Position Title: US Fish & Wildlife Service Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Air Monitoring Specialist- Individual Placement- AmeriCorps

Conservation Legacy Program: Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps

Site Location: Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge

7851 2nd St. SW, Albuquerque, NM 87105

Terms of Service:

• Start Date: 06/16/2025
• End Date: 05/22/2026
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 1700 Hour

Please apply here to be considered: Apply Here

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS, FWS, or “the Service”) is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Our purpose is to protect the natural world so current and future generations can live with, live from, and find awe in lands, waters, and wildlife. We envision a future where people and nature thrive in an interconnected way and where every community feels part of and committed to the natural world around us. (https://www.fws.gov/about/mission-and-vision) 

The Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge (VDO NWR or “the Refuge”) is a public land site of USFWS under the National Wildlife Refuge (NWR)’s Urban Wildlife Refuge program, and is geographically located in the South Valley of Bernalillo County, specifically within the Mountain View neighborhood. Many industrial polluters are located within a five mile radius of the Refuge, contributing to significant decreases in air, water, and soil quality. Currently, there is not a comprehensive monitoring program that tests air quality, shares the data with community members, and engages community members to identify health priorities and educate and empower them.

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps’ Mission

Our vision is to lead our Nations back to ecological and cultural well-being by engaging underrepresented Indigenous youth and young adults in conservation service programs that reconnect participants to the land, their cultural heritage, and their traditions. We work to remove barriers to participation, education, and employment by partnering with local community organizations, agencies, and institutes of higher learning to create paid service and career training opportunities, personal and professional development, and pathways to postsecondary education and employment. *Ancestral Lands serves local tribal communities in the regions we operate. This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

The Air We Share Project is a community air project that works with Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS), Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps, the Pueblo of Isleta, and other community partners that work & live in the South Valley and Mountainview Communities of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Air Monitoring Specialist will be supporting the collection of data, including but not limited to installation and calibration of air monitors, facilitating trainings for community members and engaging in community to discuss air quality and the importance of having clean air. 

Description of Duties:

Essential Functions & Responsibilities

• Learn the fundamentals of air quality, air monitoring, and the importance of national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) in relation to environmental and public health
• Plan, Deploy and Maintain a community air monitoring network at the Refuge and adjacent Mountain View Neighborhood and South Valley
• Assist in building a robust quality system for air data collection including following through with a Quality Management Plan (QMP), Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPPs)
• Develop Standard Operating Procedure for all equipment
• Support the data quality analyst in quality control checks and analysis
• Network and Co-Coordinate with communities, institutions, and/or agencies
• Participate in planning meetings, field work, and community events related to plans for the air monitoring network design
• Procuring Air Quality Equipment and Supplies

Qualifications:

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or 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.
• Bachelor's Degree (or a combination or work and education)
• 1+ years of Experience in environmental monitoring and/or air monitoring systems
• Strong writing and communication Skills
• Collaborative and community-minded
• Proficiency in computers and multiple applications (Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Zoom, etc.)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in grassroots community organizing
• Historical knowledge of New Mexico and the South Valley
• Experience working with Indigenous communities, Sovereign Indian Nations/Pueblos, and People of Color

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.

Time Requirements:

• 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 
•  Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
• Member's time may be used to attend community and/or partner engagement meetings and attending public facing events. 

Orientation and Training:

• Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Member will receive training and orientation to Valle de Oro NWR facilities and expectations
• Member will receive trainings relevant to Air Quality Fundamentals
• Member will receive trainings related to R coding language
• Member will receive training on community air monitoring
• Member will receive orientation to community partners

Benefits:

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $7395.00
• Living Allowance of $600 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $240 per week.
• Healthcare Coverage if Eligible
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Professional Development funds with the intention of advancing skills and knowledge to related Conservation fields and attending workshops, trainings, and conferences of $1250.00.

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 and self-evaluations of performance. 

Supervisor Name and Contact Information:

G. Catlin "Cat" Ami, ALCC Individual Placements Program Manager; 

Contact information: gami@conservationlegacy.org

Rose Thunderchief, Air Monitoring Coordinator:

Contact Information: rose@ipalcc.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.