Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) ESP

The Experienced Services Program (ESP)

This partnership between NEW Solutions and Fish and Wildlife Service places experienced workers (age 55+) into temporary, project-based positions supporting conservation and environmental protection efforts throughout the country.  

The FWS ESP was authorized under the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019: Public Law 116-6, Division E, Section 113), the Department of the Interior (DOI). Program activities will be carried out under various authorities, including the:   

Endangered Species Act (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.)  

Fish and Wildlife Act (16 U.S.C. 742 et seq.) 

Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act (16 U.S.C. 661-666e) 

Fish and Wildlife Improvement Act (16 U.S.C. 753) 

Migratory Bird Treaty Act (16 U.S.C. 703 et seq.) 

The Experienced Services Program addresses the issue of attrition and loss of institutional knowledge as federal workers retire and provides opportunities for newer, less experienced civil servants to learn from more experienced workers. ESP positions are generally part-time and supply professional, technical, operational and administrative assistance to the Fish and Wildlife Service. 

For applicants wanting to learn more about how to apply to the FWS ESP Program, please email FWSESP@newsolutions.org.

To recruit an ESP enrollee to support your Fish and Wildlife Service office, please contact Bridget Farley, Director, FWS Program at  bfarley@newsolutions.org or 303.238.0022; or Kate O’Dell, Manager, FWS Program, at kodell@newsolutions.org or 303.242.8668.  We will consult with you on the best way to get experienced workers started. 

About Fish and Wildlife Service

The Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is a bureau within the Department of Interior.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the premier government agency dedicated to the conservation, protection, and enhancement of fish, wildlife and plants, and their habitats.We are the only agency in the federal government whose primary responsibility is the conservation and management of these important natural resources for the American public.

The Service’s origins date back to 1871 when Congress established the U.S. Fish Commission to study the decrease in the nation’s food fishes and recommend ways to reverse that decline. (More on our history below.) Today, we are a diverse and largely decentralized organization, employing about 8,000 dedicated professionals working out of facilities across the country, including a headquarters office in Falls Church, Virginia, and eight regional offices representing the 12 Unified Interior Regions.