FWS Maintenance Fellows Program

MobilizeGreen seeks conservation-minded Maintenance Fellows who want mentorship, training, and career development opportunities in maintenance.  The Fellows will be part of MobilizeGreen’s partnership with the US Fish & Wildlife Service’s (“FWS”) Maintenance and Infrastructure Fellowship program for diverse participants. As part of the program, Maintenance Fellows will work on a variety of maintenance projects on a network of public lands and waters through the National Wildlife Refuge System. The Maintenance Fellowships are for 26 weeks.

Through mentorship, training, and career development, you will gain the skill level of wage grade WG05 or WG06, which are federal entry-level positions.  As a Fellow, you also will receive oral and written instructions, orders, and guidance on new assignments. Your supervisor will outline work needs, specifying methods, techniques, materials and tools to be used. Your work will be supervised during progress and upon completion will be reviewed.  There will be simple routine tasks that you perform that will be without supervision after you learn those tasks. The maintenance fellowship program is designed and implemented by the FWS.

Fellows will have access to FWS programs that provide the hands-on learning  needed to be successful in your tasks. In addition, the heavy equipment safety training program will provide you with curriculum-based equipment and safety training. A MAT project’s first goal is staff training so you will gain valuable project management experience in this existing program. Finally, through local skills workshops and one-on-one time spent with local wage grade employees, you will attain essential trade skills needed to be qualified as a maintenance worker. You also will temporarily assist other sites, providing you with opportunities to learn from additional staff at varying geographical locations.

Specific Tasks and Learning Goals:

To successfully complete the Maintenance Fellows program, you must complete five major tasks:

1. Attend and pass Heavy Equipment Safety Training for Tier 1 heavy equipment. (Backhoe, Skidsteer, Agriculture Tractor) and off-road utility vehicle safety training.

2. Gain a working knowledge of the trades per the WG05 position description (see attached).

3. Participate in one Great American Outdoors Act Strike Force infrastructure project or one Maintenance Action Team (MAT) project every six months. These are larger-scale projects that bring maintenance professionals together from across the region to collaborate and accomplish a goal.

4. Lead a small project where you plan for equipment, labor, supplies and develop a site safety plan at their station. Complete and present a final report of the project that includes photos, cost estimation versus actual expenses, and summary of the work done.

5. Complete assigned tasks, attend and participate in required meetings, and effectively communicate scheduling and needs with supervisor and program coordinators

BENEFITS

1. Hands on learning and job training experience

2. Paid orientation and travel to orientation

3. Mentorship for career and professional development

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

5. Housing 

6. Relocation assistance (if applicable)

7. Health insurance option

8. 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).

GENERAL PROJECT TYPES

1. Asset and Facility Maintenance: rehabilitates, repairs, and upgrades various exhibits and structures.

2. Vehicle Maintenance: operates and maintains gasoline and diesel vehicles.

3. Grounds Maintenance: uses hand tools, tractors or skid steer type loaders.

4. General Maintenance: maintains work areas and assists with any maintenance issues that arise onsite.

5. Project Management: participates in large-scale collaborative deferred maintenance projects; and/or leads or co-leads a small infrastructure project.

ELIGIBILITY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

8. You have a valid driver's license.