administrative assistant

biological technician

wildlife biologist

monitor

maintenance person

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

In my review of a typical day at work, I find it to be a harmonious blend of routine tasks and engaging projects that keep me motivated. Throughout my time here, I’ve developed valuable skills in teamwork, time management, and adaptability, all of which have significantly contributed to my professional growth.

Management plays a crucial role in shaping our work environment. Supportive leaders foster open communication and encourage innovative thinking, creating a space where everyone feels valued. The workplace culture is characterized by collaboration and camaraderie, with colleagues working closely together towards shared goals.

One of the most challenging aspects of the job is navigating tight deadlines and unexpected challenges, which demand quick thinking and resilience. However, the most rewarding part is the sense of accomplishment that comes from collaborating with a dedicated team and celebrating our collective successes. Overall, the experience is enriching and fulfilling, making it a wonderful place to work.

In summary, my experience at the Federal Wildlife Service (FWS) has been exceptional. The role offers remarkable flexibility, promoting a healthy work-life balance. There is a strong sense of trust among both team members and management, which fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Living in this area enhances my experience, as it provides a beautiful environment that supports both personal and professional growth. 

The workplace culture is not only supportive but also inclusive, with colleagues who genuinely care for one another. While the background check and security clearance process can be rigorous, the overall experience at FWS has been overwhelmingly positive. I truly love working here!

What is the best part of working at the company?
Being a part of a premier conservation agency that takes its mission seriously works to value its staff and stays current with climate and habitat management practices. It's been phenomenal!

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It is a high paced high demanding agency because it serves so many facets for the nation from Guam to Puerto Rico. So one has to be ready to pivot and manage multiple tasks very well. It takes a while to get to that level but once you do it can be rewarding. But it is a fast pace organization

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It's an older agency so it has gone through its transitions to try to move towards a more more eclectic holistic and forward-thinking culture. It has a value system and just recently devised a vision for the future and so taking that along with the past which was stellar yet somewhat traditional. I think those are the areas that the agency has to blend together with multiple diverse voices which is still developing.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
A standard 8-hour day or an alternative work schedule Monday through Thursday or Monday through Friday is pretty standard. Some telework options are available, but most people work in the station because refuges are a priority for the agency so we need folks to be on site

I loved my job and believe in our mission 120%. You will spend your day acting as a voice for protected wildlife nationally and internationally and working to deter smuggling via international ports of entry. You will also work to assist the legal wildlife trade. At its core it is a dream job. 

But politics and management at USFWS especially within the Law Enforcement office is horrible. Everything is done on the "friend" plan not based on work ethic, performance and qualifications. And frankly some of what is going on is pushing the edge of what is lawful. The work environment can be openly hostile and you can view internal studies that show staff indicates a culture of harassment exists here.

Most of the base level people are good people and dedicated. But there is little promotional potential. Performance appraisals are done annually but there is no clear guideline for successful/Superior etc performance - so you can clear more freight than anyone else or find more violations and receive a lower performance rating than other lower performing staff. You wil be overworked due to low staffing, you will not have supplies and access to what you need to do your job effectively and you will not receive support from your agency when you need it.

Working at this national wildlife refuge is what solidified my career in natural resource management and geared me toward wildlife management. When I started here I had no idea places like this existed. The national wildlife refuge system really has their stuff together. Everyone works together from interns to managers to accomplish a common goal. They really rely on interns to get the grunt work done and really appreciate all the volunteer work they receive. I signed up to do a 14 internship to finish my college career and ended up staying 15 months. I learned so much in 15 months. Although I was sent to heavy equipment training most of my job duties were biology based. I worked alone in the beginning and then became a intern crew leader in the summer, by the time I left I received the volunteer of the year award for volunteering over 2,000 hours of work. Some of my duties consisted of detailed vegetation surveys, waterfowl surveys, moist soil unit management, water management, building and grounds maintenance, public outreach and education, and training interns.

