Habitat Restoration Fellow - Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Summary

American Conservation Experience, a nonprofit Conservation Corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking one (1) Member to contribute to habitat restoration, invasive plant management, and biological survey projects under the mentorship of Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge Staff.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: March 16, 2026

Estimated End Date: September 26, 2026

* a 28-week minimum commitment is required*

Location Details/

Description:

Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Roswell, New Mexico

Located where the Chihuahuan Desert meets the Southern Plains in southeast New Mexico, Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most biologically significant wetland areas of the Pecos River watershed system. Established in 1937 to provide wintering habitat for migratory birds, the 24,563-acre refuge plays a crucial role in the conservation of wetlands in the southwestern desert. The unusually diverse wetlands combined with its gypsum karst topography support a variety of plant and animal communities that thrive on the refuge.

The native grasslands, vegetated sand dunes, brushy bottom lands, and red-rimmed plateaus provide a sharp contrast to the wetlands of Bitter Lake. Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge is an oasis in the desert.

For more information about Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, please visit the FWS website.

Position Overview: This position will help FWS realize that mission at Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge.

The member will provide support and assistance under the guidance and direction of FWS staff in the following tasks:

• Vegetation management (75%)
  • Conduct habitat restoration projects such as planting native vegetation
  • Conduct invasive species management by mechanically removing invasive vegetation with hand tools or chainsaws
  • Apply chemical herbicide using various methods including handheld sprayers, backpack sprayers, and ATV/UTV sprayers
  • Operate 4WD vehicles, ATVs/UTVs, and other heavy equipment (tractor, backhoe, and skid steer)
• Biological surveys and land management duties (25%)
  • Assist in biological surveys
    • Water bird surveys
    • Threatened and endangered species surveys
    • Fish surveys
  • Assist staff in monitoring wetland water levels by managing water flows and levels

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: Duties will typically be carried out between 6 AM and 4 PM Mountain Standard Time, with 9 hour days Monday - Thursday and an 8 hour day one Friday of a pay period, with the other Friday off, typically 4 or 5 days/week. Work hours may vary seasonally. 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 including on weekends and/or holidays.

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 $600/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 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. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility, or view general eligibility information on our website.

Housing: ACE members will be accommodated in provided FWS…