Position Title: Natural Resource Individual Placement – AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Conservation Corps New Mexico
Site Location: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge
1206 APC NWR Rd
Eagle Lake, TX 77434
Terms of Service:
Anticipated Start Date: 8/11/2026
Anticipated End Date: 7/9/2027
AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hours
COVER LETTER AND RESUME REQUIRED FOR CONSIDERATION
First review of applications will take place by [2 weeks from posting]. Position open until filled; candidates can check Individual Placement Positions | Conservation Corps New Mexico to see if the position is still open.
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, and protect clean air and water 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 projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across New Mexico and western Texas/Oklahoma 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; introduce participants to numerous pathways within the conservation field; create meaningful learning opportunities; and provide technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies.
Attwater Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1972 to provide habitat for one of the last populations of the critically endangered Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken (APC), a ground-dwelling grouse of the coastal prairie ecosystem. This habitat once spanned over 6 million acres from Corpus Christi to southwest Louisiana, but now less than 1% of this fragmented coastal prairie remains. With so little of its home left, the Attwater’s Prairie-Chicken has become one of the most endangered birds in North America. The 11,083-acre refuge offers one of the last hopes for survival of this charismatic bird.
In addition to habitat management, the refuge is developing its environmental education and interpretation program. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to support refuge staff with both the visitor services and biology programs – directly interacting with the public, assisting staff with recovery efforts and improving habitat for the APC.
Description of Duties:
- Visitor Services
- Assist Wildlife Refuge Specialist with designing and providing educational programs to the public on and off site.
- Assist Wildlife Refuge Specialist with the planning and implementation of interpretative programs at the refuge such as regular monthly van tours as well as new programs.
- Assist with social media content creation, updating website information, responding to public inquiries, and updating refuge flyers and interpretative materials.
- Assist with volunteer habitat restoration projects and volunteer coordination for educational programs.
- APC Recovery and Habitat Management
- Assist staff with the daily feeding, tracking, transport/release, and pen maintenance for APC.
- Removal of invasive species through mechanical and chemical means.
- Improve trails for visitor use.
- Special Interest Project
- Individual Placement will have the opportunity to propose a special project or research topic that reflects their personal interests while supporting refuge priorities. Wildlife Refuge Specialist will provide mentorship, technical guidance, and access to appropriate resources to ensure the project is successful and contributes to professional growth.
Conditions: Extreme heat, insects, inclement weather, uneven terrain, hiking off trail; sharp, high-powered tools, chemical herbicide.
Qualifications:
- United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
- At least 18 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 consecutive years.
- Per federal grant requirements, this position is for young adults between the ages of 18-30 (35 for veterans) at the time the individual begins term of service.
- Bachelor’s degree in biology, environmental science, wildlife, resource management, communications, etc.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Previous experience with herbicide use, public speaking, social media creation, environmental education, and bird handling.
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 25 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 accommodations may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
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 (FWS) 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 Department of Interior background clearance may be required before the selected candidate reports for service. The 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 government 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.
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 Tuesday through Saturday 40 hours per week typically from 7am to 3:30pm, but service schedules will vary depending on seasonal refuge operations. For example, during July to late August or early September, captive-reared APCs acclimating within pens must be fed daily, including weekends and holidays. Refuge staff split responsibility to feed APCs during this time. Other projects throughout the year may require attendance on a non-regularly scheduled workday or outside of regular hours. These events are rare but do happen. Ample notice would be given prior to an ask to work outside of regularly scheduled days or hours. 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.
- Introduction to Project Wild educational program creation.
- Access to Canva, Adobe Suite, and other media.
- Access to ArcGIS Online.
- Off-road Utility Vehicle (ORUV) training.
- Herbicide application/licensing.
- Hand tool training.
- FWS Defensive Driving.
- CPR/First Aid/AED Training provided by refuge staff.
- Basics of bird handling and feeding provided by refuge staff.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7,395.00.
- Living Allowance of $640 per week.
- Free housing available onsite; more information will be given during the interview process.
- Healthcare Coverage available.
- Childcare Coverage available.
- Student loan forbearance and interest payments are available for qualifying loans.
- Members will have additional hours to take time off for personal, holiday, and sick leave and still complete their minimum AmeriCorps 1700-hour term.
- Eligible for Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority upon completion of term (that allows for competitive hiring for USA jobs/government jobs).
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.
CCNM Program Contact information:
SamJean Simmons, ssimmons@conservationlegacy.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.