Visitor Services Member - Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge

Visitor Services Member - Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking 1 Visitor Services Member to contribute to visitor services and environmental education projects under the mentorship of Humboldt Bay NWR Staff.

Start Date: September 2026

Estimated End Date: June 2027
* a 45 week minimum commitment is required, approximately 1600 hours *

Location: Humboldt Bay NWR, Loleta, CA

The coastal habitats conserved at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge are some of the most beautiful and biologically rich places in the world. The refuge has several different units totaling almost 5,000 acres. These units consist of a mosaic of mudflats, estuarine eelgrass meadows, saltmarsh, brackish marsh, seasonally flooded freshwater wetlands, riparian wetlands, streams, coastal dunes, and forest, creating a unique complexity and interconnected landscape.

These habitats support more than 450 species of plants, over 316 species of birds, and 40 species of mammals. The majority of birds use the refuge as a stopover where they rest and replenish energy reserves. Others spend winter here, and some use the refuge for breeding and nesting. The wetlands around Humboldt Bay are critical to over half a million shorebirds during spring migration and have been designated a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network Site of Hemispheric Importance.

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 its mission at Humboldt Bay NWR. The Member will enhance visitor services, strengthen community engagement, and advance recreation opportunities across multiple National Wildlife Refuges in the Pacific Southwest Region.

Working primarily at Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge, the Member will help deliver education programs, develop and implement a new volunteer program, and assist with day‑to‑day visitor interaction and education. This position is specifically designed to pilot long‑term program improvements—such as volunteer program growth and enhanced visitor outreach—that continue benefiting the refuge after the Member's term ends.

The Member will spend approximately 80% of their time supporting Humboldt Bay projects and 20% traveling to refuges in the Klamath Basin and Northern California to assist other sites with events, programs, and engagement initiatives. This regional support strengthens collaboration across refuges and ensures the skills developed at Humboldt Bay contribute to professional development and broader conservation and public engagement goals.

• Welcome and answer visitor questions about recreation opportunities, wildlife viewing, habitats, and natural resources.
• Support the development and implementation of a Volunteer Trail Steward Program, aimed at improving operational capacity and long‑term community involvement.
• Assist staff with public programs, community outreach, education activities, and special events.
• Conduct outreach that promotes responsible recreation and builds connections with public lands.
• Travel to National Wildlife Refuges in northern California and southern Oregon to support visitor services, community events, and regional teamwork.
• Gain experience with other refuge operations such as biology and habitat management as time allows.

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.

Mon‑Fri, 8:30am‑5:00pm with occasional evenings or weekends. 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. Time off may be granted and requests should be directed to ACE and the FWS for approval.

Living Allowance: The ACE Member…