Title: Administrative Support Individual Placement

Start/End Date: November 4, 2024 to July 11, 2025 (anticipated)

Term Length: 36 weeks

Living Allowance: $600/week

Additional Benefit: $200/week

Reports To: Permits Branch Chief; Division of Migratory Birds, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS)

Location: 500 Gold Avenue SW, Albuquerque, NM 87103

Status: 1200 -hour AmeriCorps Service Term; 40 hours/week

Benefits: Public Lands Corps Certificate* (that allows for competitive hiring for USA jobs/government jobs) and AmeriCorps Education Award $4,826 - both with successful completion of the internship; health insurance eligible

Working Conditions : Office setting. Position is structured for hybrid office and telework with high potential for full telework. Preference for candidates to have internet access at their place of residence. More information will be given during interview.

AmeriCorps is the federal agency for national service and volunteerism. AmeriCorps provides opportunities for Americans of all backgrounds to serve their country, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, and improve lives and communities. Environmental stewardship programs help conserve natural habitats, improve energy efficiency, protect clean air and water, and help to mitigate the effects of climate change among other environmental efforts.

Conservation Corps New Mexico (CCNM)

Conservation Corps New Mexico, a program of Conservation Legacy and AmeriCorps partner, aims to continue the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930's. CCNM is focused on connecting youth, young adults, and recent era military veterans with conservation service work projects on public lands. CCNM operates programs across New Mexico and parts of Texas and Oklahoma that engage individuals and strengthen communities through service and conservation. The CCNM Las Cruces office manages the Individual Placement Program.

Mentorship

These Individual Placement Positions are unique development opportunities. Participants are paired with a local supervisor and gain technical, hands-on experience in the work of these organizations or agencies. Site supervisors commit to facilitate career development; provide an introduction to numerous pathways within the conservation field; and create accessible, meaningful, learning opportunities and experiences for participants.

Position Summary:

The Permits Branch within the Division of Migratory Birds, Southwest Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is responsible for issuing permits under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act and Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The Division of Migratory Birds in the Southwest Region (NM, AZ, TX, and OK) is primarily responsible for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's effort to protect and enhance bird populations in the Region.

In general, wildlife conservation laws and treaties prohibit certain activities with protected species, such as removal from the wild. Exceptions are usually allowed for limited purposes. To make these exceptions, the FWS issues permits that allow the agency to monitor activities to determine how they affect protected wildlife populations. Permits are viewed as a critical conservation tool that enable the public to engage in authorized activities that balance use and conservation of migratory birds. The individual placement will assist the Permits Branch with responding to public questions about migratory bird issues, helping Permits Branch staff with review and permit issuance, and providing administrative assistance in a variety of ways that will benefit the office.

By assisting the Permits Branch with administrative duties, the individual placement will support the office in its efforts to:

• reduce conflict with nuisance bird species and protect vulnerable bird populations;

• provide authorization for people to conduct rehabilitation on sick and injured birds;

• provide authorization for conservation education with non-releasable birds; and

• provide authorization for scientific studies on migratory birds that will inform many aspects of conservation.

  The selected individual placement will have the opportunity to not only learn about migratory bird permitting and the various ways it can be used as a conservation tool but there will also be opportunities to interact with the agency’s migratory bird biologists who are doing research on various migratory birds in the Southwest Region. The individual placement may have the opportunity to participate in day trips to assist with capture of migratory birds in the Rio Grande Valley area and help with public outreach events.

  Essential Responsibilities and Functions:

  · Customer service

  o Learn about various issues and questions on Migratory Birds and permitting answers.

  o Respond to phone calls, emails and mail on migratory bird, permit applications and online ePermits questions.

  o Log mail and phone calls into database.

  o Compile new and\or update template responses to commonly asked questions to ensure uniform and complete answers and also to improve efficiency.

  · Electronic and paper file management

  o Apply organizational skills to the electronic filing system to improve efficiency.

  o Apply Records Management Archiving SOP and File Management plan to remove obsolete electronic files and create Records Archive files for submission to allow destruction.

  o Scan paper files and/or shred them per Records Management Archiving SOP and create Records Archive files for submission to allow destruction.

  · Permit review and management

  o Manage mailed and emailed permit applications and log them into database.

  o Record application fees.

  o Review all submittals for completeness and correspond with permittees regarding missing information.

  o Review and process non-technical permit applications to draft permit stage. Permit issuance will be completed by Permits Team.

  Trainings Provided:

• Work with Permit Team directly to learn the Regulations that inform the Migratory Birds Permitting Branch’s permitting decisions

• General migratory bird biology information

• General file management

• Computer training relevant to project

• ePermits online permitting system training

• Federal Regulations training

  Minimum Qualifications:

• Per federal grant requirements, this position is for young adults between the ages of 18-30 (35 for veterans), inclusive, at the time the individual begins term of service.

• U.S Citizen, U.S National, or Lawful Permanent Resident.

• Received or on track to receive high school diploma or GED.

• Willing to undergo and must pass required criminal history checks.

• Computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Word; email programs).

• Ability to communicate clearly by written or verbal methods.

• Ability to read and understand written documents.

  Preferred Qualifications:

• Some college preferred but not necessary.

• Interest in wildlife biology and migratory birds a plus.

  Physical Requirements:

• To successfully perform essential functions, the individual is required to sit, stand, walk, speak, hear, etc. He/she must be able to operate office equipment, telephone, and computer and reach with hands and arms.

• Reasonable accommodation may be made for qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

  Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements/Participation and Expedition Behavior:

• Work effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences.

• Contribute to a safe learning environment, no harassment of others for any reason.

• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service.

• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.

• Appropriately represent Conservation Corps New Mexico, U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, and AmeriCorps to the public and partners at all times.

• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

  Safety and Judgment:

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance.

• Effectively perceive and understand significant and apparent hazards and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during the exposure to the hazard. Ability to respond appropriately to stress or crises.

• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self- medicating without assistance from others.

  Substance Free:

  · In accordance with a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

  Background Check:

  A DOI background clearance must be completed before the selected candidate may report to duty. FWS will provide instructions for completion of the clearance after a candidate has been selected and will notify them when they have been cleared to start service. This process will determine the participant’s exact start date.

  Participants will have access to government facilities and systems, and will be supplied with access to gov’t vehicles, equipment, and materials needed to work on the projects and activities as outlined above. Participants must adhere to all government regulations and policies for operating equipment, vehicles, security awareness, and safety.

  *To be eligible for a Public Lands Corps certificate, participants must be between the ages of 18-30 (35 for veterans), inclusive, at the time the individual begins the term of service.

  Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to hiring a breadth of diverse professionals and encourage members of diverse groups to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, political affiliation, protected veteran status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

  To Apply: Please submit an updated resume and cover letter along with the online application at https://corpsnm.org/individual-placement-openings . Consideration will be given as resumes are received and this position may close at any time. If you have questions, contact CCNM’s Individual Placement Program Coordinator, SamJean Simmons at ssimmons@conservationlegacy.org .

  For more information about Conservation Corps New Mexico, please visit www.corpsnm.org . Conservation Corps New Mexico is a program of Conservation Legacy.

Required SkillsRequired Experience