Biological Sciences Individual Placement – Rock Creek Park

Job Overview

Title:  Biological Sciences Individual Placement 

Service Site: Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. 

Dates of Service: May 12th, 2025 – May 1st, 2026 (51 weeks)  

Pay: $905/week paid biweekly ($600/week living stipend + $305 additional member benefit)  

Status: This is a full-time, temporary 1700-hour AmeriCorps National Service position.  

Questions? Contact [email protected]  

Appalachian Conservation Corps:   

Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.   

As an AmeriCorps program, Individual Placements commit to a term of service in order to gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as provides a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.   

Position Description: 

Are you interested and eager to save trees, help biodiversity, and advance your career? Then, read below! 

Rock Creek Park (ROCR) is truly a gem in our nation’s capital. This city park was officially authorized in 1890, making it the third National Park to be designated by the federal government. The Park protects and preserves nearly 3,000 acres of land within the northwest section of Washington, DC. It offers visitors the opportunity to escape the bustle of the city and find a peaceful refuge, recreation, fresh air, majestic trees, wild animals, and thousands of years of human history.  

The division of resources management has prioritized the management of non-native, invasive plant species with the purpose of protecting trees and biodiversity within the park. To be able to achieve this goal, Rock Creek Park needs you!  

ROCR is looking to hire a full-time Biological Sciences Individual Placement (Plants) that will assist the Resources Management team on vegetation management related tasks, focusing on the management of the Weed Warrior Volunteer Program. This is a volunteer-based program that aims to restore native plant ecosystems in the park by managing non-native, invasive plant species. The individual placement will also be exposed to other resource management experiences such as assisting with vegetation surveys. 

Description of Duties: 

The IP will assist the Weed Warrior Program coordinator by: 

• Revising and creating programmatic documents such as standardizing trainings, Special Use Permits, safety handouts, and outreach media. 

• Leading ongoing invasive plant removal volunteer events organized by the park. 

• Coordinating individual weed warrior site visits, and creation of annual work plans.  

• Keeping consistent communication with park partners, individual weed warriors and volunteers.  

• Obtaining pesticide treatment certification under the park’s license. Be willing to conduct herbicide treatments.  

The intern will also assist the Resources Management team by completing the following tasks: 

• Assisting with the surveying of annual vegetation plots throughout the park.  

• The intern will assist with proofreading and submission of all data collected for proper scientific analysis. 

• The intern may assist with other natural resources tasks as time and interest present including water monitoring, boundary identification, and others.   

This position is very field based but also includes public-facing responsibilities. A people-person who likes to get their hands dirty is ideal. Housing is NOT provided for this position. We are seeking candidates who are residents of the surrounding area.  

Qualifications: 

• Basic Eastern Mid-Atlantic plant identification knowledge (native and non-native) 

• Experience with plant identification and using technical keys. 

• Experience with invasive plant identification and management. 

• Experience with ArcGIS Pro and various ESRI data collection applications (Survey123, Field Maps, Collector) preferred but not required.  

• Outdoor working experience preferred but not required.  

• Experience with data entry and data management. 

• Ability to lead groups of volunteers during volunteer events.  

• Holds great communication, public speaking, and team building skills.   

• Applicants must pass a DOI security background check and should possess a valid driver’s license with a clean driving record. 

• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office suite.  

Education  

• Conservation related field such as biology, ecology, natural resources management, environmental sciences, etc. college student. Recent graduate preferred. 

• Competitive applicants for this position may hold a bachelor’s or graduate degree and/or experience in biology, botany, ecology, or a related discipline.  

Physical and Safety Requirements: 

• The position will require work outdoors in varying weather conditions (heat, cold, humidity, rain and potentially snow), with environmental hazards to include steep and rough terrain, stinging insects and poisonous plants. 

• 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. 

• To have the ability and willingness to lead groups of volunteers and respond to any safety emergencies while on group settings such as responding to yellow jacket stings.  

• Effectively communicate danger or threats to others and actively see ways to prevent or mitigate dangers or threats in the field. 

General Qualifications:  

To qualify, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award. In addition, applicants must:  

• Possess a valid driver’s license  

Benefits:   

• $905/week paid biweekly ($600/week living stipend + $305 additional member benefit)  

• $7,395 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of 1700 hour service term (award amount varies based on length of commitment and can be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)   

• $1000 professional development fund 

• Option to enroll in health, vision and dental insurance 

• Eligibility for the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon successful completion – noncompetitive hiring status for two years when applying for federal positions.  

• Federal student loan forbearance and interest payoff  

• Member Assistance Program– 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist  

• Additional subject-specific certifications and trainings may be offered (Chainsaw training, pesticides, etc)  

• Depending upon the academic institution and program, positions may fulfill internship requirements  

• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths   

Physical Requirements: 

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. 

Our Promise:  

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.