Visitor and Community Engagement Specialist

• Job Category Conservation , Ameri Corps, Communications
• Industry Conservation, Public Lands, Interpretation
• Employee Type Ameri Corps
• Required Degree High school

• Name Preston Sands
• Email psands@conservation legacy.org

Visitor and Community Engagement Specialist - Ameri Corps (1 opening)

Site

Location:


Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge office (1611
North 2nd Avenue, Ajo, AZ 85321)

Term of Service:

• Start Date: 1/4/2027 (anticipated)
• End Date: 5/7/2027
• Ameri Corps Slot Classification: 675 Hours

This is an Ameri Corps position with Arizona Conservation Corps (AZCC), which is an Ameri Corps program of Conservation Legacy. The member selected for this position will be serving at Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge as an Ameri Corps member with Arizona Conservation Corps, and completing service projects for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

AZCC aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's, and is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with communities and conservation service projects on public lands. AZCC operates programs across Arizona that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. AZCC has program offices in Flagstaff, Tucson, and Phoenix.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), working with others, is responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish and wildlife and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people through Federal programs relating to migratory birds, endangered species, interjurisdictional fish and marine mammals, and inland sport fisheries. As part of its mission, the USFWS is charged with enforcing Federal Wildlife Laws and Protecting Endangered Species.

Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is named after Cabeza Prieta Peak, a granite peak toppedby basalt. In 1936 there was a large effort put forth by the BSA and conservation groups to preserve thedesert bighorn sheep. In 1939, FDR created the Kofa and Cabeza Prieta Game Ranges, both of which became Refuges in 1975. The primary wildlife management today focuses on the endangered Sonoranpronghorn though there is still focus on the bighorn through wildlife waters and aerial surveys.

The refuge itself is 860,000 acres with 803,000 acres of designated wilderness. The southern border of the refuge, approximately 56 miles, straddles the international border with Mexico. The Sonoran Desert is the most biologically unique desert in the world and looking at the whole desert you’ll see Cabeza Prieta NWR is right in the heart.

Visitors can be limited by their vehicles in being able to reach the furthest extents of the refuge onpublic use roads and visitation usually only reaches around 2,500 annually. Range of temperatures throughout the year can dip to 20 degrees at night in the winter and up to 120 degrees in the summer during the day. The Refuge is headquartered in the small community of Ajo, Arizona.

The selected member for this position will provide interpretation services at the visitor contact station and throughout the Refuge, with the goal of delivering enriching visitor experiences for the different types of visitors the Refuge receives. The member will work as part of a team to further develop the image of the station, focusing on a modern experience to better engage with and fill the interests and needs of our community, and helping to create a more meaningful program.

The member will be exposed to other USFWS areas such as biology, management, visitor services, and maintenance through daily work both on and off the refuge itself. There will be opportunities to work with others, pursuing different experiences, and there are other refuges that could be part of their overall internship experience. This exposure will offer opportunities to explore potential career paths with professionals in the USFWS.

Training will be provided by the USFWS in ArcGIS/ESRI, Eppley courses on interpretation, USFWS defensive driving, and IT Training.

Housing will be provided for the member during their term . This will be in a 3-bedroom manufactured home next to the USFWS office building. Other interns will be housed in the building, that can house up to 6 interns/staff/volunteers at a time. Amenities include laundry on site, Wi-Fi, and kitchenware provided.

• Evaluate and enhance visitor and community engagement at Cabeza Prieta…