U.S Fish & Wild Life: DFP

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, in collaboration with Greening Youth Foundation, offers an 11-week Directorate Fellows Program (DFP) for undergraduate and graduate students interested in conservation careers. The program includes projects related to species conservation, environmental policy, and community engagement. Participants must be current students and can gain valuable experience leading to potential permanent positions within FWS. The fellowship runs from mid-May to September 2022, located in Atlanta, GA.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

Greening Youth Foundation and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service- Directorate Resource Assistant Fellowship Program

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is partnering with Greening Youth Foundation and Hispanic Access Foundation to implement their 2022 Directorate Fellows Program (DFP)
Who is the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) mission is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. Our ~9000 employees work in all 50 states and U.S. territories in partnership with others to achieve this mission.

What is the DFP Fellowship?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Directorate Fellows Program (DFP) is an 11-week fellowship program that includes a direct hire authority (DHA) for a permanent position in FWS. Students must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a rising senior or senior in an undergraduate program or graduate degree program at the start of the 2022 DFP. Fellows selected for the 2022 DFP must successfully complete their 11-week fellowship (+1 week of orientation) and subsequently complete their degree requirements to meet eligibility requirements for the DHA.

DFP is for students interested in conservation careers. The 11-week fellowship focuses on projects that support FWS conservation priorities and begins in mid-May and June 2022 and end in August or September 2022. Most projects are a good fit for students with majors in biological sciences and natural resources . There are a limited number of projects that could be a good fit for other degree areas, such as education and outreach, social sciences/humanities, geographic and information sciences, law enforcement/ criminal justice, communications and marketing, and information technology . You are applying to be part of the 2022 cohort of over 90+ Fellows.

Past projects have included work on species conservation planning, field surveys and monitoring for species, landscape scale conservation partnerships, environmental law and policy, education and outreach, community engagement, digital communications, and many others that support the agency's mission.
Why is DFP important to FWS?The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service goal is to promote and maintain a diverse and inclusive workforce that thrives in an environment accessible to all and free of employment discrimination. DFP provides an opportunity for interested students from all diverse backgrounds, including women, minorities, and other underrepresented populations to gain valuable experience leading to a career in conservation.
DFP Eligibility Requirements
• Current students: Undergraduate rising seniors, seniors; enrolled or current graduate students
• Students graduating in May 2022 or June 2022 are ineligible to participate in FWS DFP unless they provide verification that they have been accepted for enrollment in an undergraduate, graduate or Ph.D program before the start of the 2022 DFP fellowship (May/June 2022).
• Students pursuing biological science and/or natural resource management degrees. There are a limited number of projects that could be a good fit for other degree areas, such as education and outreach, social sciences/humanities, geographic and information sciences, law enforcement/ criminal justice, communications and marketing, and information technology.
• US citizen or permanent resident
• Must be 17 years of age or older
• Cumulative GPA must be 3.0 or higher
• Must be available for 12 weeks during summer 2022 (1 week of orientation plus 11-week fellowship)
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check
• Males born after 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service
Benefits
• $540 weekly stipend based on a 40-hour workweek
• Travel expenses paid for field/in-person projects - roundtrip travel to and from fellowship site
• Travel for a 1-week orientation at the FWS National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV - TBD if virtual
• Housing provided or housing allowance provided in select locations
• Hands-on experience
• Fellows may be eligible for a permanent position in the FWS after successfully completing their fellowship and degree requirements
How to Apply

https://manoproject.org/gyf
Application Deadline:

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and the application period may close before the January 5th, 2022 deadline if a sufficient number of applications are received. Interested and qualified applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Applicants may apply to as many projects as they are qualified for and interested in. Selected applicants will work on a specific project strategically designed to support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's priorities.

