Visitor Center Ranger Naturalist Fall / Winter 2020-2021

REQUIREMENTS:

We are seeking couples to serve as ranger naturalists for the October 26, 2020 through February 2021 season. You both must be available for the entire season and will work together in the visitor center and while performing interpretive roving on the refuge.  We anticipate filling four postions. 

The Visitor Center Ranger Naturalist Position requires that you work three and 1/2 days per week, eight hours per day for three days and one, four hour day Oct. 26, 2020 through February 28, 2021. Your lunch break will be one hour. For lunch you will have one hour off duty near the midpoint of your shift.

You may be required to have a federal background investigation completed for this position.  If you had a favorably adjudicated federal background investigation completed, please indicate the year and agency on your application. 

Please list at least two volunteer or professional work references on your application.

CORE DUTIES:

Meets and cheerfully greets visitors while staffing the refuge visitor center. Protective barriers will be in place and you will be provided with personal protective equipment that may be required during the COVID-19 pandemic. You will be asked to comply with COVID-19 safe work practices to protect yourself, your fellow team members and the public.

Explains basic refuge regulations to visitors such as areas open for biking, hiking, and walking dogs. Offers wildlife viewing advice and gives driving directions. Assists visitors in identifying wildlife they have observed.  Provides advice to photographers concerning when and where to best capture outstanding images.

Concisely explains the refuge entry fee options. May operates an electronic cash register to sell entry passes. May issue non-fee passes according to policy. Accurately completes end of day shift reports and maintains security of accountable stock.

As a public point of contact receives reports from visitors of rare wildlife sightings, problems or violations and provides public comment forms and or calls for appropriate refuge staff to deal with the issue.

When safe to do so, goes out on the refuge to areas of high bird concentration and uses spotting scope, binoculars and field guides to help visitors identify birds and to increase the visitor's understanding of the refuge mission and objectives. May give short, informal talks to visitors about wildlife while roving the visitor center and visitor center plaza.

Answers phone calls and provides basic information and transfers calls.

Safely picks-up and disposes of litter found along roadways, trails and visitor areas.

Maintains visitor center in a clean and tidy condition. Cleaning may include, sweeping, vacuuming, washing windows, wiping counters, emptying trash cans, disinfecting toilets and other tasks as assigned or as seen as needed by the volunteer. Complies with COVID-19 pandemic safe work practices.

Complies with volunteer uniform policy. Maintains a neat and professional appearance.

COLLATERAL DUTIES:

Assists with other projects as assigned based on the needs of the refuge which could include assisting with janitorial duties. The COVID-19 pandemic could result in operational changes.  If the Visitor Center is closed the volunteer will be required to take on other duties in order to fill a minimum of 24 hours per week.  These duties could include tasks that are more physical in nature such as assisting with; landscaping, invasive plant removal, painting, minor carpentry, organizing and cleaning refuge warehouses and many other projects that are on the refuge “long-term to do list”.

Recreational opportunities, available services and weather:

Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is located 90 miles south of Albuquerque and 18 miles south of Socorro, New Mexico.

The town of San Antonio eight miles north of the refuge along paved Highway 1, has three restaurants, a small convenience store with excellent fudge, ice cream and unleaded gasoline. 

The City of Socorro has; a small hospital and a Presbyterian run medical clinic as well as other doctors, a dentist and eye doctor,  Walmart Super Center with a pharmacy, a John Brooks grocery store with a pharmacy, multiple restaurants, two hardware stores, three auto part stores, vehicle maintenance and repair services, three banks, churches and is home to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology a beautifully landscaped university campus with a public golf course, public coffee bar, dining hall, Mineral Museum and performing arts center.

Albuquerque offers all the amenities you would expect of a major metropolitan area.

The refuge is located in the northern part of the Chihuahuan Desert and experiences the dramatic night to day temperature change typical of desert environments (40 degrees or more).  Anticipate freezing temperatures during many nights.  The mountain ranges to the west and the Rio Grande Valley to the east give the area a moderate climate throughout the year. Approximately five inches of precipitation occur during the period November through March. Summers can be hot and dry.

We are close to National Forests, spectacular Bureau of Land Management scenery, interesting National Park Service historic sites and state and county parks. There are numerous opportunities to hike, bike and explore historical sites as well as wilderness, ponderosa pine forests and beautiful canyons.