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GeoCorps™ America

 

Eligibility Guidelines to Apply for GeoCorps Positions

To be considered eligible for any GeoCorps America position, an applicant must meet all of the following eligibility criteria.

 


  1. If you participated in the GeoCorps Program in the past, you are not eligible to apply for regular three-month GeoCorps positions.
  2. If you are a past participant in the GeoCorps program, you are eligible to apply for Guest Scientist positions. These are the positions clearly marked "Guest Scientist." Past participants may also apply to GeoCorps Diversity Internships. Past participants cannot apply for another regular three-month GeoCorps position.
  3. Join GSAYou must be a current GSA member to apply to and to participate in any GeoCorps position.
    • If you are not a member, you can Join GSA Now. (New memberships and renewals are processed quickly, generally in 24 hours or less!)
    • Membership fees are very low ($30 for students), and the benefits are great, especially for students and recent graduates.
    • GSA Membership is based on a calendar year. Please make sure your membership is current for the year in which you wish to participate. For example, to apply for summer 2015 positions, your GSA Membership status must be paid/renewed for the 2015 calendar year (1/1/15 through 12/31/15). [ check membership status ]
  4. You are immediately eligible for the program once you submit your application for GSA membership and if you meet the specific eligibility requirements stated in the position description.
  5. IMPORTANT: GeoCorps has new requirements regarding the citizenship/residency status of people applying to the program. Candidates for all GeoCorps projects must be either a U.S. citizen (by birth or naturalization) or a U.S. legal permanent resident (a "green card" holder). These terms are defined in detail below. In the past, people who were not U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents were able to apply if they already had a visa, but this is no longer the case. This change in eligibility guidelines is a result of U.S. government regulations.
  6. You must possess a current and valid U.S. drivers license to apply for and work in a GeoCorps position. Failure to possess a current and valid drivers license prior to your GeoCorps start date will be considered grounds for dismissal. No exceptions will be made.
  7. Some positions may require the participant to bring their own personal vehicle to the project location. If a vehicle is required, this will be specified in the position description. If you are interviewed for a position, it is a good idea to doublecheck the vehicle requirements.
  8. You will be required to show documentation to verify your identity.
  9. If selected for a GeoCorps position, you must submit to and be able to pass a federal background check. You must submit your background check materials in a timely manner so that your background check is complete before you arrive on site to begin work. Failure to complete and pass a background check before your GeoCorps start date will be considered grounds for dismissal. No exceptions will be made.
  10. Geoscientists of all levels are eligible to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, undergraduate students, graduate students, recent graduates, post-docs, professionals, faculty members, teachers, and retirees. (GeoCorps is not just for students!)
  11. GeoCorps welcomes applicants from diverse disciplines, such as chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, computer science, ecology, hydrology, meteorology, the social sciences, and the humanities. Applicants with backgrounds outside of the geosciences should be mindful of each position’s qualifications and are advised to apply to positions for which they can meet all of the qualifications.
  12. You can apply for up to three GeoCorps/Guest Scientist positions. However, you can only accept an offer for one position. Those applying for the GeoCorps Diversity Internship positions have no limit on the number of Diversity Internships they can apply to. Diversity Internship applicants are also eligible to apply separately for GeoCorps/Guest Scientist positions.
  13. If you previously applied for the GeoCorps program but were not selected, or you were previously selected to participate in the program but you chose not to participate, you are encouraged to apply again this year or in the future.
  14. Application materials received (not sent, but received) after noon on the posted deadlines are ineligible and will not be accepted. Because GeoCorps applications are now entirely electronic, "received" means sucessfully entered into the online application database, or received and time-stamped in a GSA e-mail account. Partial or incomplete applications will not be considered in the selection process. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that all materials are received on time. If an applicant missed the deadlines, they are encouraged to begin preparing for the next available GeoCorps season. The reason the deadline is at noon is to ensure that GSA staff are available to assist with potential last-minute technical difficulties.
  15. Any qualified candidate who meets all the GeoCorps eligibility requirements can apply for Guest Scientist positions. This includes past GeoCorps participants and those new to GeoCorps.
  16. Like the General GeoCorps America program and the Guest Scientist program, the GeoCorps Diversity Internships accept applications from all qualified candidates who meet the eligibility requirements. Members of groups that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences are strongly encouraged to apply. These groups include but are not limited to African-American, American Indian / Alaska Native, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific Islander, and persons with disabilities.
  17. Although GeoCorps participants are not considered employees of GSA nor the U.S. government, the GeoCorps America program takes Equal Employment Opportunity principles very seriously. Selection of positions will be made solely on the basic of merit and qualifications, without regard to race, sex, color, creed, age, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, non-disqualifying handicap conditions, or any other factors not related to performance.
  18. Occasionally, high-school (pre-college) students have asked about participating in GeoCorps. Although there is no minimum age to apply to GeoCorps, the qualifications for most, if not all, positions would be very difficult to fulfill without having taken at least some college level geoscience courses. Here are some other programs that high-school students should look into: The Student Conservation Association (SCA), AmeriCorps, CityYear, Volunteer.gov, the National Park Service "Volunteer-In-Parks" (VIP) program, USFS volunteer opportunities, BLM volunteer opportunities, and volunteer opportunities in local state/county/municipal parks and nature centers. Your local university may also have programs for high-school students and recent graduates.

 

If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Dawson at , or Allison Kerns at .