protection of the emergent wetlands and their species.  The refuge contains 30,000 acres of bottomland hardwood forest habitat and staff manage forest, lakes and all of the plant and animal species within the refuge.

The selected candidates will assist staff with invasive species control on Champion Lake (800 acres), Timber Lake (16 acres), and Hirsch tract (891 acres).  These areas are habitat for alligators, alligator snapping turtles (protected species), alligator gar fish, nesting colonial waterbirds, neotropical migrant birds, and numerous other reptiles and amphibians.  Giant salvinia, water hyacinth, alligator weed, and trifoliate orange are four invasive plant species found on Champion Lake.  These plants have the ability to take over and suffocate waterways. In addition, tawny crazy ants, an invasive ant species, have established themselves on the shoreline of Champion Lake, threatening the biodiversity of the ecosystem.  A research project has been established to help control the ants featuring a microsporidian pathogen being studied as a biocontrol on sensitive wetlands.  Staff are aggressively trying to control these plants and ants and need individual placements to join this stewardship project.  Individual placements will support staff by surveying, monitoring, and treating patches of invasive plants on the refuge. Individual placements will also assist in mapping and collecting samples from ant populations.  Individual placements will also assist with wildlife surveys for forest birds.   By assisting with the protection of the water ways on the refuge, participants will aid in protecting wildlife habitat as well as a public recreation area.

Description of Duties: 

• Survey and monitor for invasive aquatic plants on Champion Lake and Timber Lake.
  • Walk shoreline for invasive plants rooted or beached along the shoreline.
  • Kayak/canoe the waters of Champion Lake and Timber Lake to search for pockets of invasive plants.
  • Engage with the public about survey efforts and boat inspection to prevent moving invasive plants to other waters.
• Control activities of aquatic invasive plants and trifoliate orange.
  • Apply herbicide to aquatic invasive plants on shorelines and water by foot, utility terrain vehicle, kayak/canoe, and boat.
  • Collect salvinia and water hyacinth by hand from water by kayak/canoe.
  • Lead volunteers in collection efforts of plant biomass by kayak/canoe.
• Survey and monitor for Tawny Crazy Ants on Champion Lake and Refuge Office.
  • Map ant population and set out/collect bait stations.
  • Engage with the public about survey efforts and the threat of tawny crazy ants to their homes.
• Survey for forest birds.
  • Use listening skills to carry out forest bird monitoring surveys on Boar’s Den Tract.
  • Use GPS and compass to navigate to specific points on land

Trainings Provided:

• Kayak/Canoe safety
• Utility Terrain Vehicle Training
• Invasive plant identification
• Ant identification
• Use of Field Maps application for documenting monitoring efforts
• GPS and Compass for navigation
• Various knots and their applications
• How to attach and back up a trailer
• How to apply herbicide properly and safely
• Proper disposal of invasive plant biomass on land

Working Conditions: Wildlife interactions are possible; wasps, fire ants, alligators, and snakes are present in waterways and on shorelines; mishandling of alligator snapping turtles can result in severe bodily injury; sunburn, heat illness, dehydration, and drowning are of critical concern during project.

Qualifications:

• Per federal grant requirements, this position is for young adults between the ages of 17-30 (35 for veterans), inclusive, at the time the individual begins term of service.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• 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.
• Valid U.S Driver’s License - Drivers must be over 21 or have had a license for at least 3 years
• Eagerness for a physically challenging and adventurous internship in the outdoors and on the water.
• Positive attitude.
• Personal vehicle for transportation outside of service hours.

Physical Requirements:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. May be required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl for significant periods of time and be able to safely lift 50 pounds on a routine basis. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.
• Ability to hike and navigate in rough terrain.
• Reasonable accommodation may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements/Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service.
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.
• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

Safety and Judgment: 

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. Must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.
• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crises.
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

Substance Free:

• In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

Background Check:

A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report to duty. FWS will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after a candidate has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start service. This process will determine the participant’s exact start date.

Participants will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Participants must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

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:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, 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 $1,824.07
• Living Allowance of $600 per week
• Relocation assistance $500
• Training fund $300
• Free onsite housing provided
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible

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.

 Program Name and Contact Information:

Joy Hernandez:

jhernandez@conservationlegacy.org 

Consideration will be given as resumes are received and this position may close at any time.

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with AmeriCorps requirements. 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.