U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Asheville Ecological Services Field Office

Accepting Applications for the Student Temporary Employment Program
Application Deadline:  February 10, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Asheville Ecological Services Field Office is hiring students to fill 1-2 temporary part-time positions beginning as early as spring, 2012 or as late as fall, 2012 (start time flexible).  Our Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) exposes students to the work of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and provides an opportunity to gain experience with a Federal natural resource agency. 

This position is primarily administrative. Secondary duties include helping biologists with non-outdoor components of projects. Field work will be sporadic and opportunistic, not a primary part of this position.

Desirable skills (we do not expect applicants to have all these skills)
Interpersonal - Ability to work with people of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and personality types.
Personal – Reliable, ability to work independently, displays positive attitude and initiative, well-organized.
Software experience - MS Office suite, Arc GIS, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Premier Elements
Technical knowledge/experience - Environmental education and outreach techniques, written and oral communication, biology/botany/wildlife biology/stream ecology, social media strategy and implementation, grants management, property management.

Hours and location:  A successful job candidate must have the ability to work approximately 10-20 hours a week throughout the year (working during breaks/summer is negotiable).  Our office is located at 160 Zillicoa Street just off Broadway in Asheville. 

Pay rate:  Federal pay grade GS-2 to GS-4 ($10.95/hour to $13.41/hour), depending on course work and qualifications.  Housing and other expenses are not provided. 

Eligibility requirements:  Applicants must be a U.S. citizen and be accepted for enrollment, or enrolled, as a degree-seeking student at an accredited technical or vocational school, 2 or 4 year college, or university and have at least a 2.0 GPA.  The student must be taking at least a half-time course load as defined by the school.  Applicants must be able to work for at least one year, i.e., not graduating before May, 2013.  The successful candidate(s) will also have to pass a federal criminal background check. 

How to apply:  (Submit the following documents)

• Letter of interest.
• Resume describing school and work experiences.
• Copy of your most recent official transcript and upcoming school schedule, if known.
• Letter of recommendation from a professor or current or former supervisor.

Mail to:           U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Asheville Field Office
160 Zillicoa Street
Asheville, NC  28801

All required information must be received no later than February 10, 2012.  Late and incomplete applications will not be accepted. 

Because of the volume of applications received, only applicants whose qualifications best meet our needs will be contacted.

 

Additionally, certain National Wildlfie Refuges have extremely active and ongoing internship programs and regularly accept applications.

The Service also has a recruitment program, the Student Career Experience Program, or SCEP. Acceptance into SCEP establishes the student in a co-operative work situation where the student works for the Service, alternating work time with academic study, or pursuing the two concurrently. Satisfactory completion of SCEP may lead to permanent employment with the Service.