P-CREW Youth Corps Assistant Field Coordinator

The Sierra Institute for Community and Environment (Sierra Institute) is committed to uplifting the community through devoted staff, meaningful work, and positive growth. All staff training is paid. Sierra Institute has been expanding its workforce and there are constantly new opportunities for those who wish to grow and develop as leaders in natural resource stewardship!

Job Overview

Program Overview:

Sierra Institute’s P-CREW Youth Corps is an immersive, five-week, experiential work opportunity designed to offer employment on Northern California’s public lands to youth from rural and urban areas around the state. In 2023, P-CREW Youth Corps will field four 14-person youth corps crews to complete conservation projects such as: trail maintenance and building, invasive species removal, aspen and meadow restoration, and hazardous fuels reduction. Crews will spend their weekends playing in the mountains through activities like hiking, backpacking, climbing, stand up paddle boarding, swimming, and more!

P-CREW is uniquely capable of providing a formative and unforgettable experience for youth through immersion in the culture and communities of the Sierra Nevada’s largest watershed. Students will forge unexpectedly strong friendships, develop leadership and job skills, explore diverse and wild forests, and build pride and confidence in themselves. We purposefully design crews to be balanced across geographies and gender identities to foster opportunities for exposure to a variety of backgrounds, stories, and cultures among crewmates.

Position Overview:

The Assistant Field Coordinator is integral to the success of P-CREW. The Assistant Field Coordinator reports directly to the P-CREW Program Coordinator and works closely with all field and office staff. This position provides critical support to the program by assisting with coordination, logistics, and administration of four youth crews. 

Preseason: The Assistant Field Coordinator supports P-CREW staff with the completion of the hiring process of 44 teenagers including applicant review, reference checks, interviews, selection process and onboarding paperwork. They help develop and provide training to crew leaders and Alumni All-Star Assistants and provide general support of program logistics, planning, and administration.

High season: The Assistant Field Coordinator acts as a liaison between field staff and office support staff. Weekly duties include: facilitating efficient meal planning and shopping for crews; resupplying food and equipment to crews in the field; preparing and organizing weekly paperwork; organizing and tracking each crew’s project accomplishments; taking photos and videos of crews; developing the publication of social media content; provide educational  lessons and technical project support to the crews; and provide relief to the crew leaders when needed or if there is an emergency.

Post season: The Assistant Field Coordinator supports P-CREW staff with the wrap of the season including creating final summaries of project accomplishments; gear and tool maintenance and inventory; grant writing and research; development of postseason social media content; organizing paperwork; reviewing crew member and crew leader evaluations; and more. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support program coordination, logistics, and administration
• Facilitating crew training
• Work an on-call schedule for crew support during high season
• Respond to emergencies (vehicle issues, medical evacuations, etc.)
• Serve as an interim Crew Leader in case of necessity or emergency
• Leading occasional weekend recreation with youth crews
• Prepare, track, and organize weekly paperwork and project accomplishments
• Provide guidance, leadership skills, and camp operations to the youth crew leaders to foster personal and professional growth.
• Navigate to and from project, camp, and recreational sites safely.
• Summarize written, digital, and oral reports on project status, supplies, personnel, incidents, vehicles, and expenses to support staff on a weekly basis. This includes capturing before and after photos of projects and photos of crew members working and camping.
• Collaborate with staff to provide healthy meal planning for crews, shopping for all crews, and food resupplies each week.

To Apply: Please send your cover letter (please indicate your earliest start date and answer the question of why you want to work with P-CREW Youth this summer), resume, and contact information for three references as one PDF to [email protected] with “P-CREW Assistant Field Coordinator” in the subject line. Review of applications will be on a rolling basis beginning on December 16, 2022. The position is open until filled.

Questions? Contact Ama Koenigshof, P-CREW Program Coordinator at (530) 284-1022 or email at [email protected]

Minimum Requirements

• Proof of full COVID-19 Vaccination
• Wilderness First Aid certification or higher preferred, past First Aid experience required
• Pre-service background screening required
• Minimum Age Requirement: 21+
• Clean Driving Record 
• Experience working with teens (ages 15-18)
• Experience working on or supporting youth and/or young adult crews in conservation/restoration activities.
• Social and emotional skills to promote positive personal growth and develop relationships with people from all backgrounds, abilities, cultures, orientations, identities, and communities.
• Comfortable working in both the office and the field for 8 hours a day
• Strong communication, leadership, organizational, and problem-solving skills
• A sense of humor and positive mental attitude!

We invite all interested parties to apply including those who are neurodiverse, belonging to Tribal communities, women, POC, and LGBTQ+ persons. Skills or experiences that can fill in for desired qualifications may be considered.