AmeriCorps Jobs at Padilla Bay Reserve

We are now accepting applications for three AmeriCorps jobs

This year there are three AmeriCorps positions at Padilla Bay Reserve: Operations Assistant, Research/Monitoring Assistant and Education Assistant. Each has primary duties in their own department and shares duties with the other departments. The primary duties of each department are described below. These positions will begin in early October 2011 and extend through September 2012. The workweek will be forty hours but flexibility will be required, including work on weekends (Sunday) every third week. These are all Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) and AmeriCorps positions. For more information about WCC and AmeriCorps (including other available job opportunities) please visit the WCC web site.

Wage and benefits:

Pay is $8.67 per hour plus a basic health insurance policy. After 12 months of employment, an AmeriCorps Education Award valued at $5,550 will be awarded. Education awards can be applied to education loans or used for future education. Payments on educational loans are deferred while employed in these positions. Other benefits and requirements are described on the WCC web site.

Descriptions:

There will be three people hired with the primary duties described below. Each will share duties with the other two.

Operations Assistant
Primary duties are facility maintenance tasks and small construction projects at the Reserve campus. This includes:

• Aquarium operations and maintenance
• Landscaping, landscape maintenance, nature trail upkeep, and native tree and shrub planting
• Reception, public relations, opening and closing of facility, set up for groups
• Assistance with boat operations and upkeep and Stream Team water quality monitoring duties (collect samples, process lab work, and equipment maintenance)
• Various community service projects in the surrounding area

Research and Monitoring Assistant
The primary duties are to assist with a variety of estuarine and watershed monitoring and research projects with activities in the field, in the office, on boats, and in the laboratory. These include:

• Field support on mudflats and in small boats
• Laboratory processing of biological samples, particularly samples of eelgrass.
• Monitoring water quality with field instruments and collecting water samples for analyses
• Assisting in the office with data entry, statistical summaries of data, graphing selected data, and assisting with GIS data entry and maintenance
• Assisting in the laboratory by filtering and weighing samples, and counting organisms
• Contributing articles on research to newsletter and website

Education Assistant
Primary duty is presentation of Padilla Bay's estuary education program to school and community groups. This includes:

• Special environmental education projects
• Development and maintenance of educational materials and exhibits
• Web page development and maintenance

Qualifications:

Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 25.

Note: Consideration will be given to applicants with abilities, experience and training in: environmental education, marine biology, computers and the Internet, field and laboratory science skills, use of power equipment and Spanish language. College graduates are eligible and encouraged to apply.

If interested:

These positions will remain open until filled.
All applicants must apply on-line to WCC at: www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/wcc/wcc_jobs.htm
In addition, to be considered for the Padilla Bay positions, applicants are required to submit 1) cover letter indicating their interests and in which department at Padilla Bay they would like to focus; 2) copy of completed WCC application; 3) resume indicating contact information, academic background, and work experience; and 4) contact information for three references. Applications will be accepted until this position is filled. An on-site interview is preferred but a telephone interview is okay.

Send application materials via email to:
For education focus: Glen Alexander, alex "at" padillabay.gov
For operations focus: Mark Olson, molson "at" padillabay.gov
For research and monitoring focus: Douglas Bulthuis, bulthuis "at" padillabay.gov

or via postal mail to the relevant person at the following address:

Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
10441 Bay View - Edison Rd.
Mount Vernon, WA 98273
voice: (360) 428-1558
FAX: (360) 428-1491