Staff Crew Leader – Boundary Marking Crew

Title: Staff Crew Leader – Boundary Marking Crew 

Reports to: Program Coordinator, Program Director  

Location: Crew will be based out of Chattanooga, TN, camping and serving within Forest Service Lands across the Southeast region  

Start/end date: 01/6/2025 – 05/02/2025  

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt  

Wages: $844/week, paid biweekly  

Health Benefits: Medical benefit options may be available for individuals serving 6 months or longer  

Other Benefits: Wilderness First Aid certification, Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Certificate (upon successful completion of hours), Food & transportation provided while in the field overnight, uniform shirts, personal protective equipment, and other developmental opportunities as available.   

Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 1 Assistant Crew Leader, 2 Crew Members  

Southeast Conservation Corps:  
Engaging future leaders who protect, restore, and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service.  

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC), a program of Conservation Legacy, is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, up to 35 for veterans, to complete conservation service projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC provides members with impactful opportunities through a unique set of programs that engage people in meaningful education and service to their communities and natural landscapes. SECC serves a diverse population that is representative of the Southeast, including youth, graduates, veterans, and a cross-section of ethnicities and income levels. SECC is also an active member of the AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team (A-DRT), and as such, selected crews may be deployed on Disaster response projects for up to 30 days.  

SECC partners with various land management agencies in Tennessee and throughout the Southeast region, such as the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, State Parks, and conservation-based non-profits. Projects vary but include trail construction and maintenance, ecosystem restoration, habitat restoration, fire fuels reduction, fencing on public lands, invasive weed removal, herbicide applications, and many others. The projects are manual labor based and most projects require a hike into and out of the project site daily carrying tools and a day pack.    

Crews will serve in frontcountry and backcountry locations in all types of weather conditions. Schedules may vary, but generally are 9 days on and 5 days off for camping crews. Project days are 10-hour shifts with scheduled breaks throughout the day. Depending on project and location, other schedule variations may be implemented. While the staff at SECC strives to provide consistency throughout the season, personal flexibility is expected and should be prepared for when entering the term as schedules, times, and project locations are subject to change per project needs.     

SECC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew Members are responsible for finding and attaining their own housing when not in the field. On-hitch crews prepare all their own meals and participate as a group to complete all necessary chores. Community/camp chores will be completed every evening, with many evenings including group discussions, conservation and/or corps related topics. The Crew Members must supply their own personal outdoor gear and equipment such as a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, day pack, multi-day pack, work pants, hiking/work boots, etc. SECC will provide group camp equipment, tools, protective gear and transportation between SECC Office and project sites.    

Position Summary:  

Southeast Conservation Corps’ Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding, but with opportunity for enormous rewards. Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, effective communication skills, excellent judgement, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to a crew experience where the needs of others are placed above oneself. The Crew Leader position requires, mentorship, patience, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors. Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.  

Service Project:  

Southeast Conservation Corps and the Southern Region of the U.S. Forest Service will partner to host a roving boundary maintenance crew that covers the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests, Daniel Boone National Forest, and the Ouachita National Forest.  

Projects will vary based on the priorities and direction of SECC and Forests but will focus on:  

• The renewal/maintenance of US Forest Service exterior boundary lines to FS boundary line marking standards to verify oil and gas lease applications as well as mining and prospecting claims.  
• The maintenance of existing FS exterior boundary corners to FS standards to ensure accuracy of all mineral lease applications by Updating corner cards (manually and/or electronically)  
• Collecting field data related to leasing and maintenance activities (manually and/or electronically)  
• Other surveying and mapping land boundary activities as needed for verifying the accuracy of current and future leasing of minerals.  

The projects are extremely arduous and require traversing very challenging terrain; will require a high level of physical fitness of participants. During inclement weather, and to provide a more enriching experience, shadowing other departments will be added as a beneficial experience for the crew.  

Crew Life:   

SECC Members with SECC serve on a crew model variation of 4-6 other Crew Members and 2 Crew Leaders who provide project expertise, mentorship, training, and support for the success of all participants. Food is provided while in the field. Together, crew members collaborate to plan meals and complete all necessary chores (cooking, washing dishes, etc.). Most dietary restrictions can be accommodated if known ahead of time. Many evenings include group discussions on conservation topics.  When living on site, members will camp, travel, complete service projects, and eat as a crew. No drug or alcohol consumption is allowed during service-related travel at any time.  

