Trail Crew Member

With this job, you'll be paid to go backpacking in the majestic Maroon Bells-Snowmass wilderness, swing big heavy tools, and enjoy the great restaurants and community festivals in cozy Carbondale, CO.

Job Overview

The Trail Crew Member is responsible for working with a crew of 3-5 individuals as well as youth corps groups and volunteer groups on both frontcountry and backcountry trail and restoration projects. Approximately half of the season will be spent in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass and Hunter-Frying Pan Wilderness Areas, with the other half of the season focusing on frontcountry projects throughout our service area. This position requires the desire and ability to live and work in a backcountry setting for up to eight days, the ability to assess and manage risks, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

Specific Responsibilities:

Program Operations:

• Work under the direction of the Field Crew Leader and Program Director on backcountry and frontcountry trail and restoration projects.
• Support RFOV equipment and tool management: ensure tools, project equipment and supplies are clean and in good working order and regularly inventoried.
• Ensure project safety and practice effective risk management strategies.
• Serve as a crew leader on volunteer projects when necessary.
• Assist with project reporting
  • Accurately measure project metrics and use internal databases to record metrics
  • Assist in reporting systems on progress and accomplishments of all projects and ensure consistency and clear communication internally among RFOV staff.
  • Assist in keeping all project notes and details as well as partnership information.

Volunteer Coordination and Management

• Work to create a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment for volunteers.
• Ensure all RFOV volunteer programs foster a positive, educational, engaging, and motivating experience for volunteers.
• Occasionally serve as a crew leader on volunteer projects, overseeing a group of 8-10 students or volunteers.

Special Benefits

Benefits include paid time off, mileage reimbursement, $500/mo living stipend, $500 professional development stipend, $500 gear stipend, simple IRA with 3% match, end of season bonus.

Minimum Requirements

Desired Qualifications:

We encourage you to apply for this position even if you do not believe you meet all of the criteria listed here.

Leadership

• An excellent team builder who has experience in bringing a group of diverse individuals together for a common cause.
• Outdoor leadership, outdoor education, or environmental education experience.
• Self-directed, highly motivated, reliable, with a result and solution-oriented perspective, organized with an attention to detail, flexible with strong time-management skills.
• Excellent communication, motivational, and interpersonal skills applicable to a group outdoor setting.
• Strong belief in RFOV’s mission.

Management

• Experience working for or with land management agencies (state, federal, or municipal).
• Ability to proactively solve problems, work independently, and be creative and resourceful.
• Professional verbal communication skills including a professional appearance and positive demeanor.

Stewardship

• Trail building/maintenance experience in the following areas: trail creation, tread maintenance, corridor maintenance, and creating natural-material trail features including steps, walls, and drainage structures.
• Introductory ecological and natural resource knowledge and ability to teach others about these topics.
• Ability to live in the backcountry and conduct trail work while following Leave No Trace principles.
• Willingness to learn about ecosystems and natural resources of the Roaring Fork Valley through self-driven research and education from RFOV staff, partners, and volunteers.

All Applicants Must Have:

• Experience backpacking in the outdoors for multiple days at a time.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively manage the inherent risks to the outdoors.
• The work requires regular and recurring physical exertion. The work projects may require hiking up to 10 miles per day at altitude, using heavy hand tools, extensive heavy stonework, and working and contributing as part of a team.
• Ability to lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to live and work in potentially adverse weather conditions with a positive attitude.
• Current valid driver’s license and good driving record.
• First Aid (ideally Wilderness First Aid) certification or the ability to complete certification upon hire.
• Ability to pass a criminal background check.

Work Schedule:

The weekly work schedule will be variable with regular weekends and occasional evenings required and is based on a 40-hour work week. Work schedule for half of the season will require living in the backcountry for 8 days in a row with 6 days off between backcountry hitches. The frontcountry portion of the season will be on a schedule of 4 days on / 3 days off.