Environmental Education Member - Ba Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge

Environmental Education Member – Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge Summary

American Conservation Experience (ACE), a nonprofit Conservation Corps in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking one member to contribute to environmental education projects under the mentorship of Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: September 8, 2026

Estimated End Date: March 6, 2027

26‑week minimum commitment is required.

Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge Complex – New Orleans, LA

Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge Complex is located in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana, and includes multiple refuge units serving urban and surrounding communities through conservation, education, and public engagement.

For more information about Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge, please visit the FWS website.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is to work 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 Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge.

The member will play a key support role in designing, launching, and sustaining comprehensive environmental education programming across the refuge complex. The position will focus on building a new, cohesive environmental education program that serves youth, educators, and community partners, while continuing to support and expand the Youth Envision Program in collaboration with the University of New Orleans (UNO) and other local partners.

This position offers a unique opportunity to shape long‑term education programming at an urban refuge and gain professional experience in program development, partnership coordination, and conservation education.

The member will support and lead environmental education initiatives, including but not limited to:

• Design and implement a comprehensive environmental education program for the Bayou Sauvage Urban NWR Complex
• Develop age‑appropriate, place‑based curricula aligned with state education standards and refuge priorities
• Create lesson plans, hands‑on activities, and field‑based learning experiences focused on wildlife, habitats, and conservation
• Establish program goals, evaluation metrics, and documentation to support long‑term sustainability

• Continue and strengthen the Youth Envision Program in partnership with the University of New Orleans and other collaborators
• Coordinate logistics, scheduling, and communication with partners and participating youth
• Support mentorship, career exploration, and workforce development components of the program

• Build and maintain partnerships with schools, universities, nonprofit organizations, and community groups
• Collaborate with refuge staff and partners to co‑create programming that reflects community needs and interests
• Assist with outreach efforts to promote education opportunities and recruit participants

• Lead and support environmental education programs for students, teachers, and youth groups
• Facilitate outdoor learning experiences on the refuge
• Adapt programming to meet the needs of various audiences and learning styles

• Track participation, outcomes, and feedback for education programs
• Assist with reporting and documentation for ACE, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and partners
• Contribute to recommendations for program improvement and long‑term integration into refuge operations

This individual placement is meant to facilitate professional development and promote exposure to land management agencies and networking with professionals. This may include gaining experience in different conservation fields and shadowing different work groups.

Duties will primarily be carried out Monday to Friday; 8:00 am–4:30 pm, with flexibility to work occasional Saturdays as needed. Total hours should not exceed 80…