U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Careers
Conserving the
Nature of America
Working for the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service is more
than a career. It is also a
commitment — one shared
by more than 7,500 men
and women representing a
diverse range of professions,
backgrounds, and specialties
who are dedicated to
conserving, protecting, and
enhancing fish and wildlife
and plants and their habitats
for the continuing benefit of
the American people.
From the Arctic Ocean to
the South Pacific, from the
Atlantic to the Caribbean,
Service personnel are
working to ensure that future
generations of Americans
will be able to enjoy nature’s
beauty and bounty — a
challenge that you can help
us meet, and a reward few
other careers can offer.
Become a Part of an Historic
Tradition and a Challenging Future
“The face and character of our
country are determined by what we
do with America and its resources.”
Thomas Jefferson
Following a tradition of conservation
leadership that is now in its second
century, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service plays a pivotal role in
safeguarding some of this nation’s
rich natural resources. It is a
challenge that is growing more
complex every year. You can become
one of the employees who bridge the
gap between our storied past and our
evolving future.
To accomplish its mission, the Service
employs many of the country’s
best biologists, wildlife managers,
engineers, realty specialists,
educators, law enforcement agents,
and others who work to save
endangered and threatened species;
conserve migratory birds and inland
fisheries; restore habitats; provide
expert conservation advice to other
federal agencies, industry, private
citizens, and foreign governments;
and manage millions of acres of
wildlife lands.
Outdoor
Classroom,
Bombay Hook
NWR.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Be at the Forefront of Conserving
Our Natural Heritage
“When one tugs at a single thing in
nature he finds it attached to the rest
of the world…” John Muir
The people who have chosen careers
with us work in more than 120
occupations, helping to develop new
knowledge about our natural world
and apply it wisely to our living
resources. Their positions include:
Wildlife Biologists.Wildlife Biologists
carry out a wide variety of duties
associated with conserving fish and
wildlife species, including population
surveys, habitat restoration,
reintroduction of endangered species,
and evaluation of the impacts of
Federal projects. A few specific
examples of the work they do is to
monitor the status and trends of
waterfowl migrating across North
America, reconstruct wildlife habitats
such as wetlands and tallgrass prairie
lands, use aerial and ground surveys
to examine animal populations, and
work with conservation officials in the
states and around the world to track
animals of mutual management
concern, including polar bears,
walrus, and seals.
Natural
Resource
Specialists and
Related Positions
Polar Bear Cubs,
Arctic NWR.
Scott Schliebe/USFWS
Fishery Biologists. Like Wildlife
Biologists, Fishery Biologists are also
involved in a full range of conservation
activities. For example, they restore
imperilled aquatic species, remove
barriers to fish passage, prevent and
control aquatic nuisance species,
monitor fish populations and health,
develop fishery management plans,
raise fish through captive propagation,
and other activities in support of a
wide variety of fish and other aquatic
resources.
General Biologists. Because these
jobs often require knowledge of both
fish and wildlife biology, these
professionals sometimes are referred
to as fish and wildlife biologists. Like
our other biologists, they are engaged
in a wide range of fish and wildlife
management activities. These
biologists identify species in danger of
becoming extinct; work with private
landowners to design recovery plans
to save endangered plants and
animals; prevent and repair the
impacts of pollution on fish, wildlife
and their habitats; use computers to
digitize wetland data; and work with
major zoos to develop standards for
the import of animals, such as giant
pandas from China, for research and
captive breeding.
Above:
Coleman NFH.
Steve Hillebrand/USFWS
Refuge Managers. As stewards of
our NationalWildlife Refuge System,
Refuge Managers are experts in
wildlife and habitat protection and
restoration. They use the best science
and technology to monitor and care
for wildlife, use a range of land
management techniques to ensure
suitable habitat, and provide
opportunities for wildlife-dependent
recreation for refuge visitors. They
work with their neighbors, community
organizations, and other partners to
represent the interests of wildlife in
land-use planning and development.
