GIS Individual Placement with Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Title: GIS Individual Placement with Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Location: Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park Headquarters: 142 West Potomac Street, Williamsport, Maryland.
Position Dates: Nov. 3, 2025, to April 24, 2026 (25 weeks)
Pay Rate: $720/week ($480 living stipend/$240 additional benefit) + health/vision/dental benefits
Status: This is a full-time exempt, 900-hour minimum AmeriCorps National Service position.
Contact: accrecruiting@conservationlegacy.org
How to apply: Apply via the link on our website by July 31st. A resume and cover letter are required to be considered for this position.
The Appalachian Conservation Corps:
Our Individual Placement program works to connect young people to conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, DC, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation organizations.
Individual Placements gain hands-on experience at their placement site, and ACC supports them through their term, as well as providing a variety of benefits to help them succeed in achieving their career goals. ACC welcomes national applicants but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.
Position Summary:
The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail is a trail network stretching from the Laurel Highlands in Western Pennsylvania to the mouth of the Potomac in Southern Maryland. The management and development of the trail relies heavily on partner organizations across Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. National Park Service management of the trail falls under the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park, which also encompasses the central portion of the trail.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park traverses 184.5 miles across four physiographic provinces, five counties in Maryland and West Virginia, as well as into the District of Columbia. Operating for nearly 100 years, the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.
The park is known to support 200 rare, threatened, and endangered plant species and dozens of rare dragonflies and damselflies, as well as threatened amphibians, bats, and other mammals. The park is under constant pressure from external projects and development; given its spatial extent, the use of GIS is critical in the conservation and management of sensitive wildlife and vegetation.
The park is under constant pressure from external projects and development; given its spatial extent, the use of GIS is critical in the conservation and understanding of the resources on the park and along the trail. Developing the park’s understanding of the local paleontological and geological resources will improve the ability of the park to protect these resources and will also generate new information to be disseminated to park and trail visitors.
For more information regarding Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, or the National Park Service, please visit: www.nps.gov/choh/ or www.nps.gov/pohe/
Position Overview:
This Individual Placement would be responsible for organizing existing geological and paleontological resources GIS data and acquiring new GIS data to update existing geodatabases or fill in data gaps. They would ensure that all data is appropriately labeled and contains appropriate metadata. Finally, they would create an NPS Portal WebApp of commonly referenced resources which will serve as a reference tool, compliance aid, and interpretive aid to park staff.
This position will allow the member to gain experience in geodatabase construction and management and metadata development. They will also have the opportunity to learn how to collect data with Survey123 and Fieldmaps and create workflows for managing data from field collection, through quality control, to a user interface on the portal. They will learn how to collect data with tablets, how to format and utilize external GNSS receivers, and how to set up and use total stations as well as basic orienteering. They would be working under the park GIS Specialist but would also be encouraged to gain field experience with the park’s other specialists such as biologists, archaeologists, and engineers.
The GIS IP will have a focus on paleontology and/or geology projects.
This Individual Placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promote exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.
Schedule:
The IP will be expected to complete the majority of their service within normal office hours at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal NHP Headquarters in Williamsport Maryland.
General Qualifications:
To qualify for an AmeriCorps position, 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.
Additional Requirements:
- Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
- A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
Preferred Qualifications:
- Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing a bachelor’s degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as Geographic Information Systems, paleontology, geology, or biological sciences.
- Knowledge of ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online.
- Ability and willingness to work independently, as part of a team, and to demonstrate initiative.
- Deep interest in Geographic Information Systems, paleontology, geology, or biological sciences.
Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:
Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain.
Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to [20] lbs., ability to move up to [40] pounds.
Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. Mainly indoor, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
Travel: This position may require domestic travel. Limited overnight travel may be required, overnight travel will be compensated by position.
Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The IP may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. They are expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/fellows or resources.
Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the NPS. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the partner. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the partner, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to partner equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.
Benefits:
- $720/week ($480 living stipend/$240 additional benefit) paid bi-weekly
- $3,697.50 AmeriCorps Segal Education Award upon successful completion of 900-hour service term (award amount varies based on length of commitment and can be used for paying off federal student loans or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college)
- Option to enroll in free health/dental/vision benefits.
- $365 professional development fund
- Eligibility for the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon successful completion – noncompetitive hiring status for two years when applying for federal positions.
- Federal student loan forbearance and interest payoff
- Member Assistance Program – 3 free sessions of support with a counseling or work-life balance specialist
- Subject-specific certifications and trainings
- Depending upon the academic institution and program, positions may fulfill internship requirements
- Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, alumni listserv, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths
Our Promise:
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.