FWS Maintenance Fellowship

The MIFP Maintenance Cohort is dedicated to training and education that will foster, develop, and sustain four essential attributes of a Maintenance Professional involved in land, equipment and facility management: 

  • Leadership  

  • Ownership  

  • Communication and Community  

  • Technical Expertise  

The intent of the MIFP Maintenance Cohort is to provide education, training and up to 36 months of paid work experience.  Upon successful completion of the program, the fellow will have the skills and knowledge of a Wage Grade (WG) 08 and will have Public Lands Corps (PLC) Hiring Authority making them eligible to compete for any PLC announcement for which they qualify and are otherwise eligible.

As a fellow, you will receive detailed oral and occasionally written instructions, orders, and guidance on new assignments. Supervisor outlines work to be done and specifies methods, techniques, materials and tools to be used. Work is closely supervised during progress and upon completion is reviewed in detail. The simple routine tasks are performed without supervision after they are learned.

2023 Maintenance Fellow

Benefits

  • Hands on learning and job training experience

  • Paid orientation and travel to orientation

  • Mentorship for career and professional development

  • Weekly living allowance ($800 per week/$20 per hour)

  • Housing 

  • Relocation assistance (if applicable)

  • Health insurance option

  • A Public Lands Authority Certificate (which provides eligibility to compete for any internal, merit vacancy announcements for appointment to General Schedule or Federal Wage Schedule on USAJobs.com).

 

Credit: Bill O'Brian/USFWS

Locations

Selawik National Wildlife Refuge, Selawik, Alaska

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge, Los Banos, California

Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, New Orleans, Louisiana

Huron National Wildlife Refuge, Seney, Michigan

Fergus Falls Wetland Management District, Fergus Falls, Minnesota

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, San Antonio, New Mexico

Valle De Oro National Wildlife Refuge, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, Denio, Nevada

Desert National Wildlife Refuge, Las Vegas, Nevada

Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge, Fallon, Nevada

Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, Swan Quarter, North Carolina

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Eastern Shore of VA National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Charles, Virginia

Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Olympia, Washington

Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, Ridgefield, Washington

Central Washington National Wildlife Refuge, Royal City, Washington

Mid Columbia National Wildlife Refuge, Tri-Cities (Kennewick, Pasco, and Richland), Washington

Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Davis, West Virginia

National Elk Refuge, Jackson, Wyoming

 

Eligibility

  • You must have received your high school diploma or GED by the start date.

  • You are at least 18 years old and not older than 30 years old (veterans may apply up to age 35).

  • You must be able to interpret oral and occasionally written instructions and specifications, follow safety practices, and provide relevant feedback.

  • You must have skill in or ability to learn operation of push lawn mower, simple power tools.

  • You must have skill in or ability to learn use of a variety of hand tools, such as wrenches screwdrivers, hammers, shears, rakes, shovels.

  • You must be able to operate vehicles, such as cars, trucks, tractors, off road utility vehicles.

  • You must valid driver’s license/clean driving record.

  • You have a valid driver's license.