Biological Support Member - Merritt Island 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 member to contribute to biological monitoring projects under the mentorship of FWS Staff. Major duties will include supporting the inventory and monitoring efforts of multiple refuges within the Southeast Region, including: planning and preparation for surveys such as equipment maintenance and drafting of SOPs; field data collection, data entry and QA/QC; survey documentation, and data summary and reporting. The member will travel to support a variety of types of habitat and species surveys and locations throughout the region and work with both regional and local National Wildlife Refuge biologists and managers. The position goal is to provide crucial on-the-ground technical support in support of the full survey lifecycle of inventory & monitoring on National Wildlife Refuges of the Southeast. This position will also assist with sea turtle nest monitoring.

For more information about ACE, please visit our website.

Start Date: August/September, 2026

Estimated End Date: January 2nd, 2027

*a 52 week minimum commitment is required, approximately 2080 hours*

Location Details/Description: The primary location/duty station will be Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), however, work may also be conducted at additional refuges including Lower Suwannee, Cedar Keys, and St. Vincent., Duties at these additional refuges will be rare and not likely to exceed a total of 30 work days for the year.

Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge - Titusville, Florida Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established as an overlay of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's John F. Kennedy Space Center. According to the agreement with NASA, the lands and waters of the Kennedy Space Center are primarily to serve the space program and secondarily to serve as a wildlife refuge or park. Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1963 for the protection of migratory birds.  Consisting of 140,000 acres, the refuge provides a wide variety of habitats: coastal dunes, saltwater marshes, managed impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods, and hardwood hammocks. These habitats provide habitat for more than 1,500 species of plants and animals and 15 federally listed species. For more information about Merritt Island 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 that mission at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Biological Support Member will have the primary responsibility for daily monitoring on the six miles of sea turtle habitat within the NASA security area managed by Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Their primary duties will be daily monitoring of nesting, strandings, disorientations and predations, as well as locating the clutch and marking of a subset of nests to evaluate productivity. They should have experience with ATV operation, sea turtle nest identification, and location of the clutch for inventorying purposes. The Biological Support Member will also be responsible for sea turtle strandings. They should have experience with sea turtle strandings to demonstrate that they can quickly respond and resolve incidents.

The Biological Support Member will be expected to assist with exotic plant control and should be comfortable with herbicide application.

• Plan and coordinate field data collection (e.g. coordinate dates and local support, care for and prepare equipment, arrange and complete travel to sites as necessary
• Generate, archive and synthesize raw wildlife and habitat survey data;

• Conduct surveys for avian, terrestrial and aquatic species and their habitats

• Identify wildlife and trees/plants to species
• Collect target measurements (e.g. counts, size, density)
• Data entry, management and build data visualization and summary skills
• Document survey procedures and outcomes in scientific writing formats

• Work with data managers and other Inventory and Monitoring staff to ensure data quality, management, and archiving

• Travel within the Southeast to conduct surveys across multiple Refuges.

• Other duties may include:
• Assist on wildlife and habitat management and research on refuges
• Interact with a variety of FWS programs and explore career opportunities within the USFWS and National Wildlife Refuge System.

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: Sea turtle nest monitoring occurs seven days a week through the nesting season. The Biological Support Member will be expected to work weekends throughout the nesting season with days off scheduled during the week. 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 approximately 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 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 FWS housing at no cost for the duration of the term.

Gear Reimbursement: ACE members will have up to $200 to spend on eligible gear purchases. Eligible gear for this position includes boots, work pants, socks, outerwear, etc., and must be approved by ACE staff prior to purchase.

Provided Training/Orientation: ACE members will receive position specific training and an orientation outlining ACE policies and procedures, clear guidance on prohibited activities, and networks for support.

Position-specific training may entail:

• Use of standard equipment (e.g., pickup truck, UTV/ATV)
• Site-specific training on sampling procedures (e.g., sea turtle nest monitoring and protocols)
• Participate in online trainings (e.g., GIS, database management)
• Use of biological program databases and document standards

Qualifications

Required:

• Members must be authorized to work in the United States. ACE does not provide sponsorship for employment visas.
• Willing and able to represent ACE and the partner organization in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record (documentation to be provided upon request). Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.
• Must be well organized and detail oriented.
• Must be able to communicate effectively and follow detailed instructions or procedures.
• Must be able to work independently and as part of a team.
• Must possess time and workload management skills, including the ability to assess and implement task priorities given program priorities and time-frames.
• Must have experience collecting, entering and managing data and documents, using programs including Microsoft and ArcGIS.
• Organizational and information management skills, particularly in regard to information and data management for accurate and efficient accomplishment of data entry, QA/QC, basic visualizations, summary and reporting.
• To learn more about eligibility requirements, please visit our website.

Preferred:

• Competitive applicants for this position can hold or be pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree in natural resources, biology, ecology, entomology, or a related subject and/or have relevant experience in similar subject areas.
• Experience in scientific literature reviews and information synthesis.
• Research and/or monitoring experience specific to southeastern habitats or species.
• Experience with field data collection electronically (e.g., using iPads) and taking appropriate notes/data on paper and with data curation and archiving.
• Experience in wetland and/or forest plant identification.
• Experience and interest in sea turtle nest monitoring.
• Interest in avian and terrestrial wildlife and their habitats.

Physical Demands, Work Environment and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for use of various tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 35 lbs., ability to move up to 50 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates. During inclement weather, interns will conduct office tasks (e.g., data entry) in indoor office conditions.
• Noise Environment: Moderate noise such as in a business office with equipment and light traffic.
• Travel: This position will require domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the FWS or ACE. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the FWS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the FWS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to FWS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.

To Apply: Please submit your resume, a cover letter demonstrating your interest and experience, and contact information for three professional/academic references to ACE's online application page for this position on our website. Early consideration will be given as resumes are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position please contact ACE Member Manager, Shannon Borowy.

If you meet at least 70 percent of the qualifications, we want to hear from you!ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are enrolled in a program to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.