Outdoor Recreation Planners
and Rangers. Outdoor recreation
planners and rangers educate the
community about Service programs
and coordinate wildlife-related
recreational activities such as fishing
and hunting programs, tours, nature
walks, and environmental education
events. Most of these positions are
located on national wildlife refuges.
Special Agents. Special agents are
trained criminal investigators who
enforce wildlife laws throughout the
United States. They conduct
investigations which may include
activities such as surveillance,
undercover work, seizing contraband,
making arrests, and preparing cases
for court. They often work with other
law enforcement authorities. They
also are involved in public education
and assistance.
Wildlife Inspectors. Wildlife
inspectors are the Nation’s front-line
defense against the illegal wildlife
trade. Wildlife Inspectors are
stationed at the Nation’s major
international airports, ocean ports,
and border crossings. They stop
illegal shipments, intercept smuggled
wildlife and wildlife products such as
animal skins, and help the U.S. fulfill
its commitment to global wildlife
conservation.
From top:
Wooduck Drake.
Steve Maslowski/USFWS
Endangered
Cactus, Lee’s
Pincushion.
Gary Stolz/USFWS
Right: Migrating
Salmon Research.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Refuge Officer. Refuge law
enforcement officers protect wildlife
from poaching and ensure the safety
of visitors to the national wildlife
refuges.
The Service’s engineers prepare
plans, studies, and designs
associated with the construction and
maintenance of Service facilities.
The majority are civil engineers, with
a limited number of positions in other
specialties including environmental
and mechanical engineering and
architecture.
Realty specialists, appraisers, and
assessors appraise and negotiate for
land that the Service acquires.
Administrative officers and
management analysts provide a
variety of management services for a
segment of the Service or analyze and
advise on management processes and
procedures.
Computer specialists, analysts,
and programmers design, maintain,
and modify automated systems
that support both the scientific and
administrative activities of the Service.
External Affairs specialists work with
conservation partners, state agencies,
Native American tribes, the news
media, Congress, and the public to
provide information about Service
activities.
Service international affairs
specialists work with many other U.S.
government agencies. They also work
with international governments,
agencies, and organizations on
matters of conservation policy,
technical assistance, and education.
Natural resource economists provide
economic analyses in support of
rulemaking activities, critical habitat
designation, valuing compensation for
Other
Specialists
From top:USFWS
Office Personnel.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
GIS Computer
Lab at NCTC.
Ryan Hagerty/USFWS
Physical Science
Technician.
Keith Weller/USFWS
natural resource damage assessments,
and analyses for environmental
assessments of refuge master plans.
A large number of Service employees
are responsible for carrying out the
practical tasks and procedures
essential to completing plans and
projects. Biological science technicians,
for example, may manage habitat,
conduct surveys or experiments, and
compute and record data. Forestry
and range technicians work as fire
fighters and help manage public land.
Others may be engineering, survey,
and cartographic technicians.
Clerical employees are found
throughout the Service. Although
most of the jobs require computer
operation and word processing skills,
the actual work is much more than
just typing. Managers depend on
clerical staff to track budget and
expenditures, purchase supplies,
maintain files, greet visitors, and
handle telephone calls. Some clerical
staff members also perform
specialized functions in the areas of
personnel, procurement, and
accounting.
People in the trades and crafts help
keep the Service operating. For
example, some fish hatcheries have
animal caretakers who feed and help
rear the fish. On almost every wildlife
refuge, maintenance workers and
mechanics do everything from
creating trails to installing wiring.
Technical
Positions
Clerical
Positions
Trades and
Crafts Positions
Necropsy on Duck,
Sacramento NWR.
