Colorado Parks & Wildlife Education & Outreach Coordinator - AmeriCorps

The Colorado Parks & Wildlife Education & Outreach Coordinator - AmeriCorps position at Conservation Legacy involves serving as an education liaison in Durango, CO. Responsibilities include educating the public on wildlife interactions, supporting school programs, and collaborating with local organizations. The role requires direct engagement with the community and participation in wildlife management activities under CPW's mentorship. The position runs from April to November 2025.
Description

Position Title: Colorado Parks & Wildlife Education & Outreach Coordinator - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Southwest Conservation Corps - Four Corners, Durango

Site Location: Colorado Parks & Wildlife office, 151 E 16th St, Durango, CO 81301

Terms of Service:
• Start Date: 04/07/2025
• End Date: 11/14/2025
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1200 hours

Purpose:

This AmeriCorps program partners with Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) staff at local field offices throughout southern Colorado. This AmeriCorps position is under direct mentorship and technical guidance of CPW with additional management, support, and administration from Southwest Conservation Corps. CPW's mission is "to perpetuate the wildlife resources of the state, to provide a quality state parks system, and to provide enjoyable and sustainable outdoor recreation opportunities that educate and inspire current and future generations to serve as active stewards of Colorado's natural resources." Area 15 of CPW serves this mission to southwest Colorado in La Plata, Montezuma, Dolores, Archuleta, and San Juan counties. CPW is the first point of contact with the public both through the Durango Service Center and field staff answering hunting and fishing questions, addressing wildlife conflicts, providing "living with wildlife" information, distributing park passes, and conducting vehicle/vessel registrations, hunter education and fielding wildlife biology questions.

This AmeriCorps position will assist Area 15 by serving as an education liaison, educating the public on living with wildlife, being "bear aware," supporting school programs, outreach to homeowner associations and collaborating with local organizations on wildlife issues. This is education on the front lines in a busy mountain community where the goal is to reduce negative encounters between wildlife and the public and sustain local resources for various recreation opportunities, for the community and generations to come.

Description of Duties:
• Provide the public with education and information that addresses "living with wildlife" materials, wildlife conflicts, wildlife biology, and assist with the selling of hunting/fishing licenses, passes, and vehicle/vessel registrations
• Engage communities in Area 15 by providing education on living with wildlife and addressing conflict mitigation techniques for bear, lion, elk, deer, and other wildlife
• Assist with local school programming, outreach to homeowner associations, canvassing neighborhoods, and collaboration with several local organizations on wildlife issues
• Shadowing District Wildlife Managers (DWM's) and field staff on active wildlife management activities which can include trapping and processing of live bears/lions
• Perform biological checks on wildlife including mandatory checks for bears, lions, sheep, goat, moose and bobcats
• Assist with taking Chronic Wasting Disease samples for deer and elk

Potential Environmental/Human Risks:
• Handling wildlife both alive and dead, gathering biological information such as measurements, tooth extraction, DNA and CWD samples with sharp objects and personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Slips, trips, falls with uneven and varied terrain
• Variable weather ranging from freezing cold temperatures to hot temperatures

Required Qualifications:
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident
• 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
• Valid U.S. Driver's License
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check
• Per grant funding, candidate must be 18-30 years of age, up to 35 years of age if veteran status

Preferred Qualifications:
• Have or working towards a degree in a Natural Resource field, including but not limited to Biology, Wildlife Biology, Fisheries, Natural Resource Management
• Comfortability with speaking with the public individually and in groups
• Strong public speaking and problem-solving skills
• Ability to tailor educational messages and presentations to a wide variety of diverse groups and ages
• Ability to interface with members of the public

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.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 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, 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 in-depth orientation provided by Southwest Conservation Corps that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities
• Partner will provide appropriate orientation and training(s) for field activities

Benefits:
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,176.50
• Living Allowance of $600 per week
• Additional Benefit of $ 200 per week
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Professional development opportunities with both SCC and CPW
• Two SCC field shirts
• Childcare Coverage if Eligible
• 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.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

Individual Placement Program Coordinator - Niki Antonio (she/her)

Contact Information: nantonio@conservationlegacy.org

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, 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 accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.