Job Description
FROM: https://www.volunteer.gov/s/
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ADDRESS: Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge; 5000 Wildlife Drive; Townsend, Georgia 31331
DEPT: Fish & Wildlife Service
DATES: 6/1/2021 – 10/31/2021
DESCRIPTION:
Flexible, self-motivated volunteers needed at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) to work on facility and grounds maintenance, as well as a visitor contact . This refuge has no staff assigned, so volunteers would need to be self-motivated and comfortable working independently. Most, if not all, work would be outdoors in summer/fall heat and humidity. Although somewhat remote, Harris Neck is conveniently located about 8 miles from I-95, right along the beautiful Georgia coast.
Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex is recruiting resident volunteers (RV) to be stationed at Harris Neck National Wildlife Refuge, one of seven refuges located within the Complex. Volunteers can be individuals or couples who are willing to provide 24 hours of service per week in exchange for the RV site and hookups. We require a 3-month minimum/6-month maximum commitment (anywhere in-between, schedule-dependent.) Harris Neck NWR is one of seven refuges the comprise the Savannah Coastal Refuges Complex, and is located right on the Georgia coast, in McIntosh County, about 8 miles from I-95. Although fairly remote, it is no more than 30 minutes to drive to amenities in the nearby communities of Darien, Brunswick, Hinesville, and Richmond Hill.
Harris Neck NWR has no USFWS staff assigned to it, therefore volunteers would be working independently most of the time. Direction would come from refuge staff located at the Savannah NWR approximately one hour north. An orientation would be conducted upon arrival, and volunteers will be given a list of routine activities that would need to be done daily/weekly throughout their stay. In addition, there are any number of special projects that could come up that staff would look to the volunteers to assist with, at Harris Neck, or on other refuges within the Complex. It is important that volunteers who consider this position be self-motivated and comfortable working independently, but also that they be diligent about communicating with refuge staff if they have questions or are uncertain if there’s a particular activity they should be doing or not doing. Volunteers should expect to be working outdoors a good majority of the time, and if volunteering during the spring thru fall months, temperature and humidity are high in our area. If working in those conditions would be an issue, we do not recommend volunteering here during the summer months. The most important qualification a volunteer can have is flexibility…we are a small staff with a LOT of work to do so priorities and work assignments can change quickly and often. We also have a lot of fun!
DUTIES
Duties vary with volunteer experience, but include mowing, weed eating, painting, light construction, staining, landscape maintenance, picking up trash, installing/maintenance of signs, trail maintenance and other grounds/facility maintenance.
Duties may also include working the reception desk at the visitor contact station (currently closed, but that will likely change within a few months.) Interacting with visitors on the refuge would also be something that would occur often (answering questions, giving directions, etc.)
QUALIFICATIONS
The only set-in-stone requirement we have for Resident Volunteers is that they be flexible, easy-going, and self-motivated. We are a small, busy staff that are often juggling many projects at once. This means that we often change direction quickly and frequently, and we need everyone on our team to be able to adjust to those changes. If your personality and work style is to be very structured and planned out, this may not be your ideal position. BUT, if you are flexible and enjoy a varied and fun work environment with freedom to take initiative, you’ll have a great experience here!