Kootenai NWR Maintenance Assistant (2025)

Save to Favorites

Spend your days between the river and mountains of the Inland Northwest at Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge!

Volunteers needed for the following 6-month commitments: May - October 2025. Shorter, 3-month commitments (May-July, August-October) are also being considered.

This position assists the maintenance staff with various tasks and projects, including, but not limited to:

• fencing repair
• parking lot maintenance
• tractor operation (seeding & disking)
• basic vehicle maintenance
• grounds keeping
• trail maintenance
• road maintenance
• carpentry

Desired (but not required) qualifications:

• Commercial Drivers License (CDL)
• ATV/UTV training
• Equipment operation training or experience
• Experience performing basic maintenance tasks
• Proficiency with hand and power tools
• Specialized trade experience welcome (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, welding)

This position is located at the headquarters and administration area within Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge, which also includes administrative offices and an environmental education center. To learn more about the refuge go to https://www.fws.gov/refuge/kootenai.

Environmental hazards include inclement weather, wildfire risk, and exposure to ticks.

Schedule is typically 4 days on and 3 days off. Day to day schedule varies. Couples will work the same days but may not have the same daily schedule. This position requires 24 hours/week per resident. Exact start and end dates negotiable.

The location of the refuge is about 40 minutes south of the Canadian border in a river valley. The closest municipality is the town of Bonners Ferry, ID, which hosts several grocery stores, a hospital, and other services. Nearby recreational opportunities include Lake Pend Oreille (30 minutes), Kaniksu National Forest (1 hour), and Priest Lake State Park (2 hours). Several other parks, refuges, and public lands exist within a half-day's drive. Many of these locations have opportunities for hiking, water sports, and mountain biking. The city of Sandpoint, ID is next closest major metropolitan area. The city of Spokane, which includes an international airport, is approximately 2 hours away.

RV or motor home utility hook-ups for electric, water, and sewage available. Refuge provides WiFi. No propane. No dogs allowed .

When applying please provide contact information for three references. Two references should be professional. If applying as couple please provide both applicant names.

For questions about this position, please contact:

Shannon Ehlers

Refuge Manager, Kootenai National Wildlife Refuge

shannon_ehlers@fws.gov

(509) 425-3682

Start Date - 2025-05-01

End Date - 2025-10-31