Working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife was great. I learned a lot and felt independent being in charge of a very important task of the project.

The Project:
The project was to record the location and begin the extermination process of Japanese Stilt-grass which started to flourish along the road sides of the town of Conway. We did roadside surveys throughout the town and recorded the locations with a gps. I then formulated a system of record keeping that I would use to fill an attribute table for each plot we marked. Later on I made a map using the data and made multiple maps zoomed on 3 different regions of the map to make the locations of the stilt grass more clear. We then used the maps to locate volunteers for optimum use of their time. We began pulling/weedwacking in September where it was the best time to prevent further seed dispersal.

The hardest part was funding my own gas to get to the 40 min. drive site which I wasn't getting compensated for.

The most enjoyable part was being a crucial part of the team by being in charge of producing the maps since no one else had any GIS experience.

The people that work at US Fish & Wildlife are in the majority well educated scientists, interpreters, educators, and fire managers. There are also a great number of administrative and fire tech jobs which also require a degree; the only path that would not require a college degree would be the maintenance positions, however these positions still expect competency in the skill set being used. (mason, mechanic, carpenter, electrician, plumber, etc.) A typical day for an Admin Assistant would be fielding calls and routing to appropriate personnel; maintaining office files, performing payroll, purchasing, inventory, and a host of other typical office functions.

I really enjoy working at this company because the environment is positive and supportive. The management team listens to employees and encourages new ideas, which makes me feel valued. My coworkers are friendly and always willing to help, creating a strong sense of teamwork. Communication is clear, and everyone understands their responsibilities. The company also offers good opportunities for growth and training, which helps me improve my skills. The workload can be busy at times, but the balance between work and personal life is fair. I appreciate the flexible schedule and the respect for employees’ time. The office is clean, organized, and has a good atmosphere. Overall, this is a great place to work, and I feel motivated to do my best every day. I would recommend this workplace to anyone looking for a stable job with a positive team culture.

A typical day of work would start at 0530 in the morning. My Supervisor would give me a phone call telling me where he wants me to take my team and search for invasive species of plants. Depending on the terrain my team was about to encounter for the day, we would use ATV's, UTV's, Backhoe, or just hike. We would usually work hours away from any type of supervisor, so the US Fish and Wildlife put their complete faith and trust in me, and I respected them even more so for that. The most enjoyable part of the job was being able to enjoy the outdoors and seeing a lot of wildlife. All of the managers and supervisors were very respectable. My coworkers were all open minded and would listen to any concerns and were all very hard working, happy, enjoyable people.

Management was more interested in staying out of trouble than doing a good job.  Everyday I was reminded of what would happen if the rules were no followed.  Middle management had a "I am the boss" attitude and never failed to remind me.  I was responsible for answering the phones and several other computer related tasks but occasionally I would be sent to clean up a warehouse or mow the property  and then be accused of not answering the phones when there was no phone in the warehouse or outside.  The other staff would complain if they had to answer the phone when I was away.  There was a great deal of animosity between top management and middle management.  I could hear the bosses screaming at their subordinates.

I learned so much while I was working here. My bosses gave clear instructions on what they wanted, but every day was its own adventure. The bugs, poison ivy, and heat were often unbearable, but they were definitely character-building.  By the time I was familiar with my boss's expectations, I was able to operate with minimum supervision and felt confident in what I was doing. I also had the opportunity to work with wildland firefighters, biologists, foresters, graduate students and professors, the USGS, The Nature Conservancy, and others. Also, the staff at the refuge were all wonderful and had a lot to teach me. I only wish that it wasn't a mere internship but an actual job, otherwise I would still be there.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Administrative assistant 10 salaries reported	$25.10 per hour
Biological technician 4 salaries reported	$44,005 per year
Wildlife biologist 3 salaries reported	$95,079 per year
Monitor 1 salary reported	$720 per week
Maintenance person 2 salaries reported	$22.99 per hour

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