Internship Dolores River Restoration Strike Team Crew Member
Job Description
Position: Dolores River Restoration Strike Team Crew Member
Dates: August 24th – November 20th, 2020
Status: Seasonal, Full-time
Location: Durango, CO
Stipend: $450/week
Ages: 18 – 30
Other Benefits: food provided while in the field, uniform shirts, personal protective equipment, optional CO pesticide applicator license
AmeriCorps Education Award After Completed Term
About Southwest Conservation Corps
Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization that engages motivated young adults to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects on public lands throughout Colorado and New Mexico. Our programs focus on place-based learning, life skills development, conservation service work, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. SCC also provides an opportunity for corps members to learn about the local environment, environmental issues, and get introductions to recreation and resource management careers.
About the Position
This Strike Team will work as part of the Dolores River Restoration Partnership (DRRP), which is a public-private collaborative of conservation corps, BLM managers, private landowners, local non-profits, and other community members surrounding the Dolores River watershed. The DRRP is in year 11 of an ambitious effort to treat invasive plant species along 175 miles of the Dolores River corridor. The primary responsibilities of this crew are to treat noxious weeds, maintain and participate in revegetation activities such as seeding and planting, and perform general restoration activities as needed by the partnership. This crew is designed to be flexible to meet the evolving needs of the partnership and changing conditions of restoration sites.
As an AmeriCorps program participant with SCC, your office is the great outdoors! You will work alongside 1 leader and another member as part of a 3-person crew. Crews work and camp for several days at a time in remote locations, in all types of weather conditions. You will work effectively as a member of the crew; perform heavy manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects; work outdoors in all types of weather and succesfully adapt to various climates; effectively learn and apply new environmental conservation and restoration skills; actively participare in environmental education activities; practice appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned; use, maintain and repair hand and power tools as necessary.
Schedules may vary, but generally are 5 days on M-F and 2 days off. This crew may be required to work 10 days on and 4 days off, so we require all AmeriCorps crew members to be flexible. SCC does not provide housing on off days.
Required Skills
Qualifications: To qualify, you must be between the ages of 21 and 30, have a clean driving record (insurable by SCC), a current driver’s license, and be a US citizen that has received (or on track to receive) a high school diploma or GED. First Aid/CPR required. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check.
Desired Qualifications: The ideal candidates for this position have knowledge of native and invasive plants in the southwest, and interest/experience in treatment and mapping of invasive species. Experience working independently and with a team in the outdoors, including navigating to sites with a team, are also preferred. A relevant Bachleors degree as well as GPS and GIS experience are a plus.
Members are not required to have herbicide experience, though it is a bonus. Members will be put through SCC’s Pesticide Training.
Participant Essential Eligibilty 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:
Participant and Expedition Behavior
- Work 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.
- 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 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 work requirements.
- Contribute to a safe learning environment; no harrassment of others for any reason.
- Appropriately represent SCC and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all time.
Safety and Judgement
- 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.
Environmental Ethics & Outdoor Skills
- Learn and practice Leave No Trace ethics and techniques.
- Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed 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.
Substance Free
- In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and SCC activities, and while on organization property.
How to Apply
To apply: Upload resume, cover letter and complete the Crew Member application to our application portal here. Any questions can be addressed to: Emily Kasyon, Watershed Programs Manager: ekasyon@conservationlegacy.org597 total views, 0 today