Wetland Pool Technician - AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy; Durango (CO); On-site; USD 15,000 - 17,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Refuge housing available

Personal vehicle recommended

Job summary

Conservation Legacy is seeking a Wetland Pool Technician to support Seney National Wildlife Refuge with water management for 22 wetland pools. The role involves field data collection, water control operations, wildlife surveys, and collaboration with tribal staff and refuge personnel.

The position runs February–August 2027, with AmeriCorps service hours and related training; housing is available, and a personal vehicle is recommended for remote work sites.

Qualifications

• Biological sciences knowledge is preferred.
• Ability to identify avian and plant species in wetland habitats.
• Knowledge of avian nesting practices is preferred.
• Proficient in oral and written communication.
• Experience with common hand tools and simple power tools.
• Ability to drive on 2-track roads and navigate with maps.
• Familiarity with field data entry and basic databases.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate spring target water levels and recommend 2027 targets.
• Collaborate with refuge staff to manipulate water control structures.
• Use hand tools to maintain water structures and gauges.
• Replace missing gauges and ensure readability.
• Use boats to verify water depths and survey aquatic vegetation.
• Monitor pool levels May–Aug and log data in central database.
• Conduct wildlife surveys and identify nesting waterbirds.
• Record avian survey data and field observations in databases.
• Engage with Tribal and refuge staff; participate in meetings and training.

Skills

Biological sciences knowledge

Identify avian & plant species

Avian nesting practices

Oral & written communication

Hand tools & light power tools

Driving on 2-track roads

Navigating with printed maps

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Excel

GIS mapping tools

Job description

• Job Category Individual Placement, AmeriCorps
• Employee Type AmeriCorps

Contact information

Description

Position Title: Wetland Pool Technician - AmeriCorp

Site Location: Seney National Wildlife Refuge (Seney NWR)

1674 Refuge Entrance Road, Seney, MI 49883

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by 11/30/2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis and will close when filled.

Terms of Service:

• Ideal Start Date: February 22, 2027
• End Date: August 20, 2027
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 900 hour , 26 weeks

Purpose:

Stewards Individual Placements (Stewards), a program of Conservation Legacy, provides individuals with AmeriCorps service and career opportunities to strengthen communities and preserve our natural resources. Participants serve with federal agencies, tribal governments, and nonprofits to provide institutional capacity, develop community relationships, and support ecosystem health. Stewards partners with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to facilitate the WaterCorps Program to provide opportunities to federally enrolled Tribal Members seeking to gain experience in the water resources field. This WaterCorps position will be hosted by the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, who is seeking a Wetland Pool Technician.

The National Wildlife Refuge System is a series of lands and waters owned and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Wildlife conservation is at the heart of the refuge stewardship. It drives everything we do from the purpose a refuge is established , to the recreational activities offered there, to the resource management tools we use. Refuges use a wide range of land management tools based on the best science available to help fulfill the purpose of the refuge. At Seney NWR, water levels are managed on more than 6,400-acres of refuge pools. Water levels are manipulated to provide a variety of wetland conditions for plants and animals. By raising and lowering these water levels, natural wetland and lake cycles are mimicked.

The Wetland Pool Technician is an AmeriCorps position that will work with refuge management and tribal staff to refine and implement the annual water management plan for the refuge’s 22 wetland pools with water control structures. This project will support culturally important species and the habitat they depend upon.

The goal of the project will be to use existing data and resources to make recommendations for spring 2027 water level targets that will meet habitat objectives for nesting loons, Trumpeter Swans and Osprey and then implement and monitor progress.