SECC supports a culture of feedback and growth. Crew Members will set goals at the beginning of the season and review their performance through both self-evaluation and a review with their Crew Leader in the middle and at the end of their season. Evaluations will cover areas such as professionalism, responsibility and leadership, communication, engagement, productivity, safety, and equipment use. Crew Members will also be asked to evaluate their Crew Leaders’ performance, the overall program, and their experience at the end of their term. 

Hitch Schedule:    

This position will operate on a variable “hitch” schedule, but generally it will follow 9 days on and 5 days off for camping crews. Project days follow a 10-hour shift with scheduled time for breaks. Applicants should be prepared to camp during hitches for the duration of the season, with lodging provided on a case-by-case basis if necessary.   

While the staff at SECC and partners strive to provide consistency throughout the season, personal flexibility is expected and should be prepared for when entering the term as schedules, times, and project locations are subject to change per project needs.     

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Willingness to commit fully to the program and its mission  
• Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions  
• Leadership experience with youth or young adults  
• Excellent organizational & communication skills  
• Must be able to demonstrate strong project management skills  
• Strong time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others  
• Ability to effectively and efficiently manage all aspects of crew life and production within a hitch schedule  
• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment  
• Willingness to learn and be a part of a dynamic community of peer leaders  
• Must be adaptive, patient, and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout  
• Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel, and LNT principles  
• Must be 21+, OR have a clean driving record for 3+years (insurable by SECC) and a current driver’s license  
• Willingness to deploy on a Disaster Response  

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience with backcountry navigation skills using compass/ArcGIS system   
• 1-2 years’ experience with SECC, other conservation corps or youth corps  
• Background with experiential and/or environmental education  
• Current and relevant certification in Wilderness Medicine (WFA, WAFA, WFR) with CPR/AED  
• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people  
• Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects  
• Technical trail construction and maintenance experience  
• Strong conflict resolution skills  
• Experience with Disaster Response  
• Relevant Bachelor’s Degree  
• Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others 

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements   

Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization. These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your particular position.  

Participation and Expedition Behavior   

• Serve effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions. This may require problem-solving on an interpersonal or group level as well as a willingness to accept differences   
• Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of others for any reason.   
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program including conservation projects, education, training, and national service. Members must commit to participating in all crew/team activities, including service days in local communities where applicable.   
• Effectively communicate ideas and concerns as they arise directly to supervisors, colleagues, and organization staff.   
• Have the cognitive ability to learn necessary skills and apply them to effectively carry out the service project requirements   
• Appropriately represent the Program and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all times.  

Required Skills:  

Leadership & Mentorship: 

• Manage, supervise, and lead the day-to-day details of service project  
• Implement skills training on project-site and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics  
• Promote individual corps member development and a healthy, supportive community  
• Mentor AmeriCorps Crew Leader while delegating project responsibilities, crew life oversight, and member development to them 
• Must be willing to follow and enforce all SECC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Southeast Conservation Corps. This includes creating a substance-free environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program  

Project Management & Implementation: 

• Train and motivate a crew of young adults to complete roving boundary marking maintenance/ other as-needed projects on public lands  
• Delegate project work & investment among co-leader and crew  
• Manage on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work  
• Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems  
• Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners, co-leader, & SECC staff  

Safety & Risk Management: 

• Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the project site  
• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety  
• Transport crew and equipment safely in SECC’s vans or large vehicles with trailers  

Administration: 

• Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly project reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, etc., and submit in a timely manner  
• Responsible for all project-related outcomes and deliverables  
• Manage food budget and credit card purchases, including receipt reconciliation  

Safety and Judgment:  

• Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance. You must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.  
• Effectively perceive, understand and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards. These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard  
• Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions  
• Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by others  
• Respond appropriately to stress or crises  
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others  
• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety  

Environmental Ethics:  

• Learn, practice, and teach ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques 

Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate): 

• Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living, travel, and industry skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries.    
• Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several weeks. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and/or trying weather. The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps in excess of 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.