Veterans Corps Field Crew Member/Leader

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 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

 
Projects are in partnership with public land management agencies such as the State Department of Natural Resources, US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, cities, counties, and trail associations. Projects are physically challenging and team-oriented and occur throughout the Midwest, including urban and wilderness settings. There will be out-of-town assignments, requiring camping for 4 – 12 consecutive days, frequency depends on project schedules. Crews are led by Crew Leaders and supervised by Regional staff and a Veterans Corps Manager.

Duties & Responsibilities

Complete natural resources service projects in cooperation with fellow members safely, effectively, and efficiently and to the satisfaction and specifications of the project host
Abide by Corps program safety regulations as well as applicable federal/state/municipal law and OSHA requirements; communicate any safety concerns and incidents
Contribute actively to the team to complete projects, demonstrating a commitment to the Corps values of safety, service, respect, equity and community, as well as justice, diversity, and inclusion.
Positive attitude, desire to learn new skills, interest in community service; represent Conservation Corps in positive manner in public
Serve a minimum of 1,700 hours and complete the entire service term per the start and end dates listed on the Member Service Agreement
Complete and approve timecards and other required reports and paperwork in timely manner

 
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.  

Training & Development
The Corps provides orientation and skills training at the start of the program year, and additional region or project specific training throughout the service term that may include:

AmeriCorps benefits
S130 & S190 Firefighter training and red card certification training
Chainsaw, brush saw and pole saw operations
Safety and risk management
Power and hand tool safety and maintenance
First Aid and CPR
MN Safety Council defensive driving
Trailer operation and safety
Invasive species management/herbicide application
Plant identification
Leave No Trace principles.
Veteran resources
Diversity, equity, and inclusion

No more than 20% of total service hours will be spent on training and development activities.
Benefits:

Living Allowance: $1,976/month (member), $2,200/month (leader)
Education Award: up to $6,495, if eligible and upon successful completion of program
Housing Reimbursement: $100/month (reimbursable upon proof of payment) 
Student loan forbearance (on qualifying student loans)
Health insurance
Childcare assistance
Training, certifications, networking

Qualifications

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
Honorably served in the US military
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

 
Other Information
Women, BIPOC, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa requires all employees and AmeriCorps members to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 OR provide a weekly COVID-19 test. 

Questions?
Contact our recruitment team at recruit@conservationcorps.org

How to apply:

Apply online