Staff Crew Leader- Strike Team

Job Location

Chatsworth, Georgia

Tracking Code

5116-984

Position Type

Full-Time/Regular

Title: Staff Crew Leader- Strike Team

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Location: Based out of Chatsworth, GA, and will be working in the Chattahoochee Oconee National Forest, Conasauga Ranger District

Season Dates: 5/28/24-8/2/24

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt

Wages: $720-$800/week DOE, paid biweekly  

Health Benefits: Medical benefit options may be available for individuals serving 6 months or longer 

Benefits: Food & transportation provided while in the field overnight, trail training, uniform shirts, and personal protective equipment, and other developmental opportunities as available  

Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 2 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.  

SECC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew Leaders are responsible for finding and attaining their own housing when not in the field.

Position Summary:

Southeast Conservation Corps’ Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding, but with opportunity for enormous rewards. Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, effective communication skills, excellent judgement, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to a crew experience where the needs of others are placed above oneself. The Crew Leader position requires, mentorship, patience, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors. Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.

Project Work:

SECC’s Strike Team will be working directly with the Conasauga Ranger District within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. The work completed by the Strike Team will help land managers prepare for future projects.

Project work will include (but is not limited to):

NNIS (non-native invasive species) plant treatment

Invasive plants degrade wildlife habitats by displacing native vegetation and reducing foraging and breeding habitats, among other effects. Treating invasive plant species with herbicides (foliar spraying with backpacks or other hand-held equipment) is one of the most effective ways to recover native communities. Invasive plants are most common near private land, on roadsides, or in areas where previous land uses favored them (such as wildlife openings). We target a number of NNIS, including autumn olive, kudzu, Japanese knotweed, and privet.

Wood loading in streams

Aquatic habitats benefit from the presence of large woody debris (LWD) for a variety of reasons. One important function is to slow high velocity flows during storm events and prevent scouring and steeply incised streambeds. Adding LWD is accomplished by selectively felling trees into streams or pushing or using grip hoists and cables to pull and position wood into place. We add LWD to streams when surveys indicate it would be beneficial.

Developed Recreation

The Recreation Team maintains all campgrounds, day-use areas, and trails on the district. Our with covers a variety of areas and our staff has a variety of skill sets. Work that will be included when working with recreation could include trail work such as brush clearing, crosscut and chainsaw work, and require some arduous hikes. Beyond trail work, members may be asked to assist with developed recreation. This work could include bathroom cleaning and maintenance, campground maintenance using weed-eaters and leaf-blowers among other power tools.

Hitch Schedule: The crews’ schedule will depend on the project and partner needs. Members must remain flexible and expect partners to communicate crew schedule before off time. Typical hitch schedules: 5 days on 2 days off Monday-Friday OR 4 days on 3 days off Monday-Thursday OR Tuesday-Friday.

This crew is a day crew model = No Camping, completing predetermined projects created in collaboration with SECC project partners. Crew members will begin and end each day at the Conasauga Ranger District Office within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Chatsworth, GA.  

Required Skills

Required Skills:

Minimum Qualifications:

1-2 years’ experience with SECC, other conservation corps or youth corps
USFS recognized chainsaw certification
Willingness to commit fully to the program and its mission
Leadership experience with youth or young adults

Excellent organizational & communication skills
Must be able to demonstrate strong project management skills
Strong time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others
Ability to effectively and efficiently manage all aspects of crew life and production within a hitch schedule
Flexibility, adaptability and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment
Willingness to learn and be a part of a dynamic community of peer leaders
Must be adaptive, patient and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout
Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions
Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel, and LNT principles
High School diploma or GED certificate
Current and relevant certification in Wilderness Medicine (WFA, WAFA, WFR) with CPR/AED
Willingness to deploy on a Disaster Response

Preferred Qualifications:

Background with experiential and/or environmental education
Data collection
Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people
Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects
Strong conflict resolution skills
Experience with Disaster Response

Relevant Bachelor’s Degree
Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others

Required Experience

Participant Essential Eligibility 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 position.

Frequently required to walk, hike, sit and talk or listen
Required to use hands to operate objects, tools or controls, 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 SECC vehicle
Must be able to speak, understand, read and write English
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history checks 
Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and provide primary documentation to support this

Required Skills:

Leadership & Mentorship

Manage, supervise, and lead the day-to-day details of project work
Implement skills training on work-site and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics
Promote individual corps member development and a healthy, supportive community
Must be willing to follow and enforce all SECC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Southeast Conservation Corps. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program

Project Management & Implementation

Train and motivate a crew of two young adults to complete conservation projects efficiently on public lands
Delegate project work & investment among crew
Manage on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work
Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems
Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners & SECC staff

Safety & Risk Management

Implement and enforce SECC’s COVID-19 Pandemic Policies and Procedures (provided to applicants during interview process), including mask use when required
Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site
Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety
Transport crew and equipment safely in SECC’s vans or large vehicles with trailers

Administration

Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, etc., and submit in a timely manner
Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables
Manage food budget and credit card purchases, including receipt reconciliation

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
Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site
Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety
Transport crew and equipment safely in SECC’s vans or large SUVs with trailers

Environmental Ethics

Learn, practice, and teach ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques

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.

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

 

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.

 

Any questions can be addressed to:

Kelsey Durr

Program Director

kdurr@conservationlegacy.org

This position is located in Chatsworth, GA. View the Google Map in full screen.

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