Job Description

TITLE: FWS Program Support Fellowship

DEPARTMENT: EPIC - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Division

REPORTS TO: FWS Division Director

LOCATION: Salt Lake City, UT (Remote options will be considered)

STATUS: Full-time, one-year appointment

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: $500 Weekly Living Allowance

START DATE:Jan/Feb 2021

DURATION: One year from start date

POSITION SUMMARY:

American Conservation Experience (ACE), a non-profit Conservation Corps, is seeking candidates capable of supporting the outreach, operational, and administrative activities of the ACE Emerging Professionals in Conservation (ACE EPIC), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) team, including the Division Director, Recruitment and Member Manager and the Agreement and Project Manager. This year-long Fellowship position is a great opportunity for emerging professionals interested in pursuing a career in nonprofit management in the conservation sector.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:

ACE EPIC Internship and Fellowship programs provide current students and recent college graduates with focused, hands-on opportunities to work alongside and under the guidance of agency mentors and to apply their knowledge of resource management on actual projects and programs. ACE EPIC operates in cooperation with partners such as the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Forest Service, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other conservation focused groups to place interns within the operating structure of these organizations and agencies. Interns gain practical experience, implement the principles of managing public and private conservation lands, and continue learning under the guidance of experienced agency mentors as they develop into the next generation of natural resource managers. For more information regarding ACE and the EPIC internship program, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

The ACE EPIC FWS Division currently manages more than 70 Cooperative Agreements with FWS across the country supporting a variety of land management efforts. Projects supported are diverse and range from invasive species control; riparian and wetland restoration; threatened and endangered species research and management; records reconciliation; realty; vertebrate and invertebrate research and management; ecology; landscape level planning; maintenance; outreach and visitor services.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

While learning about the different facets of a nonprofit conservation corps, the ACE FWS Program Support Fellows will gain direct and valuable professional experience in a variety of nonprofit management and conservation programming. Throughout the one-year term, the ACE FWS Program Support Fellow will assist the ACE FWS staff team with a variety of operational, programmatic and project specific tasks including:

• Assist with new project agreement formulation, project implementation and partnership development
• Learn about and support new and ongoing project recruitment and outreach efforts.
• Participate in local and national recruitment events, and assist in outreach efforts at institutions of higher learning
• Gain time management, organizational, and communication skills with scheduling and conducting applicant interviews for a variety of FWS conservation projects and placements.
• Collaborate with ACE staff with mentoring and supporting ACE members during their conservation projects with FWS partners including coordinating during the onboarding process, facilitating mid-term check-ins and post-program evaluations as well as ongoing project and member support.
• Gain experience with new project and partnership development by assisting with agreement formulation and project implementation including assisting with project tracking, expense management and data review and entry.
• Participate in targeted training, developmental work assignments, shadow details or other focused opportunities depending on the incumbent's education, skills and career aspirations.
• Support additional Division functions and tasks as required.

As part of the ACE Fellowship program, the FWS Program Support Fellow will have the opportunity to work directly with the ACE FWS Division Director and Team with creating an Individual Development Plan (IDP), which will identify training and developmental activities pertinent to the career goals described in the IDP of the Fellow. This may include opportunities to shadow or temporarily assist in other ACE departments and programs of professional interest to expand development opportunities to learn and build program and project management skills in a non-profit setting in the conservation field.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

Applicants should:

• Be seeking a career in fish and wildlife or other natural resource management; environmental education and outreach, youth-in-nature programming, or related fields.
• Practical knowledge and experience of an office workplace environment
• Willingness and ability to commit to and support diversity, and inclusion initiatives;
• Willingness and ability to work collaboratively as part of a high-functioning team to accomplish a large workload, increase the efficiency of existing systems and processes, and utilize existing processes to ensure tasks are done in an efficient manner;
• Willingness and ability to communicate and coordinate internally within ACE and with external stakeholders and partners
• Ability to function as an efficient, effective and adaptable team member displaying professional-level proficiencies in both technical and interpersonal skills.
• Computer skills required including intermediate knowledge of Excel, fluency in social media, and professional email etiquette; Strong data management skills.
• Outstanding organizational and time management skills with the ability to maintain and effectively support a complex array of projects
• Proven ability to work independently and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• Ability to receive and provide constructive feedback.
• Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to understand and follow ACE systems and processes.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Valid driver's license and an insurable driving record
• Proficient in English
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check
• Willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time.

Preferred Experience and Qualifications:

• Graduate of an ACE crew or intern program
• Experience and knowledge of AmeriCorps and Conservation Corps

PHYSICAL DEMANDS, WORK ENVIRONMENT AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears. Manual dexterity required for use of computer keyboard/mouse and other routine office equipment. May occasionally be required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch.
• VISION REQUIREMENTS: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• WEIGHT LIFTED OR FORCE EXERTED: Frequently lifts up to 10 lbs., occasionally lifts up to 25 pounds.
• ENVIRONMENTAL: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• TRAVEL: This position may require local domestic travel.

TO APPLY: Please submit your resume, thoughtful cover letter, and contact for three professional/academic references to the online application page for this position here:https://usaconservation.applicantpool.com/jobs/495056.html

NOTE: 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 National Director USFWS Division - Kevin Sloan at ksloan@usaconservation.org.

EOE: American Conservation Experience provides equal employment opportunities (EOE) 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.