Available Positions Alabama
• Development of Genetics Management Plan for Alabama Pearshell (Auburn, AL)
• Characterizing Risk Associated with Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDA) Hazards to Regional Priority Species (Identification of Threatened, At-risk and Priority Species in the Southeast) (Fairhope, AL)
• Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration (NRDA) Activities + Contribution to Service Goals (Fairhope, AL)
Alaska
• Elevating Arctic Youth Voices (Anchorage, AK)
• Invasive Mussel Detectors of Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
• Regional Landscape Conservation Tools Serving Alaska (Anchorage, AK)
• Spatial Analyst for Alaska Resources of Concern (Anchorage, AK)
California
• Multi-refuge Wetland Habitat Assessment Survey Coordinator (Calipatria, CA)
• Conducting status assessments for threatened, endangered, or at-risk species (Carlsbad, CA)
• IPaC Species Data Entry in the Pacific Southwest Region (Carlsbad Office) (Carlsbad, CA)
• Developing population viability analyses for endangered plants (Sacramento, CA)
• IPaC Species Data Entry in the Pacific Southwest Region (Sacramento) (Sacramento, CA)
• Strategic Conservation Planning for Endangered Species Recovery (Sacramento, CA)
• IPaC Species Data Entry in the Pacific Southwest Region (Ventura, CA)
• Western Monarch Butterfly Outreach and Restoration (Ventura, CA)
• Southern Oregon and Northern California Bumble Bee Habitat Surveys (Yreka, CA)
Colorado
• Updating the Legacy Region 6 Mega Biological Opinion (Denver, CO)
• Biological Effects Analyst, Threatened and Endangered Species (Grand Junction, CO)
Florida
• Hydrologic Effects of Water Operations in the Everglades (Davie, FL)
• National Wildlife Refuge System Virtual Outdoor Adventure Programs (St. Marks, FL)
Georgia
• Heralding the Successes of the Service – Puerto Rico! (Atlanta, GA)
• Prioritization Tool for Feral Swine Control on the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) in the Southeast Region (Atlanta, GA)
• Re-design and Implementation of Advanced Applications for Conservation of Listed Species (Atlanta, GA)
• Wildlife Trafficking Parliamentarian Forum (Glynco, GA)
• Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge Community Engagement: Redefining Our Relationship (Townsend, GA)
Hawaii
• Battle of Midway Historical Artifact Preservation and Interpretation Strategy (Honolulu, HI)
Kentucky
• IPaC Development of Conservation Measures and Effects Pathways (Frankfort, KY)
Louisiana
• Protocol Development for Invasive Tree Management (Ferriday, LA)
Maryland
• Assessment of Renewable Energy Investment at Refuges and National Fish Hatcheries (Laurel, MD)
Massachusetts
• Gulf Coast National Wildlife Refuge Complex LiDAR Fuels Monitoring (Gautier, MA)
• Compiling Continental Insect Population and Composition Data (part of larger project on aerial insectivore bird declines) (Hadley, MA)
• Mapping the agricultural footprint in the salt Client (Hadley, MA)
• Recovery Permits Biological Opinion Development (Hadley, MA)
• Regional Planning for Inclusive Natural Resource Damage Restoration Co-Design (Hadley, MA)
Minnesota
• Building a Better Visitor Services Framework (Bloomington, MN)
• New Frontiers in Urban Conservation: Strategies to Benefit People and Pollinators (Bloomington, MN)
• Wetland Bathymetry and a Synthesis of Cattail Management (Middle River, MN)
• Recruitment and Partnerships with Legacy Region 3 Tribal College (Minneapolis, MN)
Mississippi
• Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) LiDAR Fuels Monitoring (Brooksville, MS)
• GIS Modeling for Waterfowl Habitat (Natchez, MS)
Missouri
• Assessing Adaptive Capacity and Climate Vulnerability for At-Risk Species (Columbia, MO)
• Investigate Garrison Creeping Meadow Foxtail on Benton Lake NWR (Great Falls, MO)
Montana
• Human-Grizzly Bear Conflict Reduction Coordinator (Billings, MT)