Description of Duties:

• The Wetland Pool Technician will use the refuge’s newly acquired water management planning tools (that incorporate bathometric and topographic data), dam and water control structure elevation data, historic observed water level data, low hazard dam policy requirements, species habitat requirements, site visits and professional knowledge and experience from staff to evaluate existing spring target levels and make recommendations for 2027 targets.
• Collaborate with refuge staff to manipulate water control structures and remove blockages and debris.
• Use hand tools such as loppers, shovels, motorized trimmers and hand saws to keep water control structures and gauges accessible.
• Replace missing water gauges and clean with brushes to ensure readable .
• Use nonmotorized boats to verify water level depths and survey aquatic vegetation.
• Monitor pool levels throughout the May through August season and record gage observations into a central database spreadsheet
• Conduct wildlife surveys and identify nesting waterbirds by sight and sound (swans, loons, osprey and eagles) within pools and enter data into a central database spreadsheet
• Use field equipment including cameras, GPS equipment, binoculars, rangefinders and computers in order to capture avian survey data or for other records.
• Use a variety of databases and reporting systems to store, compile, and analyze data from monitoring.
• Survey location for invasive species populations and assist with invasive species removal projects through hand, mechanical or chemical controls.
• Collaborate and engage with Sault Saint Marie Tribe of Chippewa Natural Resource staff, other staff at Seney NWR, refuge staff from other locations, and regional office staff, such as biologists, hydrologists, and youth crews and interns.
• Participate in staff meetings, interdisciplinary field days, and hands-on learning and training opportunities to build skills and broaden professional network within the National Wildlife Refuge System and US Fish and Wildlife Service
• General Team Assistance: Assists team as needed for general tasks around of the duty station/office. Loads and unloads materials and equipment, cleans grounds, collects and disposes of refuse and performs a variety of light maintenance and housekeeping tasks involving the use of hand and power tools and equipment. Assists with outdoor projects such as trail maintenance.
• Working in inclement weather and field conditions with potential for exposure including but not limited to heat, sun, rain, mud, dense vegetation, biting insects and uneven terrain.

Qualifications:

• Must be a member of a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, Band, or Village; Alaska Native; or meet one of the following descriptions:
• Persons who possess at least one-half degree Indian blood derived from Tribes Indigenous to the United States.
• Descendants of Members of Federally recognized Indian Tribes, Bands or Communities who were residing on any Indian Reservation on June 1, 1934 – shown by providing information asked on a BIA Form 4432.
• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of 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 National Service Criminal History Checks for Conservation Legacy and the host site.
• Have a valid state driver’s license for the duration of the project.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Practical knowledge of the biological sciences
• Ability to identify avian and plant species
• Knowledge of avian nesting practices
• Knowledge of database systems such as Microsoft Excel
• Knowledge of GIS mapping tools
• Skills in oral and written communication
• Skill in using common hand tools and simple power tools
• Skill in driving on 2 track roads
• Skill in navigating using printed maps

Additional Position and Community Information:

• Seney National Wildlife Refuge is located in the eastern central portion of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The Headquarters is located between the small communities of Seney (population 180) and Germfask (population 457). It is considered a remote refuge with the largest communities in Newberry (population 1,452) and Manistique (population 2,918) being 35-40 minute commutes. Larger population centers with commercial stores are approximately 80+ miles away.
• The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is a wonderful outdoor playground for those who love exploring and recreating in the outdoors. This unpopulated area consists of vast public lands suitable for all outdoor activities. The four seasons offer an exciting and consistent change of pace to all aspects of life. The refuge can get about 135 inches of snow on average in winter and the spring insects make repellent and head nets a part of daily routine.
• Refuge housing is available.
• It will be important for the member to have a personal vehicle.

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 Vanessa Morrison at [e-mail]

Time Requirements:

• Typically, this position is expected to serve full time each week, but exact service schedules may vary according to project needs. Lunch breaks and days off will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service hour accumulation.
• Member must complete all required service hours to obtain the AmeriCorps Education Award.
• 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 program expectations and AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Defensive Driving
• Refuge staff will provide instruction and orientation to the fundamentals of the existing refuge water management approach during spring and throughout the growing season, operation of stop log structures, historic data collection methods, and basic information on how water levels drive plant communities and wildlife use.
• Other training may be offered depending on course availability such as UTV/ATV training, nonmotorized watercraft safety training, pesticide applicator training.
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,697.50 (pre-tax)
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Additional Benefit of $120.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Free Healthcare Coverage (opt in)
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps , directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps , directly)

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.

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.