Deadline: Thu, 09/01/2022 - 12:00pm Employer: American Conservation Experience in Partnership with US Fish & Wildlife Service Job Field: Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Job Type: Seasonal, Temporary, Internship Location: California Location Detail: Willows Job Description: This individual placement is meant to facilitate personal growth and professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with agency professionals. This could include gaining experience in a variety of conservation fields and/or shadowing different work groups. The member will provide support and assistance under the guidance and direction of FWS staff in the accomplishment of: a) Implementing basic visitor service facility maintenance, including maintaining walking trails, updating informational kiosks/brochure racks, cleaning and maintaining auto tour routes and wildlife observation platforms/areas, and checking for larger maintenance needs on trails, auto tours, wildlife observation platforms and picnic areas. b) Maintenance of hunt area facilities including hunter heck stations, hunting blinds, signs, kiosks, gates, etc. c) Gathering and organizing hunting program data collected at hunter check stations. d) Maintaining good communication with hunter check station staff and working with refuge staff to address hunting program needs. e) Assisting with implementation of special youth and veteran hunting events. f) Assisting with formal and informal interpretive programs as needed on auto tour routes and at wildlife observation platforms. g) Working on a variety of habitat projects such as keeping up the native plant garden (gardening, watering, weeding, planting plants, etc.), monitoring native plants and monarch butterflies, collecting native plant seeds, and monitoring wood duck boxes. These duties will provide the selectee with the opportunity to reach a diverse group of people and to develop knowledge and appreciation of the local environment and the National Wildlife Refuge System. Qualifications: Physical Requirements: This position requires physical exertion such as walking long distances over wet and rough surfaces while carrying up to 40 lbs.; bending, crouching, stooping, lifting or reaching. Hand and finger dexterity and physical coordination may involve fine and precise procedures, delicate adjustments or exact measurements. Environmental Conditions/Hazards: Duties are performed both indoors and outdoors. Temperature and weather extremes can be encountered in the performance of outdoor duties. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/interns, or resources. The member will be working outdoors and may be exposed to heat or cold, high humidity, stinging and biting insects, and inclement weather. Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the FWS or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the FWS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the FWS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to FWS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required. Miscellaneous: Visitor Services, Facilities, and Hunt Program Support Member – Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex ACE EPIC placements provide young adults with focused, hands-on opportunities to work alongside and under the guidance of agency mentors as they apply their knowledge of resource management on their path to becoming the next generation of resource and land managers. Funding for ACE positions is provided by a federal program designed specifically for the employment of youth and young adults. For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org. Summary: American Conservation Experience (ACE), a non-profit conservation corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking one Visitor Services, Facilities, and Hunt Program Support Member to contribute to a variety of visitor services and hunting program projects alongside Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex Staff. During this term, the ACE member will provide support and assistance under the guidance and direction of FWS staff in daily visitor services and hunt program facilities maintenance, operations, and data collection. The incumbent will assist in the maintenance of Refuge visitor services facilities including trails, auto tour routes, wildlife observation platforms, informational kiosks, and native plant gardens. The assistant will also support the Refuge hunt program by maintaining hunter check stations, maintaining hunt area blinds, providing hunting interpretive information, supporting special youth and veteran hunting opportunities, assisting in the collection of hunting data, and various other duties as needed. This position will provide a good overview of the work the US Fish and Wildlife Service does for wildlife and people in Northern California. Start Date: September 2022 End Date: 27 weeks later **27-week commitment required, approximately 1,080 hours** Location: Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Willows, CA The Sacramento NWRC includes five refuges: Sacramento, Delevan, Colusa, Sutter, and Sacramento River National Wildlife Refuges. These refuges combined provide highly sought-after hunting opportunities that welcome nearly 30,000 hunters annually. The Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge is home to the Complex headquarters and visitor center. These refuges are located in the Sacramento Valley which is the most important wintering area for waterfowl and other waterbirds in the Pacific Flyway. In addition to migratory birds, the refuge also provides important wetland habitat for the Threatened Giant Garter Snake and vernal pool habitat that supports a variety of rare plants and invertebrates. These resources also attract many human visitors, with the Refuge Complex receiving over 200,000 recreational visits per year. For more information about Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex, please visit https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Sacramento/ Work Schedule: Duties will primarily be carried out Monday - Friday, but may include some weekend work for special youth and veteran hunts, festivals, or fairs. Bi-weekly totals should not exceed 80 hours. A flexible work schedule may be required, which could involve work performed outside of normal work hours including on weekends and/or holidays. Time off may be granted and requests should be directed to ACE and the FWS for approval. Salary: $750/week Benefits: Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute approximately 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $750/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly. Housing: Currently not available due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. May become available as conditions and policy change. For now, housing is the responsibility of the member and not provided by ACE or the refuge. Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-competitive Hiring Authority: Members serving on this project may be eligible to receive a Department of the Interior (DOI) PLC non-competitive hiring authority certificate upon completion of their term of service. Eligible members must meet standard requirements of completing at least 640 hours (16 weeks at 40 hours/week) and utilize their certificate when applying for qualifying federal positions within 2 years of receipt. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility. How to Apply: To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here: https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/. NOTE: Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please feel free to contact ACE EPIC USFWS Division Support Specialist, Nich Jackosky, njackosky@usaconservation.org, (928) 699-6041. Vaccination Requirement: ACE Members must verify that they are fully vaccinated for Covid-19 or have requested and been granted a medical or religious exemption to vaccination by the time they start their term. EEO: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, American Conservation Experience complies with applicable state and local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.
