Botany Technician USFS – AmeriCorps Individual Placement

The Southeast Conservation Corps is seeking a Botany Technician for an AmeriCorps individual placement, focusing on conservation projects in the Southeast. This role involves treating non-native invasive plant species, mapping infestations, and supporting ecosystem health. Candidates must be 18-30 years old, a U.S. citizen or resident, and able to lift up to 50 lbs. The position emphasizes community service and environmental stewardship.
Purpose:

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. This individual placement is in partnership with the National Park Service and is an AmeriCorps Position.

SECC empowers young adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility, and grit through community service and environmental stewardship.

SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, to complete conservation projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC programs encourage environmental stewardship, foster community partnerships, and emphasize experiential learning. SECC serves a diverse population that is representative of the Southeast, including youth, graduates, veterans, and a cross-section of ethnicities and income levels.

The natural resources department of the Forest Service manages stream conditions, fish and aquatic organisms, wildlife, and botanical resources in an integrated way for the best possible outcome for ecological processes to function sustainably. Functioning streams and rivers with appropriate infrastructure to support aquatic passage under roads and drainages is a top priority for the Cherokee National Forest. Promoting appropriate plant communities is a critical component of forest health. Ensuring that plant communities represent the appropriate forest type based on site conditions and that Non-Native Invasive Plant infestations do not encroach into these native plant communities and alter ecosystem processes is the basis for our agency’s mission.

Position Overview:

SECC individual placements will provide individuals with service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Individual placements participate with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits, building institutional capacity, developing community relationships, and supporting ecosystem health.

Individual Placements will be treating Non-Native invasive plant species in conjunction with other watershed restoration activities. Individual Placements will be using the Invasive Species Mobile application of field maps for data entry.

Description of Duties:
• Support the fisheries biologist and hydrologist to improve aquatic ecosystem health and watershed function.
• Identify priority Non-native invasive plant species (NNIS)
• Map NNIS infestation across the forest using ISM mobile field maps
• Treat NNIS using Integrated pest management techniques, including herbicides

Potential environmental/human risk involved with this service include adverse weather conditions, Extreme heat or cold, and physical injury. Serving in the forest is not without risk of trips or falls, heat exhaustion, exposure to ticks, chiggers, and other biting insects, snakes, and exposure to approved herbicides.

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.
• Ability to lift up to 50lbs.
• You must possess a valid driver’s license.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Basic knowledge of plant ID
• Herbicide applicators license
• GIS Experience

Transportation:
• A personal vehicle is not required but is strongly recommended due to the limited public transportation. Must have reliable transportation to and from the work site.

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to fully including 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, the ability to move across varied terrain, and the use of 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 move objects. Some positions may also require the ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle. 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, 40 hours per week – but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.

Members may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:
• Members will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Members will receive on-the-job training for all performed tasks listed above.
• Trainings include plant identification, introduction to field maps, and invasive species mobile APP training.

Benefits:
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $2,817.14
• Living Allowance: $680 per week.
• Additional Benefits: $180 per week.
• Possible student loan forbearance.
• Members Assistance Program – 3 free support sessions with a counseling or service-life balance specialist.
• Uniform shirts
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths.

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
• Monthly Accomplishment Report
• Narrative Monthly Report.
• Bi-Monthly Check-Ins
• Midterm and Final Evals
• Exiting Task

Substance Free:

Per a drug-free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

If you have questions about the position, please contact:

Michael Starbuck

Zone Silviculturist

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest

michael.starbuck@usda.gov

If you have questions about the application process, please contact:

Ray Wilson

Individual Placement Coordinator

Southeast Conservation Corps

rwilson@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.