Field Leader- 2025 Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Corps Team

Position Summary 

The SCA Alaska Corps- Kenai National Wildlife Refuge is a 14-week AmeriCorps program focused on leadership development, completing trail work projects, and building a sense of community. You will lead a 4 person crew as a trained SCA Project Leader. The group will live and serve together for the duration of the program. Leaders and members should be prepared to camp together throughout the summer and face the challenges of weather, insects, remoteness, and wildlife typical of outdoor work in Alaska. This is an opportunity to learn the hard and soft skills required for work in the outdoor industry; folks will walk away with experience in conservation trail work, leadership, interpersonal skills, and outdoor living skills.

Schedule 

April 13, 2025 – August 30, 2025

Location: Soldotna, AK

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

This team will be based out of Soldotna, AK. They will be working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service on the Swan and Swanson River Canoe Systems. The projects for this crew will include but not be limited to trail maintenance, new trail construction, and boardwalk repair projects. These Projects may be accessed by canoe via the lake and rivers within the systems. Members should be comfortable traveling in a canoe with gear over open water. Specific projects may include: creating/maintaining trail tread; cutting/removing brush from the trail corridor; installing permanent features such as, puncheons or boardwalks; improving access to recreation areas; using cross-cut saw to remove down trees; navigating team through river/lake system via canoe, and maintaining walkways for portages.

Each team will camp for the duration of the program and eat meals together. During training, leaders will hone their outdoor living skills, trail work skills, and teamwork skills, which they will be expected to pass on to their members during the season. The team will work with each other to resolve conflict and build relationships in remote areas, where they may go hours or days with minimal contact with people outside of the crew, depending on the project and work location.

Leaders are responsible for overseeing the team’s workday, making sure camp tasks are completed, providing leadership in conflict resolution, and mentoring young adults in outdoor living and trail-building skills. They are also responsible for completing administrative tasks throughout the season such as Emergency Response Plans, Job Hazard Analysis, Incident Reports, budgeting, meal planning, food purchasing, expense reconciling, and end-of-season reporting.

During days off, leaders are expected to ensure that members are, minimally, in a safe location with access to communications and transportation services. Depending on how remote the location is, this may mean the team spends days off together, or are at least in the same location. To be safe in bear country by traveling as a group, the team will usually recreate together as well. SCA teams work in remote, tight-knit communities and are expected to maintain a positive representation of SCA during days off.

While working with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, members and leaders will be able to network with professionals in natural resources and recreation management. Crews may have unique opportunities to learn about different career paths in recreation and natural resources and see first-hand what their work consists of.

Leaders will travel to the Project Leader Training location in April (location TBD), then to Anchorage for further training and preparation before Corps Member Training in Indian, AK. Each leader will receive $1,300 for this travel. Leaders will have about two weeks before members arrive to prepare for their season by coordinating with their project partners, buying food and supplies for their members, and coordinating travel and project details with their SCA Program Coordinator.

Crew Leaders will:

• Act as a Crew Supervisor, by facilitating teamwork, managing trail work and camp maintenance tasks, and keeping the team operating in an efficient and timely manner
• Serve as an Advisor, by training members in technical conservation work skills, mentoring personal and professional development, facilitating conflict resolution, and teaching environmental stewardship
• Act as a Project Manager, by communicating with agency partners and SCA staff, ensuring successful and timely completion of work projects, and upholding a positive representation of SCA
• Perform tasks as a Program Administrator, such as organizing logistics; completing documentation such as: incident reports, Emergency Response Plans, and health checks; managing a budget; and communicating regularly with SCA staff;
• Working with SCA Alaska Program Coordinators and Program Manager to successfully implement the position program

Marginal Duties 

Potential for using cross-cut saw, invasive plant removal, bunkhouse cleaning, after-hours member check-ins, canoe and equipment maintenance, brushing, and any other assistance needed by agency partners

Required Qualifications 

• Experience working with young adults (especially 18-25 years old); teaching or environmental education a plus
• Experience with conservation work skills or related skills– i.e., trail maintenance, trail construction, habitat restoration, chainsaw, carpentry, landscaping, and gardening
• Ability to perform manual, physical labor for up to 10 hours per day, exposed to the elements, and must occasionally lift and/or move 40 pounds or more
• Comfortable working outdoors in varying and inclement weather conditions
• Experienced in living and working in bear country, with a strong understanding of bear safety protocols and awareness
• Wilderness First Responder certification or ability to obtain one before 4/12/25
• Must be able to attend the entire Crew Leader training and entire duration of the season. Travel outside of Alaska will not be possible during the season for leaders or members due to remote locations of crews
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age
• Must have the ability to legally work in the US
• Must have a valid driver’s license for 3+ years and MVR that meets SCA standards
• Must be able to meet SCA’s criminal background check standards

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 18 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United States or lawful permanent resident aliens of the United States. Hours served can be applied toward the Public Land Corps (PLC) hiring authority.

Preferred Qualifications 

USFS Thinking Sawyer B level Cross-Cut Certification; ACA Canoe certifications, Canoe trip leading experience, WFR or WEMT; Leave No Trace Trainer; Experience working and/or living in Alaska preferred but not required; Alaska Residents preferred but not required

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

Leaders should expect to camp for the entire duration of the season. Housing during work projects will be provided in the form of tents and a communal bunkhouse during off-time. SCA will supply the tents and bunkhouse. Leaders and members will provide their own sleep system (sleeping bag and pad). Guidance on what to bring will be provided.

Compensation  

• $800-900 DOE weekly salary *
• $1300 travel stipend *
• Food & Transportation provided for the duration of the program
• Cell phone reimbursement- $40/month

*All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

Additional Benefits 

• Bear Safety
• Defensive Drive Training
• First Aid/CPR
• Wilderness First Responder Training
• USFS Cross-cut Saw training

Equal Opportunity Statement 

SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members. SCA is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere in which people of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles may grow personally and professionally. The Student Conservation Association, Inc. is an equal-opportunity employer. 

 Physical requirements and working conditions specific to the position are available in the full job description.