Title:  I&M Field Ecology Individual Placements
Service Site: National Park Service Center for Urban Ecology, Washington, D.C.
Dates of Service: April 6^th, 2026 – December 18^th, 2026 (37 weeks)
Pay: $800/week paid biweekly ($600/week living stipend + $200 additional member benefit)
Status: This is a full-time, 40 hour/week temporary AmeriCorps National Service position.
Questions? Contact ACCrecruiting@conservationlegacy.org 

Please submit a resume and cover letter via our website, www.appalachiancc.org/individualplacements. Applications will be accepted until January 31st.

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, participants commit to a term of service at their placement site in order to gain hands-on experience and 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 Summary:

Long-term forest vegetation and water quality monitoring across all National Capital Region (NCR) parks are core components of the Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program. Data collected from these efforts provide essential, science-based insights into ecosystem health, and help park managers make informed decisions that protect and sustain park resources.

Appalachian Conservation Corps and the National Park Service are seeking two Field Ecology Individual Placements to serve with Inventory & Monitoring (I&M) staff on a variety of monitoring projects across National Parks in the National Capital Region (NCR). This is primarily a field-based position with some occasional office-based work. As a member of the I&M field crew, the candidate will focus on forest vegetation monitoring and periodically assist with water quality monitoring.

Roles and responsibilities include:

• Collect forest vegetation data using established quantitative monitoring protocols, including installing and maintaining permanent forest plots; measuring trees, shrubs, vines, herbs, ferns, sedges, and grasses; describing forest and habitat characteristics; and collecting GPS and photo-point data.
• Identify vascular plant species of the mid-Atlantic region and collect and prepare plant specimens as needed to support inventories and monitoring work.
• Navigate to remote field sites using GPS, maps, and compass; work safely in both remote and urban field settings; travel long distances on foot while carrying heavy equipment; and work comfortably in wetland and other challenging environments.
• Assist with data management, including data entry, basic data manipulation, and quality control checks.
• Support other I&M monitoring protocols (e.g. water quality monitoring) and assist with broader program needs, including contributing to reports, newsletters, and educational or outreach presentations.

Members will receive training in plant identification and in forest and water monitoring techniques. Protocols will be learned by shadowing experienced field crew members and through independent study of program materials and herbarium specimens. Throughout the field season, field crew meetings will provide opportunities to think critically about field operations, reinforce safety, and troubleshoot challenges that arise during fieldwork and data collection.

Housing is NOT provided for this position. We are seeking candidates who are local or prepared to relocate to the Washington DC metropolitan area.

For more information, or to apply, visit the official posting.