Position Title: Stewards VISTA: WVDEP Project WET- AmeriCorps
Conservation Legacy Program: Stewards Individual Placements, East
Site Location: WVDEP
City, State or Full Address: 601 57th Street SE, Charleston, WV 25304 or 1159 Nick Rahall Greenway, Fayetteville, WV 25840
Terms of Service:
Start Date: August 10, 2026
End Date: August 9, 2027
Must serve a 365-day (1 year) service term
Living Allowance: $68.39/day ($24,962.35/year)
ALSO apply using this link: My AmeriCorps – Home Page
Purpose:
The West Virginia Project WET initiative is an AmeriCorps program designed to advance water literacy, environmental stewardship, and community resilience through innovative, hands-on water education. Hosted by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection’s Watershed Improvement Branch, the program serves educators and community leaders across the state, with an intentional focus on rural and underserved Appalachian communities, by promoting equitable access to water science education that addresses atmospheric water, surface water, groundwater, cultural and historical uses, and modern water management challenges. Guided by values of collaboration, inclusivity, scientific integrity, and community engagement, the program empowers educators to foster informed decision-making and conservation-minded practices that protect West Virginia’s watersheds for future generations.
The AmeriCorps member serves in an AmeriCorps position that supports program growth and community impact by developing outreach and partnership strategies, strengthening communication systems, and expanding educational resources for educators statewide. Through activities such as strategic planning, database and listserv development, facilitator evaluation, and creation of tools and templates, the member plays a key role in integrating Project WET programming within WVDEP’s broader watershed education efforts. This position builds organizational capacity while providing the member hands-on experience in environmental education, project management, and network-building during a year of meaningful national service.
The AmeriCorps VISTA member will build capacity and develop sustainable solutions to alleviate poverty in underserved communities.
Description of Duties:
- Create Project WET activity toolkits that staff can use at conferences, camps, workshops, STEM events, classrooms, and community programs, while also developing content to promote water-focused career pathways and highlight the connection between clean water, economic opportunity, and healthy communities.
- Develop, rank, and evaluate a Water Use and Conservation program that uses rain barrels and Project WET educational resources at schools, community organizations, and nonprofits with gardens or outdoor learning spaces.
- Develop internal evaluation frameworks to assess Project WET Facilitator needs, barriers, and capacity challenges.
- Develop outreach materials for staff to engage educators and community members.
- Create a dashboard to find areas within WV that have not received Project WET programming, develop a template for a biannual newsletter, and build a listserv for staff to communicate updates from the WV Project WET Program.
Qualifications:
· United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
· At least 18 years of age
· Some college
· Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check
Physical Requirements:
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 full-time (35-40 hours), but exact schedules may vary.
- Member may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
Orientation and Training:
- Member will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
- Member will receive a Virtual Member Orientation (VMO) from VISTA on their first day of service.
Benefits:
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award* of $7,395.00
- or choice of cash stipend of ~$1,800.00
- Living Allowance of $68.39 per day, disbursed every 2 weeks
- Housing Assistance
- Training Funds
- Relocation Allowance ($750) if Eligible
- Healthcare Coverage* if Eligible
- Childcare Coverage* if Eligible
- Loan forbearance if Eligible
- Interest Payments if Eligible
- Training and Professional Development Opportunities
- Employee Wellness Program (access to a licensed, professional counselor and 24/7 support)
- Non-Competitive Eligibility* (NCE) status upon successful completion of the term
- Networking and Mentorship
*For more information regarding the Segal Education Award, check out this link as well as alternative uses for the award here.
*For details about AmeriCorps VISTA healthcare benefits, please visit http://www.vistacampus.gov/healthcare.
*For more information regarding the AmeriCorps VISTA Childcare benefit, please visit https://americorpschildcare.com/.
*For details about Non-Competitive Eligibility, please visit https://my.americorps.gov/trust/help/member_portal/non_competitive_eligibility_overview.htm.
Evaluation and Reporting:
As an AmeriCorps VISTA member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed their required year of service; 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, accomplishment tracking, and quarterly reporting.
Supervisor Name and Contact Information:
For VISTA related information, contact Addie Gilkerson, agilkerson@conservationlegacy.org
For site related information, contact Tomi Bergstrom, tomi.m.bergstrom@wv.gov
ALSO Apply using this link: My AmeriCorps – Home Page
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.