Arctic Interagency Visitor Center Internship (PO-00734287)

Represent U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Arctic, Kanuti, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuges in Coldfoot, Alaska (19 weeks). You will serve the public from the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center (AIVC) front desk, greeting visitors, answering questions, and inspiring visitors to make personal connections with all of the USFWS managed lands and other nearby federal public lands. Major duties include:
 
Create and present numerous weekly interpretive programs (sometimes using multiple modalities; guidance/training provided), and complete other miscellaneous tasks as interests/opportunities/needs arise.

Please note, work will occur entirely inside the Visitor Center located 150 miles north of Fairbanks, which is open 7 days a week from morning to late evening.  Supervisors will aim to match intern work time and time off preferences, but limited staffing often makes meeting those preferences difficult or not possible. Accordingly, this internship requires someone with the ability to be flexible and comfortable with varied shifts for the entire internship – duty hours will span every day of the week, including morning, evening and weekend shifts.
 
The selected intern will always collaborate with other volunteers and interns, but is expected to contribute a self-directed work style and a skill set befitting to a broad range of capacities and work settings. The AIVC atmosphere is professional and teamwork-oriented, with three agencies working together to serve the visiting public using the highest level of professionalism during all duties.

Applicants should be: 1) mature 2) experienced 3) able to maintain a positive attitude in challenging environments 4) comfortable with long periods of cold and darkness in the winter 5) able to practice high emotional intelligence 6) able to be resilient while in a remote location with limited resources and cell/internet connectivity. 
 
The Arctic Interagency Visitor Center is provided to the public through a successful tri-agency partnership between BLM, USFWS and NPS.
 
To learn more about USFWS, visit: www.fws.gov
 
To learn more about Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge, visit: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kanuti/ or https://www.facebook.com/Kanuti.Refuge/
 
To learn more about Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, visit: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/yukon_flats/ or https://www.facebook.com/YukonFlatsNationalWildlifeRefuge.
 
To learn more about Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, visit: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/arctic/ or https://www.facebook.com/arcticnationalwildliferefuge/.
 
To learn more about the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center, visit https://www.blm.gov/learn/interpretive-centers/arctic-interagency-visitor-center.

Compensation amounts:

  • $300 – weekly living allowance 
  • $1,500 – one time RT travel allowance
  • $500 monthly housing allowance ($1,500 total) – to pay for NPS partner provided bunkhouse housing in Coldfoot
  • AmeriCorps eligible ($1,718.25 education award)

*All allowances subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes

*For SCA's COVID-19 guidance, please refer to www.thesca.org/covid  

Position ID: PO-00734287

Expected Dates: May 29, 2023 - August 20, 2023

Location:
USFWS Coldfoot Field Office
C/O Coldfoot Camp POB9037
Coldfoot, AK 99709-9800
US

Training Provided: USFWS training: education on natural and cultural history of federal lands, agencies missions, interpretation, wilderness awareness/safety, bear safety training, defensive driving and some field trips likely. BLM may provide 4-wheeler safety training.

Educational/Recreational Opportunities: Educational opportunities include career exploration, skill building, and on the job experience. Recreational opportunities are mainly wilderness/outdoor activities.

Handicap Accessible?: Yes

Main Area of Focus: Visitor Services and Site Operations

Further Details

AmeriCorps Eligible: Eligible

Driving Logistics: Not needed

N/A

Housing or Stipend Provided?
D. No housing is available

Housing in Coldfoot is a heated dry cabin with bunk beds and an outhouse (shared with others, same sex, 2-4 people).  Cooking stove (propane), refrigerator (propane), fuel (propane), basic cooking supplies, water-hauling containers, bedding and towels are provided at no cost to the intern.  Cabins do not have running water, electricity or telephones; but the visitor center will be available 24-7 to the intern and visitor center staff, and does have electricity, restrooms with flushing toilets, sinks with running hot and cold water, a hot shower in a private shower room, a staff clothes washing machine and dryer, and staff microwave, coffee maker, telephones, and internet (for work purposes). Cell service is available in the area for purchase if desired - call cell service provider for more information.

Indoor/Outdoor: Combination

US Citizenship: Yes

Student Conservation Association