Post-Fire Ecological Restoration & Avian Monitoring

Post-Fire Ecological Restoration & Avian Monitoring at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service · Department of the Interior. Grade: 00-00. Applications close 2026-10-29.

Summary

Make an impact while you learn. The Semester of Service Program offers students a volunteer project-based opportunity to support real Federal missions, gaining hands-on experience and valuable career-ready skills. The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration aligning with each agency's strategic priorities.

Duties

• Location: Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge, PR 301 KM 5.1 Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico 00622
• Work Schedule and Flexibilities: minimum 16 hours per week, In office (or work site) only
• Number of Positions: 2
• Term: Spring 2027 (90 day term between mid-January and mid-June)

This vacancy will be open until Thursday, October 29th, 2026 at 11:59pm ET or until 24 applications have been received. The vacancy will close on whichever day the first of these conditions are met. If the application limit is reached on the same day the announcement opened, the open and close date will be the same. Candidates are encouraged to read the entire announcement before submitting their application packages.

Laguna Cartagena National Wildlife Refuge experienced severe ecological impacts from the 143-acre Bike Trail Wildfire on July 9, 2026, resulting in 97% canopy loss across affected areas, exposed soil, and severe habitat degradation for wintering migratory waterfowl and resident waterbirds. Working in close coordination with Wildland Fire Services, a comprehensive Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) plans were approved. The refuge requires biological field support to execute recovery monitoring and field logistics prescribed in these plans. This project directly aligns with Department of the Interior (DOI) and USFWS priorities to restore fire-impacted habitats, protect migratory bird species, and apply science-driven adaptive management across National Wildlife Refuge System lands. The government-wide "Semester of Service" Student Volunteer Program, as authorized under 5 U.S.C §31114 and 5 CFR Part 3085, enables Federal agencies to engage students in unpaid, project-based assignments of limited duration. These assignments are designed to align with each agency's strategic priorities, offering participants practical experience within Federal operations while supporting the advancement of targeted initiatives.

Qualifications

Applicants will be considered based on their knowledge, skills or abilities related to project needs. Specifically, applicants should be pursuing an associate degree, undergraduate students or graduate students in a sciences field.

Education

To qualify, you must be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution. You also must be in good academic standing as defined by your institution. Attach a copy of your transcripts to your application package for verification.

Additional requirements

Conditions of employment To participate in this Program, you must:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen or U.S National studying in the U.S. or abroad
• Be enrolled not less than half-time in an accredited junior college, college, university, or other accredited educational institution (beyond high school) throughout the 90 day Semester of Service opportunity.
• Students graduating before May 1, 2027 are not eligible.
• Selectees will be responsible for contacting a school official to sign a Semester of Service approval form indicating you are currently enrolled at least half-time and in good academic standing.
• Qualifying educational institutions must be located within the United States.
• Be in good academic standing as defined by your institution.
• Commit to volunteering 8 - 20 hours per week for a minimum of 90 days.
• Complete all required onboarding documentation assigned by the Department of the Interior and your academic institution.
• Agree to volunteer. This position is unpaid. No compensation, stipends, or hiring preference will be granted from this work. You may use this volunteer experience to qualify for future jobs you choose to apply for.
• Agree to understanding volunteers are not Federal employees.
• Not be a current federal employee. Current federal employees can reach out to the contact below to inquire about job detail opportunities.

How to apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the online application and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section above. A complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on the 10/29/2026 of the announcement to receive consideration. To begin, click Apply to access the online application. You will need to be logged into your USAJOBS account to apply. If you do not have a USAJOBS account, you will need to create one before beginning the application. Follow the prompts to select your résumé and/or other supporting documents to be included with your application package. You will have the opportunity to upload additional documents to include in your application before it is submitted. Your uploaded documents may take several hours to clear the virus scan process. After acknowledging you have reviewed your application package, complete the Include Personal Information section as you deem appropriate and click to continue with the application process. You will be taken to the online assessment which you must complete to apply for the position. Complete the online assessment, verify the required documentation is included with your application package, and submit the application. You can view the assessment here: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13087281

To verify the status of your application, log into your USAJOBS account (https://www.usajobs.gov/), all your applications will appear on the Welcome screen. The Application Status will appear along with the date your application was last updated. For information on what each Application Status means, visit: https://usajobshelp.opm.gov/hc/en-us/articles/52879898157843-How-to-see-your-application-and-job-status/. Paper applications and supplemental documents submitted in any other manner without prior approval from the vacancy contact will not be considered. Requests for Reasonable Accommodations should be sent to the vacancy contact listed below.