Biological Program Support Member, Modoc National Wildlife Refuge

EPIC•Alturas, CA

5d•Onsite

About The Position

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking one Biological Program Support Member to contribute to biological surveys and conservation projects alongside Modoc NWR Staff. For more information about ACE, please visit our website. Start Date: May 4th, 2026 Estimated End Date: September 19th, 2026 a 20 week minimum commitment is required, approximately 680 hours, some start date flexibility Location Details/Description: Modoc National Wildlife Refuge, Alturas, California The 7,021-acre Modoc NWR is located along the South Fork of the Pit River in Modoc County, southeast of the town of Alturas, in extreme northeastern California. The refuge is located on the western edge of the Great Basin, a high elevation, cold desert environment. The refuge consists of wetland, wet meadow, reservoir, riparian, sagebrush-steppe, and cropland habitats. The refuge is part of a larger complex of mid-elevation wetlands and lakes of northeastern California and is strategically situated to meet the needs of waterfowl and other migratory birds of the Pacific Flyway. Modoc NWR acts as a migration and staging area for ducks, geese, and other wetland birds on the southward migration funnel into this region. After feeding and resting on the refuge, they continue to the Central and Imperial Valleys of California and other wintering areas. This pattern is reversed in the spring. The refuge's wetlands and adjacent uplands are also an important nesting area for ducks, geese, greater sandhill cranes, and other species of marsh birds. For more information about Modoc NWR, please visit the FWS website. Position Overview: The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is working with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. This position will help FWS realize that mission at Modoc NWR by supporting the Refuge's biology program. The biology program is essential to ensure that we are providing and maintaining quality habitat for a variety of wildlife species that depend on Modoc NWR. 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 member will provide support and assistance under the guidance and direction of FWS staff in the following tasks:

Requirements

Members must be a U.S. citizen or Permanent Resident, as required by U.S. government contracts
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 valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request).
Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
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.
Members may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement or as defined by AmeriCorps.
Must take all measures possible to ensure the safety of yourself and others and understand all safety precautions involved
Effective oral and written communication skills with all ages and diverse audiences
Ability to speak to the public
Ability to operate independently and in remote areas
Competent in Microsoft Office

Nice To Haves

Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing an associate's degree and/or have relevant experience in subject areas such as natural resources, biology, ecology, wildlife management, natural resource management, parks and recreation, rangeland management, or other related disciplines appropriate to the position.
Experience and/or knowledge with wildlife and plant identification.
Experience and/or knowledge with GIS equipment.
Experience in safely operating motorized vehicles.
Knowledge of database systems.
Practical knowledge of the biological sciences.
Experience in using common hand tools and simple power equipment.
Comfort communicating with the general public.
Ability to follow assigned protocols to perform tasks with many steps.
Skills and ability to resolve a full range of problems or situations when performing a variety of tasks in the field or office setting.
Strong desire to enter the public service field as a natural resource professional.
Experience and/or knowledge in the mission of the USFWS and other federal land management agencies.
Ability to embrace travel opportunities as they arise to other nearby Refuges.

Responsibilities

Participate in multifaceted wildlife and vegetation studies, such as performing a variety of research and survey methods, analyzing established data, and monitoring environmental elements related to conservation, management, and/or control of wildlife and vegetation.
Assist with performing biological studies for determining the manner and extent to which wildlife populations and vegetation communities are affected by management activities.
Use field equipment such as cameras, GPS equipment, binoculars, spotting scopes, and tablets in order to capture wildlife and vegetation survey data or for other records.
Independently identify and collect data for studies.
Log samples/data to be used for analysis.
Use a variety of equipment to perform standardized tasks for studies.
Compile and summarize data from surveys, biological evaluations, and tests.
Run routine programs and check resulting data for inconsistencies.
Use a variety of databases and reporting systems to store, compile, and analyze data from studies.
Collect biological samples/data, ensure correct documentation, reporting, storage, transport and delivery of samples/data taken.
Use established automated databases to enter, organize and perform preliminary analysis of collected data, using standard statistical methods in preparation of reports.
Determine approach and then summarize data using a variety of database software programs or other presentation approaches, ensuring records are detailed, precise and accurately transferred (e.g., geographic, hydrologic, ecologic, and environmental data).
Enter and retrieve data from geographic information systems (GIS) and/or other information management systems.
Assist biologist in studying and preparing reports, journal articles, and other documents relevant to Refuge's biological program.
Prepare segments of recurring reports such as monthly activities and progress reports on individual projects.
Provide biological information for public materials and review news release drafts for area media and/or participate in informational and/or environmental education programs for individuals, local organizations, and schools.
Provide basic information on conservation resources and the United State Fish and Wildlife Service to groups and individuals.
May be responsible for providing work direction for volunteers.
Assist team with general tasks around the duty station/office related to core position functions.
Assist with outdoor projects such as trail maintenance.

Benefits

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $500/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.
This position is part of the Public Land Corps Hiring Authority: Members serving under this agreement must meet the PLC Eligibility Requirements to be considered for this position. Members 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 ( You must be between the ages of 16 and 30. Some agencies also interpret these guidelines to include veterans up to age 35) and citizenship.
Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided FWS housing at no cost for the duration of the term.
Gear Reimbursement: ACE members will have up to $200 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position includes, outerwear, rain gear, backpack, work boots, etc., and must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.
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. Specific training may include USFWS ATV/UTV training.
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 scholarship 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.

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