Steve Hillebrand/USFWS
How You Can Qualify
For our entry-level biological and
natural resource positions, you must
have a Bachelor’s degree in biological
science or natural resources
management from an accredited
college or university. This degree
qualifies you for one of our General
Biologist, also known as Fish and
Wildlife Biologist, positions. For
fishery occupations, your coursework
must have included 6 semester hours
in aquatic subjects and 12 semester
hours in animal sciences. For wildlife
refuge management positions, your
degree must have included 9 semester
hours in zoology, 6 semester hours in
wildlife courses, and 9 semester hours
in botany. To be aWildlife Biologist,
your studies must have included 9
semester hours in wildlife subjects,
12 semester hours in zoology, and 9
semester hours in botany or related
plant sciences.With a superior
undergraduate grade point average of
3.0 or higher (4.0 scale) or advanced
degree (Master’s and Ph.D.), you may
be able to start at a higher salary.
To qualify for our administrative
occupations, you need a Bachelor’s
degree from an accredited institution
in any field or related, specialized job
experience. As with our biological
positions, a superior grade point
average of 3.0 or higher (4.0 scale) or
an advanced degree can mean a
higher pay rate.
College degrees are not required for
our technical and clerical support
positions. You can qualify based on
your experience and/or your
education. Certain coursework may
be required for some occupations,
such as Biological Science, Range and
Forestry Technicians.
For all of our jobs, there are situations
where you may also combine
education and related experience to
meet the qualification requirements.
From top:
Inspection, Asian
Box Turtle.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Whistling Swans.
USFWS
Left: USFWS
law enforcement
discusses hunting
regulations.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
You’ll Like the Benefits
At the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service,
we understand the importance of
offering a salary and benefits that will
help us attract and retain the best
and brightest people. That is why you
will find us to be very competitive in
all of these areas:
Pay. Like all federal employees, those
who work for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service earn salaries as prescribed by
law. Most positions occupied by
Service employees are classified
either as “general schedule” (GS) or
as “wage grade” (WG). General
schedule employees, the professional,
technical, administrative, and clerical
workers, receive annual salaries
based on their GS grades 1 through
15. Entry-level biologists, for
example, begin at the grade GS-5 or 7
and typically advance to the grade
GS-11 or 12 without further
competition. Although base salaries
for each grade level are the same
nationwide, there are some areas in
the U.S. that have an additional
geographic locality pay. Wage grade
employees, those in trades and crafts
occupations, receive hourly wages
based on comparable private industry
wage rates in their localities. Current
pay rates can be found on the
Internet at www.opm.gov.
“Like the resource it seeks to protect,
wildlife conservation must be
dynamic, changing as conditions
change, seeking always to become
more effective.” Rachel Carson
Above:
Endangered
Pygmy Fringetree.
George Gentry/USFWS
Right: Predator
Fence, San
Francisco Bay
NWR.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
Training. The Service is committed
to training and learning. That is why
training is such an integral part of all
careers with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife
Service. The Service expects its
employees to receive at least 40 hours
of training each year. Training
opportunities abound both inside and
outside the Service. As the “home” of
the Service, the Service’s National
Conservation Training Center
(NCTC) is a leader in providing a
wide range of training and education
services to Service employees and the
entire natural resource management
community. NCTC routinely provides
distance learning broadcasts on a
variety of topics. Located
approximately 70 miles from
Washington, D.C., the NCTC campus
provides full-service residential
facilities complemented by
professional staff, cutting-edge
programs and curriculum, and the
most advanced technology available.
The NCTC offers a unique and
diverse range of conservation training
courses, designed by and for the
conservation professional. Topics
range from cold water fish culture to
habitat conservation planning, from
environmental negotiation to building
community support for natural
resource programs.
Work/Life. The Service helps
employees balance home and work
responsibilities. We offer
comprehensive family-friendly
programs including, among many
others, the use of alternative work
schedules, telecommuting, leave
sharing, transportation fringe
benefits, employee assistance
programs, leave for medical
conditions and family responsibilities,
and part-time employment/job
sharing.
From top: USFWS
employee with
red wolf pups.
George Gentry/USFWS
Congressional
Operations
Seminar.
USFWS
Health and Life Insurance.
