TITLE: Crew Member – Boundary Marking Crew

LOCATION: Crew will be based out of Chattanooga, TN but will be camping and working within various U.S. Forest Service locations across the southeast region.

SEASON DATES:  January 17 - May 10, 2022

STATUS: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt  

STIPEND: $400 per week, paid biweekly. A $2,417.14 AmeriCorps Education Award upon successful completion of the program. 

BENEFITS: Wilderness First Aid certification, food & transportation provided while in the field overnight, uniform shirts, and personal protective equipment. Members will also receive orientations and trainings as available. 

SOUTHEAST CONSERVATION CORPS:  

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 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. 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.  

Crews work in frontcountry and backcountry locations in all weather conditions. Schedules may vary, but generally are 9 days on and 5 days off for camping crews. Workdays are 10-hour shifts with scheduled breaks throughout the day. Depending on project work and location, other schedule variations may be implemented. 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. On-hitch 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, conservation and/or corps related topics. The 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.  

POSITION SUMMARY 

Southeast Conservation Corps and the Southern Region of the U.S. Forest Service will partner to host a roving boundary maintenance crew that covers the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, the Francis Marion Sumter National Forest, National Forests in Alabama, the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, and the Cherokee National Forest. This crew will consist of three AmeriCorps crew members and one crew leader. The crew will receive a wilderness first aid certification, communication and conflict resolution, backcountry travel, basic navigation, and other general field skills before arriving on site. The projects are extremely arduous and require traversing very challenging terrain; PROJECT WORK REQUIRES A HIGH LEVEL OF PHYSICAL FITNESS of participants.

Work will vary based on the priorities and direction of the host site but will focus on:

• The renewal/maintenance of U.S. Forest Service exterior boundary lines to Forest Service boundary line marking standards to verify oil and gas lease applications as well as mining and prospecting claims.
• The maintenance of existing FS exterior boundary corners to FS standards to ensure accuracy of all mineral lease applications by Updating corner cards (manually and/or electronically)
• Collecting field data related to leasing and maintenance activities (manually and/or electronically)
• Other surveying and mapping land boundary activities as needed for verifying the accuracy of current and future leasing of minerals.

During inclement weather, and to provide a more enriching experience, shadowing other departments will be added as a beneficial experience to crew members.

EXPECTATIONS OF AN SECC CORPSMEMBER:

• Expect to work long days in a frontcountry or backcountry location. Workdays will contain strenuous labor in remote settings and all weather conditions.
• SECC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew Members are responsible for finding and attaining 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 all members to represent the program in a professional manner at all times.  Crew life will include our corps values of challenge, stewardship, dedication, community, integrity and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).  Members are expected to be timely, hardworking, flexible and complete all functions of the tasks assigned, including tough physical labor and hiking several miles to remote locations under adverse weather conditions.

GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS:   

• Must be between ages 18 and 30.  
• 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).  
• No previous trail crew or conservation experience is required to apply for this position. A general comfort and previous knowledge of working/living in an outdoor setting is helpful.  
• Full vaccination against COVID-19 by the first day of employment and ability to provide proof of vaccination before starting.

COMPENSATION:    AmeriCorps members will receive an AmeriCorps living stipend of $400 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.    

Required Skills

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 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY, AGE, SEX, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR RELIGION. 

TO APPLY: Complete the Application, upload cover letter and resume if available. 

Any questions can be addressed to: 

Lindsey Agee 

Recruitment and Support Services Coordinator 

423-322-4976 

Chattanooga, TN 

lagee@conservationlegacy.org  

Required Experience

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 ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS, WITHOUT REGARD TO RACE, COLOR, NATIONAL ORIGIN, DISABILITY, AGE, SEX, POLITICAL AFFILIATION, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, OR RELIGION. 

TO APPLY: Complete the Application, upload cover letter and resume if available. 

Any questions can be addressed to: 

Lindsey Agee 

Recruitment and Support Services Coordinator 

423-322-4976 

Chattanooga, TN 

lagee@conservationlegacy.org