Overview
Location: Roanoke, VA; George Washington and Jefferson National Forest Supervisor’s Office
Dates of Service: June 8th, 2026 – May 21st, 2027 (50 weeks)
Pay: $900/week paid biweekly ($600/week living stipend + $300 additional member benefit)
Status: This is a full-time 40 hour/week, temporary AmeriCorps National Service position.
Questions? Contact ACCrecruiting@conservationlegacy.org
Please use external link to apply: https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/conservationlegacy.careers?ShowJob=705214854
Position Summary: The Appalachian Conservation Corps, in partnership with the United States Forest Service, is seeking a Natural Resources GIS Technician to serve under the Forest Soil Scientist in 2026. This position is hosted in Roanoke, VA in the Supervisor’s office for the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests (GWJ). The technician position will support multiple programs including watershed, soil, and geology for the GWJ. Duties will include collecting, organizing, and managing geospatial data, performing geospatial analyses, modeling, map making, and completing monitoring data summaries. GIS products created would contribute to public land management and hurricane disaster recovery on National Forest lands in Virginia. Some data entry will also be required. The ideal candidate will be familiar with geospatial data collection and processing using ESRI products and have some familiarity with related programming languages (R, Python). Upon completion of the internship, individuals will have gained substantial experience in all aspects of forest management relevant to both public and private sectors and will be equipped with technical skills to aid them in their career.
During their term, the member will assist the Biophysical Resources program on various projects. Specific responsibilities include:
Office Support (80%):
Collecting, organizing, and managing geospatial datasets used for a variety of land management projects
Identifying modeling approaches for the creation of new remote sensing products to support land management activities
Building and field-testing digital survey forms using various applications such as Survey123, ArcGIS Online, and ESRI Field Maps
Publishing maps for project reports and monitoring summaries
Data cleaning and data entry into USFS Corporate Databases
Field Support (20%):
Field surveys supporting data collection for various land management projects (Watershed restoration, Prescribed Fire, Timber Harvest, etc.)
Field validation of remote sensing products
Stream classifications, groundwater dependent ecosystem mapping, karst inventories, etc.
Collecting forest monitoring data using the Forest Soil Disturbance Monitoring Protocol (FSDMP)
Housing is NOT provided for this position.
Qualifications:
To qualify, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30, and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award. In addition, applicants must:
- Possess a valid driver’s license
-Able to work independently as well as part of a team, in both the office and in the field
Required Skills:
These positions are full-time, 40 hour/week.
Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
Service may include occasional weekends, evenings and federal holidays for special events.
Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term
Preferred Skills:
Working towards or have obtained a Bachelor's or Master's degree in an accredited natural resources program (coursework in soils, geology, hydrology, mineralogy) with an emphasis on geospatial skills and coursework
Experience with geodatabase creation and management
Familiarity with geospatial programming languages (Python, R)
Proficiency in GIS, including data collection, AGOL applications, data editing and mapping, ArcGIS suite navigation, and the Microsoft Office suite
About Appalachian Conservation Corps
Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) works to connect young people to critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. As a corps program, ACC partners with public land managers to identify, plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation service organizations. Our programs focus on service, place-based learning, life skills development, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. ACC also provides an opportunity for members to learn about the local environment and issues affecting it and introduces individuals to recreation and resource management careers. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.
