Condor Recovery Steward - AmeriCorps

Position Title: Condor Recovery Steward - AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements
Site Location: Pinnacles National Park, 5000 East Entrance Road, Paicines, California 95043
Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants that submit application by 12/13/2025. Applicants will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Terms of Service:

Start Date: 2/2/2026 
End Date: 7/31/2026
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 in partnership with Pinnacles National Park will host a Condor Recovery Steward.

The Condor Recovery Steward is an AmeriCorps position that will assist with monitoring captive and wild California condors in the region. Condors are a critically endangered species, and the Steward will contribute data to multiple research projects and increase the knowledge of the greater scientific community. Additionally, they will have many opportunities to demonstrate their work and share their insights with the visiting public through informal contacts while on trails and at community engagement events.

Description of Duties:

The duties and responsibilities of the Condor Recovery Steward include daily monitoring of condors, documenting observations, hiking and driving to different tracking locations, speaking with the public, following established safety protocols, and maintaining equipment and facilities. This project directly aids overall condor recovery efforts and helps Pinnacles National Park achieve its mission of protecting natural resources for the enjoyment of future generations. Specifically, duties include:

• Track, monitor, and record condor movements, behaviors, and interactions in captivity and the wild. Observe and document condors on video recordings and photos from cameras at high-use areas Hike up to 10 miles each day on steep and rugged terrain carrying up to 40 pounds of equipment/supplies.
• Speak with the public and local community members about a high-profile endangered species which is reliant on public and private lands and hunting and ranching operations for its recovery.
• Monitor breeding behavior and nests.
• Handle animal carcasses used at bait stations.
• Maintain equipment and facilities.
• Follow safety protocols and general practices.
• Other duties as assigned to gain experience with other work groups, such as habitat restoration and public outreach and education.

Qualifications:

Must have a valid driver's license and clean driving record.United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien.Applicants must be between ages of 18-30 years old, or up to 35 for veteran, based on Public Land Corps Act of 1993 authorizing this AmeriCorps opportunity.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 a National Service Criminal History Check.

 
Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with radio-telemetry tracking of wildlife
• Great attention to detail and clear notetaking ability
• Experience with hunting or ranching operations.
• Education or experience related to endangered species or wildlife management.
• Can pass a pack test (carry a 45-pound pack over three miles in 45 minutes).
• Tolerance of high summer temperatures that often exceed 100°F.
• Ability to work as part of a team and independently.
• High degree of patience and sense of humor.

Additional Position and Community Information
Pinnacles National Park is located in California’s Central Coast region east of the Salinas Valley.  The park’s 27,000 acres has at its core rock formations of an ancient volcanic field. The surrounding landscape is largely chaparral with areas of oak grasslands.  Beyond the park boundary are working landscapes for ranching and agricultural operations that support this rural part of California and dark night skies. Elevations range from 824 to 3,304 feet and temperature extremes range from 15ºF in winter to over 110 ºF in summer. The position is located at park headquarters on the east side of the park in Paicines, CA. Housing is not available within the park. There are limited rental options within local communities and in the surrounding agricultural area.  Nearest communities for shopping, doctors, hospitals, and other amenities are Hollister (40 miles, population 41,700), King City (40 miles, population 13,300), Gilroy (65 miles, population 58,000), Salinas (70 miles, population 163,500), and Monterey (90 miles, population 30,200).  A personal vehicle is strongly advised.

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $3,679.50 (pre-tax)
• Living Allowance of $600.00 per week (pre-tax)
• Student Loan forbearance if Eligible (administered by MyAmeriCorps, directly)
• Interest Payments if Eligible (administered through MyAmeriCorps, directly)

How to Apply:
Apply on-line at: https://stewardslegacy.org/open-positions.  In addition to your resume, please submit a one-page cover letter highlighting why you are interested in this position and how your background and experience will help you succeed in this position. 

Application Timeline: Preference given to applicants who submit applications by December 13th, 2025. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Supervisor/Mentor Name and Contact Information:

• Service Site Contact Information: Alacia Welch, alacia_welch@nps.gov
• Program Contact Information: Andre Nguyen, anguyen@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.

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.

Additional Details

Our Commitment:

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. Ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes program expectations and AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Additional trainings provided include: Four-wheel drive vehicle use, First Aid (including CPR and AED), bloodborne pathogens safety, and a resume building workshop.

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 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.

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.