Summer Conservation Crew Member– AmeriCorps

Position Title: Summer Conservation Crew Member– AmeriCorps  

Conservation Legacy Program: Southwest Conservation Corps 

Site Location: Four Corners Office (Durango, CO)  

Terms of Service: 

• Start Date: 05/25/2026 (Voluntary Non-AC Orientation Week); Project Start 06/02/2026
• End Date: 8/7/2026
• AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 300 Hours

Multiple positions available. Open until filled. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. 

Purpose: 

Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization, whose mission is to engage future leaders who protect, restore, and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service. The SCC Adult Program engages motivated young adults, ages 18-30, to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects. SCC operates out of the Four Corners office in Durango, CO, and out of the Los Valles office in Salida, CO. SCC is located on the ancestral lands of the Puebloan and Ute people, who continue to survive and thrive on these lands today. SCC-FC serves southwestern Colorado and northern New Mexico.   

As an AmeriCorps program participant with Southwest Conservation Corps, your office is great outdoors! Each crew consists of 6 members and 2 leaders. Crews serve and camp for 8 days at a time in either front country (access to your crew vehicle and trailer), or backcountry (hiking all your supplies in with backpacks) locations.   

Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazardous fuels reduction, re-vegetation, weeding, herbicide treatment, fencing, facility maintenance, and local environmental service projects. Crews may also complete technical and/or specialized projects depending on project partner needs, including disaster relief if the opportunity arises.     

Schedules consist of 10-hour days that are typically 8-days on and 6-days off. There is a possibility you could serve 4 days on and 3 days off, or a variation of schedules. SCC requires that all AmeriCorps crew members demonstrate flexibility in scheduling.    

We will be hiring the following summer crews during the 2026 season. We will speak about the service projects that each of these crews completes during the interview and will discuss your preferences at that time.    

• Conservation/Trail Crew – A crew for young adults with potential project service including, but not limited to:
  • Front country trail construction/maintenance
  • Backcountry trails (backpacking into camp/complete projects in a backcountry setting without access to a vehicle)
  • Wilderness Restoration
  • Clearing trails with Crosscut saws
  • Mapping, Inventory, or Monitoring
  • Invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide)

• Chainsaw Crew – A crew for young adults that serves primarily in front country settings, with potential project service including, but not limited to:
  • Sustainable Forestry
  • Fuels reduction
  • Invasive species removal (with the potential to use herbicide)

Description of Duties: 

In this AmeriCorps position, you will:  

• Serve effectively as a member of the crew,
• Perform strenuous physical tasks related to environmental conservation and restoration projects,
• Serve outdoors in all types of weather and successfully adapt to various climates,
• Effectively learn and apply new environmental conservation and restoration skills,
• Actively participate in environmental education activities if they are provided,
• Practice appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned, and
• Use, maintain and repair hand and power tools as necessary.

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements  The following 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.  

Participant and Expedition Behavior  

• Serve effectively as a member of a team despite potentially stressful and difficult conditions.
• Willingness and ability to complete all aspects of the program.
• Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harassment of any kind.
• Appropriately represent SCC and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all times.

Risk Management and Judgement  

• Follow directions by others so that you can successfully manage hazards.
• Ask clarifying questions when you do not understand a task.
• Maintain focus during the service day, both while traveling and serving in varied weather conditions.
• If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage without assistance from others.

Environmental Ethics & Outdoor Skills  

• Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living skills as appropriate to the project.
• Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for up to several weeks.

Substance-Free  

• In accordance with a drug-free program, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and SCC activities, and while on organization property. 

Qualifications: 

• United States citizen, United States national, or a lawful permanent resident alien
• At least 17 years of age
• Has received a high school diploma or equivalency certificate; or has not dropped out of elementary or secondary school to enroll as an AmeriCorps participant, and agrees to obtain a high school diploma or its equivalent prior to using the education award
• Agrees to provide information to establish eligibility and to complete a National Service Criminal History Check.

Our Commitment: 
Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.  

Time Requirements:  

• Members typically serve either 8 days on/6 days off or 4 days on/3 days off schedules. Service days are 10- hour days, typically from 7am to 5:30pm. A half-hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.
• Members may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.
• Members must be physically fit and able to serve 40-50 hour service weeks.

Orientation and Training: 

• Crew members will be invited to participate in a voluntary crew member orientation week from 05/25/2026 to 05/29/2026. This orientation week will include Wilderness First Aid training.
• Members will also receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps policies, procedures, and prohibited and unallowable activities.

Benefits: 

• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $1,565.08
• Living Allowance of $480 per week.
• Additional Benefit of $120 per week.
• Loan forbearance if Eligible
• Interest Payments if Eligible
• Wilderness First Aid Certification provided
• United States Forest Service-recognized chainsaw certification (if serving on chainsaw crew)
• Food provided while in the field, uniforms, protective equipment, access to Employee Assistance Program provided

Evaluation and Reporting: 

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service. 

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to, bi-weekly timesheets and accomplishment tracking. 

Other Considerations: 

• The ability to live, serve, and camp in rural Colorado is necessary. Weather can be extreme and variable throughout the year.

Supervisor Name and Contact Information: 

• Greta Binzen, SCC Four Corners (Durango) Adult Program Coordinator: gbinzen@conservationlegacy.org

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.   

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.