AmeriCorps Crew Member – Great Smoky Mountains Trail Crew

Job Overview

Title: AmeriCorps Crew Member – Great Smoky Mountains Trail Crew

Season Dates:  July 31, 2023 – November 17, 2023 (16-weeks)

Reports To: Crew Leader, Field Supervisor

Status: Full-time, seasonal, exempt 450-hour AmeriCorps National Service Position

Stipend: $600 per week, paid biweekly. A $1,718.25 AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of the program.

Location: Crew will be based out of Chattanooga, TN but will be camping and working in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Benefits: Food & transportation provided while in the field overnight, uniform shirts, and personal protective equipment. Members will also receive orientations and trainings as available. Members will earn hours towards a PLC Hiring Authority.

Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 1 Assistant Crew Leader, 4 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, to complete conservation work projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC programs encourage environmental stewardship, foster community partnerships, and emphasize experiential learning. 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 works with a variety of 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 project work is manual labor based and most projects require a hike into and out of the project site daily carrying tools and a day pack.

Position Description:

This crew engages motivated young adults ages 18-30, 35 for veterans, and will be working in partnership with The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The crew members will team up with the Trails Forever Crew to perform heavy manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects. Crews work in frontcountry and backcountry locations in all types of weather conditions. As such, members should be open to adapting to various climates.

Although everyone is encouraged to apply, preference will be given to applicants who identify as Women’s+. The term “Women’s+” is inclusive of trans, non-binary, genderfluid individuals, and cis women. This program model fosters a supportive learning environment where participants can maximize their opportunities to grow and develop while gaining certifications to propel them into a career in environmental stewardship. It also creates an intentional space for groups that are under-represented to step into conservation and natural resource management.

Crew Members effectively learn and apply new environmental conservation skills/restoration skills/outdoor-living skills, actively participate in environmental education activities, practice appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned, and use, maintain and repair hand and power tools as necessary.

Project work may vary due to seasonality and environmental safety concerns.  Projects that crews typically work on may include, but are not limited to:

• Trail construction and maintenance
• Grip hoist/rigging
• Timber work
• Rock work
• Corridor clearing
• Invasive species removal
• Habitation restoration
• Fence installation/repair
• Bridge installation/repair
• Community Service

The crew will spend one week during their season shadowing SECC Individual Placement partners in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This can include Wildlife Management, Fishery Management, Vegetation Management, Vegetation Monitoring, Aquatic Macroinvertebrate Monitoring, and Archeology.

Hitch Schedule:

The crew will tent camp in the field for the entire season. Workdays are typically 10 hours with scheduled breaks throughout the day. Depending on project work and location, other schedule variations may be implemented. This position operates on 5 days of work with 2 days off between hitches.

The day starts at 7:30 AM with a stretch circle and safety meeting. The day includes two fifteen-minute breaks and a half-hour break for lunch. Typically, the workday concludes at 6:00 PM, with group meals and community/camp chores following, every evening. Additionally, with some evenings including group discussions on conservation and/or corps related topics.

While the staff at SECC and partners work to provide consistency throughout the season, personal flexibility is expected and should be prepared for when entering the term as schedules, times, and work 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. 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.

Compensation:
AmeriCorps members will receive an AmeriCorps living stipend of $600 per week before taxes, dispersed biweekly. Upon successful completion of the term of service AmeriCorps members will earn an AmeriCorps Segal Education Award to be used for student loans, qualifying programs/classes, or tuition for traditional Title IV accredited colleges.

Expectations of an SECC Corpsmember:

• Expect to work long days in a frontcountry or backcountry location. Workdays will contain hiking and strenuous labor in remote settings in all weather conditions.
• SECC is a non-residential program, meaning crew members are responsible for attaining and paying for their own housing when not in the field.
• Crews prepare all their own meals and work together as a group to complete all necessary chores. Community/camp chores will be completed every evening, with many evenings including group discussions on conservation and/or corps related topics.
• 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.
• While serving a term of National Service, SECC crews are expected to work in diverse team settings.  Respect for all members of the program, our partners, the public and the land they are visiting is expected.
• SECC expects members to represent the program in a professional manner.  Crew life will include our corps values of challenge, stewardship, dedication, community, integrity, and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
• Crew members work together to learn and apply new environmental conservation skills/restoration skills/outdoor-living skills, actively participate in environmental education activities, practice appropriate safety procedures in all tasks assigned, and use, maintain and repair hand and power tools as necessary.
• Members are expected to be timely, hardworking, flexible, and complete all functions of tasks assigned.
• A general comfort and previous knowledge of working/living in an outdoor setting is preferred.

 Minimum Qualifications: 

• Must be between ages 18 and 30, 35 for veterans
• Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and provide primary documentation to support this
• Must be cleared through an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry, as well as state and federal Criminal History Checks
• Must have a high school diploma, GED, or agree to work toward attaining either during term of service (this is essential to obtaining and using the AmeriCorps Education Award)

Participation 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
• 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 work requirements
• Appropriately represent the Program and AmeriCorps to the public and project partners at all times.

 
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.

Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate)

• Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living/travel and work 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.

Substance Free: In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.

To Apply: Complete the Application, upload cover letter and resume if available.

Any questions can be addressed to:

Ellen Baker

Temporary Recruitment Coordinator

[email protected]