Title: Adult Program Crew Leader  

Reports to: Program Director  

Locations: Salida, CO or Alamosa, CO 

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt 

Start/end date: March 28, 2022 – late October, weather permitting  

Wages: $685-735 / week dependent upon experience 

Benefits: 10 days of Paid Time Off (PTO): 1 paid week off in May between leader season and summer member season and 1 paid week off in August between summer member season and summer fall season, plus 4 additional days of flexible PTO. Medical benefits option available. Food provided while in the field, uniforms, USFS-recognized S-212 Chainsaw training, Cross-cut training, Restorative Justice Training, Trauma-Informed Care Training, QPR training, & other development opportunities 

 Multiple positions opened until filled.  

 Southwest Conservation Corps:  

The 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 Los Valles office is located on the ancestral lands of the Ute people, who continue to survive and thrive on these lands today. The SCC LV office is in Salida Colorado with satellite operations in Alamosa CO. SCC LV serves the Arkansas River Valley and the San Luis Valley: the two valleys, or los valles. The SCC Los Valles Adult Program engages motivated young adults, ages 18 – 30, to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects. Projects may include, trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, invasive species mitigation, hazardous fuels reduction, habitat restoration, 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. 
 
Position Summary:  

The Adult Program Crew Leader at SCC Los Valles is responsible for overseeing a crew of 8: crews consist of 6 members, 1 Crew Leader in Development (CLDP), and the crew leader. Crews work in front and backcountry locations in all weather conditions. Standard schedule consists of 8 days on-hitch and 6 days off with some exception. On-hitch, crews camps together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores. SCC does not provide accommodations off-hitch and Crew Leaders will be responsible for their own accommodations during that time. Crew Leaders will lead crews in completing technical conservation projects while instilling interpersonal skills and leadership skills. Crew leaders will also be responsible for leading crews in environmental stewardship, risk management, trauma-informed care, and restorative justice. 

At SCC Los Valles, we hold that social equity and environmental justice are the responsibility of all. We do not hire individuals to lead specific crews at the time of hiring and will select leader pairs during the course of crew leader training season. In your application, please speak to how your strengths lend themselves to leading 2 – 3 of the following crews:  

• Leaders of Color crew – An affinity crew for QTBIPOC individuals with a focus on technical skills and certifications. 
• Women’s+ Saw crew – An affinity crew for Trans and Cis Women and non-binary individuals with a focus on chainsaw skills development. 

• 14ers crew – Working in two locations (high and sup alpine), these crews will be working to build a new trail up Mt. Shavano, working closely with Colorado Fourteeners Initiative. 
• Alamosa Local Adult crew – A crew for systems-involved young adults in the San Luis Valley with a focus on career pathways with a variety of green jobs. This crew serves a predominately Hispanic, Chicanx community.  
• Queer Trail crew – An affinity crew for 2SLGBTIA+ individuals with a focus on a wide variety of trail work. 
• Short-term Conservation crews – Short-term crew aimed at individuals in school, or who are apprehensive about joining a longer-term crew, to introduce individuals to land management techniques and trail work. 

A variety of soft skills and technical competencies are required to be successful in this role. See below for core competencies:  

Required Skills

Responsibilities & Core Competencies:  

 Leadership & Mentorship  

• Embody equity, ensure inclusion, and embrace diversity (equity, inclusion, and diversity) within the corps. This includes but is not limited to:  
• Lead and participate in Land Acknowledgements that recognize Indigenous communities who have historically and continue to steward the Los Valles region. 

• Employ a restorative justice approach to disciplinary incidents 
• Facilitate and engage in environmental education that includes the fraught history of public lands in the United States.  
• Employ a trauma-informed approach to building crew dynamics and addressing interpersonal conflict 
• Be accountable to ensuring the SCC Los Valles community centers the experiences of members of historically marginalized populations, including Black, Indigenous, Queer, Trans and Women of Color (QTBIPOC), and young adults with systems-involvement 
• Foster 21st century work skills in corps members, i.e.: collaboration & teamwork, creativity & imagination, critical thinking, problem-solving, flexibility & adaptability 

• Model strong communication and conflict transformation skills 
• Mentor Crew Leader in Development (CLDP) in their growth in leadership, facilitation, and supervisory skills.  

Project Management & Implementation  

• Instruct, train & motivate a crew to complete high quality technical conservation projects 

• Implement a 10-hour workday and ensure professionalism is maintained at camp 
• Delegate project work & camp chores 
• Effectively coordinate logistics with project partners, co-leader, & SCC staff  

Risk Management  

• Analyze, manage, and inform on hazardous conditions and crew health 
• Exhibit strong situational awareness at worksite and campsite   
• Transport crew and equipment safely in SCC’s vans and large SUVs with trailers  

Administrative Skills  

• Meet all deadlines for documentation, i.e., timesheets, evaluations, incident reports, etc 
• Record all project related outcomes and deliverables  
• Manage food budget and credit card for purchases, providing receipts for all purchases 

Required Experience

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Outdoor leadership experience with youth and/or young adults 
• Physically fit and able to work 40-50 hr work weeks  
• High School diploma or GED certificate  
• Must hold current/relevant medical certification (WFR, WEMT, or OEC) with CPR/AED  
• Must be 21, or have had a driver’s license for 3 consecutive years with a clean driving record (insurable by SCC), and a current driver’s license 

• For leading crews with a chainsaw component (LOC and W+): ability to test out at a B-level in chainsaw during crew leader training season. 

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Experience with SCC or other conservation corps 
• Experience supervising a team or managing a classroom 

• Experience working with trauma-impacted communities 

Essential Functions:  

• Frequently required to walk, hike, sit, talk and listen.  
• Required to use hands to operate objects and tools, and to reach with hands and arms.  

• Regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and the ability to focus.  
• Required to drive an SCC vehicle  
• Enforce all SCC policies. SCC is a substance free work environment. All must refrain from the use of tobacco products, vaping, alcohol, and drugs while in the program.  
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions  

Conservation Legacy provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfers, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.