Employees can select health
insurance from among many health
insurance plans with varying
coverage. All permanent employees
are eligible to participate in the
Federal Employees’ Group Life
Insurance Program which provides
low cost insurance, including
disability provisions and survivor
benefits.
Time Off. In addition to receiving 10
paid holidays per year, employees
earn paid vacation time according to
their length of service. Employees
earn 13 vacation days per year during
the first 3 years of service, 20 days
per year after 3 years of service, and
26 days per year after 15 years of
service. In addition, employees earn
13 days paid sick leave each year.
Retirement. The Federal Employees
Retirement System is a flexible plan
for a flexible work force. Almost all
new Federal employees are
automatically covered by this system.
It includes a tax-deferred retirement
savings and investment plan that
offers the same type of savings and
tax benefits that many private
corporations offer their employees
under 401(k) plans. Employees can
invest up to 10 percent of their salary
with the Government matching
employee contributions up to 5
percent. Additionally, this plan offers
Social Security benefits for retirees at
least age 62 as well as disability and
survivors benefits and a monthly
payment depending on the
employee’s pay and length of service.
How to Get Started on a Career with
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
With over 700 offices and field
stations, no matter where you want to
work, there’s an opportunity near you.
The number and types of positions,
both permanent and seasonal, for
which we recruit varies from year to
year, so you should contact one of
our personnel offices to learn about
current opportunities. For a complete
listing of current Service job
opportunities, check USAJobs at
www.usajobs.opm.gov/a9fws.htm.
Follow the instructions in the vacancy
announcement on how to apply for
our jobs.
Volunteer opportunities also are
available. Volunteers help with a
variety of tasks, including conducting
population surveys, leading public
tours, protecting endangered species,
and leading environmental education
programs. For more information on
volunteering, contact a Volunteer
Coordinator.
For more information about the
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, check
our home page on the Internet at
www.fws.gov.
Left:Work on a
refuge, Ding
Darling NWR.
George Gentry/USFWS
Below: Co-op
Farming, Holla
Bend NWR.
John and Karen
Hollingsworth/USFWS
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Regional Offices
Pacific Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
911 NE. 11th Avenue
Eastside Federal Complex
Portland, OR 97232-4181
(503) 231-2018 (Job Information Line)
(503) 231-6136 (Personnel Office)
Southwest Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
500 Gold Avenue, SW
P.O. Box 1306
Albuquerque, NM 87103
(505) 248-6861
Great Lakes-Big Rivers Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Federal Building, Fort Snelling
Twin Cities, MN 55111-4056
(612) 713-5230
Southeast Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1875 Century Center Boulevard, NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
(404) 679-4014
Northeast Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
300 Westgate Center Drive
Hadley, MA 01035-9589
(413) 253-8253 (Job Information Line)
Mountain-Prairie Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 25486
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
(303) 236-8121 (Job Information Line)
Alaska Region
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1011 East Tudor Road
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 786-3301
Service Headquarters
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
1849 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20240
(703) 358-1743
CA, HI, ID, NV,
OR, WA, Pacific
Islands
AZ, NM, OK, TX
IA, IL, IN, MI,
MN, MO, OH, WI
AL, AR, FL, GA,
KY, LA, MS, NC,
PR, SC, TN, VI
CT, DE, MA, MD,
ME, NH, NJ, NY,
PA, RI, VA, VT, WV
CO, KS, MT, NE,
ND, SD, UT, WY
AK
Metro.Washington, DC
area including Prince
George’s County,MD
and the National
Conservation Training
Center inWV
The Service Is an
Equal Opportunity Employer
Selections for vacancies are based on
merit without discrimination for any
reason such as race, sex, religion, age,
color, national origin, political
preference, labor organization
affiliation or nonaffiliation, marital
status, sexual orientation or
nondisqualifying disability.
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov
May 2000
This publication will be made
available on request in
alternative formats.
Cover photo: Brown Bear, © PhotoDisc