• Ultrasound Guided Identification of Atresia in Pallid Sturgeon (Bozeman, MT)
Nebraska
• Managing Sustainable Wetland Habitat Restorations (Funk, NE)
New Hampshire
• Dwarf wedgemussel occupancy and eDNA in the Northeast, geospatial data/database management (Concord, NH)
New Mexico
• Bolson Tortoise Habitat Suitability (Albuquerque, NM)
• Endemic Salamander Occupancy and Habitat Survey Work (Albuquerque, NM)
• Establishment and Development of Accessibility Tools for Southwest Refuges (Albuquerque, NM)
• Indian Arts and Crafts Act Intelligence Research Specialist (Albuquerque, NM)
• Environmental Education Curriculum Development for Multi-Refuge Framework (San Antonio, NM)
• NM Meadow Jumping Mouse Soil Moisture and Water Quality Assessment (San Antonio, NM)
• Assessment of Pollinator Presence at the Northern New Mexico NWR Complex (Watrous, NM)
New York
• Live Evidence Coordinator - Turtle Fellow (Valley Stream, NY)
Nevada
• Stillwater NWR Water Rights Acquisition Program Analysis and Review (Fallon, NV)
• IPaC Species Data Entry in the Pacific Southwest Region (Las Vegas) (Las Vegas, NV)
Ohio
• Listed Species Determination Key Development (Columbus, OH)
Other
• ECOsphere Support for Field Offices in the Southwest Region (Southwest)
Oregon
• Oregon Spotted Frog Rangewide Monitoring Protocol and Database Development (Bend, OR)
• Ankeny Hill Nature Center Environmental Education Specialist (Jefferson, OR)
• Building Out a Conservation Program Explorer Tool (Portland, OR)
• Mapping Pollinator Restoration Efforts in the Western States (Portland, OR)
• Southern Oregon and Northern California Bumble Bee Habitat Surveys (Portland, OR)
• Western Bumble Bee Nest Site Monitoring (Portland, OR)
Puerto Rico
• Red-tailed Client Assessment with Endangered Species Release Areas (Boquerón - Maricao, PR)
Rhode Island
• Technical Assistance for Offshore Motus Network (Charlestown, RI)
South Dakota
• Grazing Infrastructure Inventory and Needs in Western SD Complex (Columbia, SD)
Tennessee
• Wetland Geodatabase for Aquatic Invasive Species (Stanton, TN)
• Wood Duck Banding Goal Assessment for Population Monitoring (Stanton, TN)
Texas
• Salinity Trends on the Upper Texas Coast (Anahuac, TX)
• Survey of Guadalupe Fatmucket Populations in Guadalupe River Tributaries (Austin, TX)
• Maintenance Professional Development Program - Strike Force DFP (Eagle Lake, TX)
• Coastal Prairie Monitoring in South Texas (Los Fresnos, TX)
Utah
• Independent Utah Contaminants Resource Protection and Restoration (West Valley City, UT)
Virginia
• CITES CoP19 Preparation Assistance (Falls Church, VA)
• Communicating the Impact of International Programs to Combat Wildlife Trafficking (Falls Church, VA)
• Customer Experience Journey Mapping Liaison (Falls Church, VA)
• ePermits Communications Team Lead (Falls Church, VA)
• Foreign Species Fellow - Candidate Notice of Review Project (Falls Church, VA)
• GIS-based National Spill Threat Assessment (Falls Church, VA)
• Implementing a National Digital Communication (Storytelling) Framework (Falls Church, VA)
• Measuring impact of Service international species conservation (Falls Church, VA)
• Preparations for CITES 19th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP19) (Falls Church, VA)
• Realizing America the Beautiful - A Bold Conservation Initiative (Falls Church, VA)
• Review of Public comments on ESA 4(d) proposed rulemaking (Falls Church, VA)
• USFWS Climate Change Adaptation and Communications (Falls Church, VA)
• Assessing and facilitating FWS reduction of bird-glass collisions (Falls Church, VA)
Washington
• Washington Fish and Wildlife Office Multi-Species Priority Habitat Mapping for Climate Resiliency (Lacey, WA)
• Digital Media Outreach Specialist – Leavenworth Fisheries Complex (Leavenworth, WA)
Wisconsin
• Validating eDNA Markers for Aquatic Invasive Species (Onalaska, WI)