Science in the Service Fellow, Biotech Fellow Hopper Mountain NWR- Pacific Southwest Region, Region 8

Science in the Service Fellow, Biotech Fellow Hopper Mountain NWR- Pacific Southwest Region, Region 8

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking one Science in the Service Fellow to contribute to refuge management and California condor recovery program projects alongside Pacific Southwest Region staff.

For more information about the Science in the Service Fellowship, please visit: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic-fish-and-wildlife-service/

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Start Date: August 2024

Estimated End Date: November 2024*a 640 hour commitment is required. May be completed in as little as 16 weeks if working full time but fellowship can extend 32 weeks or longer to meet hours requirement and fellow's schedule needs

Location Details/Description: Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex, Fillmore, CA (but some work can be completed virtually/teleservice- preferably located within Region 8). The Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex includes Hopper Mountain NWR, Bitter Creek NWR, Blue Ridge NWR, Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes NWR, and the California Condor Recovery Program.

The Refuge is closed to public access due to the sensitive nature of California condor recovery efforts and physical access limitations, like no public roads leading to the Refuge.

Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1974 for the recovery of the endangered California condor. This 2,471-acre Refuge adjoins the southern boundary of the Sespe Condor Sanctuary, a component of the U.S. Forest Service, Los Padres National Forest. The 53,000-acre Sanctuary contains critical California condor nesting and roosting habitat. Strategically located adjacent to the Sanctuary, the Refuge helps buffer these nesting and roosting areas from human disturbance and protects a portion of the foraging habitat within a much larger area where the condors have historically foraged and fed. Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge also protects a variety of plant communities that provide habitat for other species protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

For more information about the Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge Complex, please visit: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/hopper-mountain

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Region 8 is headquartered in Sacramento, California, and has federal fish and wildlife management responsibilities in California, Nevada, and the Klamath Basin in southern Oregon. The Region includes one of the most ecologically diverse areas in the United States, ranging from the arid sand dunes in the Mojave Desert to the snow-capped crags in the high Sierras; from rich farmland in the Central Valley to rain-soaked redwood forests along the Pacific coast. This highly diverse geography provides habitats for a vast array of wildlife. More than 42 million people live within the Region, and expanding population centers such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Reno, San Diego, and Las Vegas are increasing demands on natural resources, presenting unique challenges to the Region's conservation mission.

The Service is responsible for managing the National Wildlife Refuge System, operating fish hatcheries and fishery resource offices, enforcing federal wildlife laws, managing migratory bird populations, conserving and restoring habitats, and overseeing a federal aid program that distributes hundreds of millions of dollars to state, fish and wildlife agencies.

For more information about the Pacific Southwest Region, please visit: https://www.fws.gov/about/region/pacific-southwest

In-Person Reporting Expectations:

Fellows will be expected to report to our office in Fillmore, CA, with limited telework available. Regular field opportunities will also be available and travel to and from field sites will be supported. Bunkhouse lodging may also be available. Fellows must be available for a 1-week (M-F) in-person orientation from 8/5/24-8/9/24.

Position Overview:

The US Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) strives to increase diversity in its workforce and maintain its relevance to a new generation of conservationists. Therefore, the Service's Region 8 has established the Science in the Service fellowship to promote job training and fellowship opportunities for students; expose students to the Service's conservation mission and develop in them an understanding of career opportunities in conservation; as well as to coordinate educational opportunities between affiliated colleges and universities and the Service to facilitate experiential opportunities that enhance student career development.

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promotes exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This could include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

The fellow will provide support and assistance under the guidance and direction of FWS staff in relation to tasks 1-3 above:

1. California Condor Recovery Program Deliverables
2. Proof California Condor Studbook Database
3. Process condor nest camera images for analysis
4. Server GIS file organization and identification
5. Bitter Creek National Wildlife Refuge (BCNWR) Deliverables
6. Inventory, monitor, and assist treatment of Yellow Star-Thistle at BCNWR
7. Plan and lead effort to install artificial kit fox dens at BCNWR
8. Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes National Wildlife Refuge (GNDNWR) Deliverables
9. Create refuge visitor invasive species biosecurity proposal and develop EDRR invasive species watch list for the refuge
10. Create/upload 508 compliant public access map for refuge visitors and upload on refuge website with Regional office review.
11. Inventory refuge fence line with GPS Unit
12. Hopper Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (HMNWR) Deliverables
13. Russian Thistle and Wild Mustard Replacement Plan around refuge facilities

Position Specific Development Opportunities:

• Refuge and Safety Orientation
• Defensive Driving Training and Hands on Driving Training with FWS Staff
• Special Hiring Authority and USA Jobs Training
• Job Shadow with Condor Biologist or Condor Tech or Ecological Services Biologist
• Job Shadow with Refuge Manager, or Project Leader
• Resume Workshop
• Handheld GPS Unit Training
• Job Shadow at a separate refuge complete (Kern or San Diego)
• Opportunistic field work or education outreach events with Refuges or Ecological Services
• ORUV Training (Timing and Space Permitting )

Schedule: Duties will tentatively be carried out between 8 am and 5 pm Pacific, flexible within Monday-Friday, with schedules built around fellow's availability. Supervisor and member will collaborate together on setting member schedules. Bi-weekly totals should not exceed 80 hours. Time off may be granted and requests should be directed to ACE and the FWS for approval.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute between 15-40 hours/week, depending on fellow availability and will receive a living allowance adjusted based on work schedule to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

For example, a fellow student working 20 hours/week would receive a stipend of $360/week.

Housing: On site bunkhouse lodging may be provided free of charge for fellows.

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement may be eligible for a federal hiring authority upon completion of their term of service and 640 hours of service. If the duration of a PLC-eligible term is not long enough for Members to accrue 640 hours of service (~16 weeks), the total hours served at the completion of the term may be eligible to be combined with hours accrued from another PLC-eligible term to meet the 640 hours requirement. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general information online: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

Gear Reimbursement: ACE members will have up to $100 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.

Scholarship Funding Opportunity: The selected candidate(s) for this position will be eligible to apply for ACE's Access and Inclusion Scholarship. This is a $500 grant which is intended to make participation in ACE positions more accessible to individuals who are underrepresented in the conservation field. Scholarship recipients will be able to allocate this funding to financial need(s) of their choosing. A limited number of scholarships are available.

Additional Developmental Opportunities:

• 1 week in-person orientation
• Field opportunities
• Training opportunities
• Networking with federal biologists and administrative professionals
• Resume workshops
• Individual resume reviews
• Career advising
• Bi-weekly facilitated calls (near peer forum, leadership Q&A, career overviews, etc.)
• Informational interviews
• Mentorship program
• Administrative support
• Special Hiring Authority and USAJOBS training
• Regional symposium for final presentations

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
• Candidates must meet all eligibility requirements for Public Land Corps Hiring Authority. Please see the following link for more information on eligibility requirements: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A current and valid form of ID (will be required to provide copies of ID's upon hiring)
• If eligible to drive, a valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required two-part criminal history check
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website: https://www.usaconservation.org/epic/#eligibility-requirements.
• Candidates will not be evaluated based on prior work experience, as none is expected.
• Local to the duty station (able to commute to the work site on a regular basis)
• Interested in the work the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service does
• Able to complete 640 hours of work
• Due to the self-paced nature of this fellowship, it is also critical that fellows are able to demonstrate time management, communication, and organizational skills.
• Current 3rd year or higher undergraduate, graduate student, or recent graduate (graduated in last 2 years)
• GPA of 3.0 or higher
• In an education program which will qualify for the 401 series upon graduation (Degree: environmental science or policy, biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position.)
• Available to work part/full-time (based on availability) beginning in August 2024.

Preferred:

• Projects are developmental opportunities and should be suitable for undergraduate students. Applicants will be solicited primarily from 3rd and 4th year undergraduate students, and we may receive applications from graduate students, including Master's and Ph.D.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

Physical Demands: Position is based primarily outdoors. Demands may include stooping, lifting, reaching, talking, hearing, regular and recurring hiking, walking, and bending. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment, and may involve fine and precise procedures, delicate adjustments or exact measurements.

• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral, and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 40 lbs., occasionally moves up to 40 lbs.
• Environmental: When outdoors, work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. When indoors, office environment conditions; indoor air quality is good and temperature is controlled.
• Noise Environment: Outdoors- moderate to high noise such as hand and power tools. Indoors- moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: This position may require domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources. Temperature and weather extremes can be encountered in the performance of outdoor duties.

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.

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/. Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact ACE EPIC FWS Program Manager Nich Jackosky at njackosky@usaconservation.org.

EEO: Employment with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information (including of a family member), veteran or military status, age, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

Current Openings for Science in the Service Fellow, Biotech Fellow Hopper Mountain NWR Pacific Southwest Region, Region 8 Jobs at American Conservation Experience - EPIC