Seasonal Veterans Corps Field Crew Member/Leader

Position: Seasonal Veterans Corps Field Crew Member/Leader (AmeriCorps, ages 18 – 35)

Location: St. Paul, Mankato, Duluth, or Rochester, MN
    This is not a residential program; participants must secure housing preferably near the crew location

Service Term: May – December 2024

Position Summary: 

AmeriCorps Veterans Corps Field Crews serve outdoors restoring habitat, managing natural resources, and responding to natural disasters or community needs. In addition to these tasks members will work with the Veterans Corps Manager to attend sessions on transitioning to civilian life and connecting to veteran services and resources. The Field Crew program prioritizes personal and professional growth while teaching hands-on conservation skills in the field. Members develop technical skills throughout their term while completing challenging and impactful conservation projects.  Members will be trained in a wide variety or skills and receive nationally recognized certifications and opportunities to network with professionals.  Natural resources projects vary by region and crew location, but may include:

• Invasive species management
• Stream bank stabilization, erosion control
• Prescribed burning
• Trail construction & maintenance
• Tree planting
• Basic carpentry
• Wild land fire suppression
• Emergency response

Hours & Schedule:

Schedules can vary, depending on crew location. Crew members should expect to be scheduled for at least 40 hours of service per week. A typical schedule is Monday – Thursday, 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM, including a mandatory 30 minute lunch break which does not count towards service hours. Overnight travel (4 – 12 consecutive days) is often required for service projects. Some special assignments (including wildfire response and other emergency response assignments) may require members to deploy for several weeks at a time.  

Qualifications:

• Honorably served in the US military
• 18-35 years old
• Ability and desire to work well with others in a team setting, outdoors and in all weather conditions
• Commitment to upholding Corps values of safety, service, respect, equity, and community
• Dedication to complete the full term of AmeriCorps service
• Ability to perform the Essential Service Functions, which include but are not limited to:

• • Long (10 hour) days of shoveling, digging, and swinging heavy tools repetitively
  • Long (10 hour) days of chainsawing / brush sawing
  • Heavy lifting, bending, and carrying up to 50 pounds
  • Walking and working on steep or uneven terrain
  • Working in extremes of heat or cold 

• Flexible schedule to accommodate week-long out of town assignments and emergency response
• Must be a US Citizen, US National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the US
• Must pass a criminal history check consisting of a National Sex Offender Public Website check, a state criminal history check, and a fingerprint-based FBI check. 
• High school degree, GED, or willingness to work towards obtaining a GED