Visitor Services Member - Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

Visitor Services Member - Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge

Summary 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 Stillwater NWR Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date:

September 2026

Estimated End Date:
June 2027

* a 45 week minimum commitment is required

Location Details/

Description:

Stillwater NWR, Fallon, NV

The refuge was established in 1948 to provide habitat for migratory birds. It consists of uplands dominated by salt desert scrub and shallow marsh which varies from fresh water to salt water. The 81,322 acre refuge was designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society and as a site of hemispheric importance by the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network.

The local Paiute tribe, known as the Toi-Ticutta or cattail eaters, have used resources from the marsh for thousands of years.

For more information about Stillwater 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 its mission at Stillwater 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 Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, the Member will help deliver education programs, develop and implement a 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 Stillwater NWR projects and 20% traveling to refuges in Nevada to assist other sites with events, programs, and engagement initiatives. This regional support strengthens collaboration across refuges and ensures the skills developed at Stillwater contribute to professional development and broader conservation and public engagement goals.

Duties Include:

* Welcome and answer visitor questions about recreation opportunities, wildlife viewing, habitats, and natural resources.

* Create education materials for a new trail.

* Assist with education and youth programs

* Assist staff with public programs, community outreach, education activities, and special events.

* Conduct outreach that promotes responsible recreation and builds connections with public lands.

* Assist in designing information panels for Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuges's visitor area.

* Travel to National Wildlife Refuges in Nevada and California 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.

Schedule:

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.

Position Benefits

Living Allowance:
The ACE Member is expected to contribute ~40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $700/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

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…