Position Title: Trail Technician – Individual Placement

Conservation Legacy Program: Southeast Conservation Corps

Site Location: The Nature Conservancy South Carolina, North Charleston

Address: 4400 Leeds Ave, Suite 430, North Charleston, SC 29405

Position Available: 2

Housing: Provided, will vary based on work location

Terms of Service:

Start Date: 02/23/2026

End Date: 05/15/2026

Weeks: 12 Weeks

AmeriCorps Slot Classification: 450 hr

Purpose:

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC) is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. This individual placement is in partnership with The Nature Conservancy South Carolina (TNC SC) and is an AmeriCorps Position.

SECC empowers young adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility, and grit through community service and environmental stewardship.

SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, to complete conservation 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.

Site Description

Founded in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change and conserving lands, water, and oceans at an unprecedented scale. We are providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Serving in 72 countries, including all 50 United States, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities. For more information about The Nature Conservancy, visit The Nature Conservancy: A World Where People & Nature Thrive (nature.org).

The Nature Conservancy South Carolina manages six public preserves throughout the state: Sandy Island Preserve, Washo Reserve, Black River Swamp Preserve, Peachtree Rock Heritage Preserve, Blue Wall Preserve, and Nine Times Preserve. In addition to the almost 30,000 acres we own – we protect 190,000 acres of land by partnering with landowners to hold Conservation Easements on majority private property.

Position Overview:

Join The Nature Conservancy South Carolina’s first ever Trail Crew. This two-person crew will spend majority of their time improving trail tread & trail corridor on preserves managed by TNC SC. The Trail Crew will rotate each week to a different TNC SC Preserve. Multiple weeks will be spent at our Sandy Island Preserve where you will stay in a house on the property. Please be aware that Sandy Island is only accessible by boat.

The Trail Crew will use and operate TNC SC vehicles and boats, and may be asked to help with maintenance. The Trail Crew will have designated tools & equipment which they will be expected to maintain throughout the season.

We have a dynamic team and hold Conservation Interests throughout the state. The Trail Crew may be asked to help with other bodies of service from time to time, when appropriate. This could include visiting a Conservation Easement near a preserve, assist with a living shoreline build and/or visiting new protection projects.

Description of Duties:

Trail Crew’s primary duties will include: Maintain trails at TNC SC Preserves & Assist with habitat improvements and management. The Trail Crew will transport themselves to the service sites using a TNC SC vehicle, housing will vary based on service site and could be hotel, state park cabin, etc..

Maintain trails at public preserves managed by TNC South Carolina

· Improve trail tread via use of hand tools such as pick mattocks, pulaski, McLeods, shovels

· Open trail corridor through use of loppers, chainsaw

· Improve trail signage including trail blazes

Training: will serve alongside crew to assess trail experience and offer training as needed

Assist with habitat related improvements and management on preserves managed by TNC South Carolina

· Repainting stripes on trees indicating they are habitat for the Red Cockaded Woodpecker

· Clear dead & down trees, vegetation from fire lines when appropriate

· Assist with invasive species removal chainsawing, handpulling, or using a "weed wrench"

Training: Plant identification, will serve alongside crew to assess experience and offer training when appropriate

Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Experience with trail improvements on public land

• Experience using chainsaws and/or brush cutters in a professional setting

• Must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

• Must be able to hike on uneven terrain, off-trail on unmarked

paths in hot, cold, or wet conditions.

Preferred Qualifications:

• S212 Chainsaw Certification

AmeriCorps Qualifications: To qualify, you must be between the ages of 18 and 30 and a US citizen that has received a high school diploma or GED. All offers of employment are conditional upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public Registry and federal criminal background check. Must be eligible to receive an AmeriCorps Education Award.

Transportation:

The Individual Placement will drive an organization vehicle for this position. The driver must pass a background check, review, and sign The Nature Conservancy’s Vehicle Safety Agreement. The Individual Placement must also pass Conservation Legacy’s driver background screening to drive.

Physical Requirements:

Conservation Legacy is committed to fully including all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential functions. Some positions may require periodic overnight travel, non-traditional hours, the ability to move across varied terrain, and the use of program-specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or move objects. Some positions may also require the ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Time Requirements:

Typically, this position is expected to serve Monday to Friday, 40 hours per week - but exact service schedules may vary. A half hour lunch break will not be counted towards AmeriCorps service.

Members may be required to participate in national, state, or local service projects or events as part of their service term.

Orientation and Training:

• Members will receive an orientation that includes training on AmeriCorps prohibited and unallowable activities.
• Members will receive on-the-job training for all performed tasks listed above.

Benefits:

Segal AmeriCorps Education Award: $1,956.35 upon completion of term of service.

• Living Allowance: $720/week living stipend – paid bi-weekly
• Possible student loan forbearance.
• Members Assistance Program – 3 free support sessions with a counseling or service-life balance specialist.
• Uniform shirts
• Professional development opportunities (mentorship, resume support, etc.) and exposure to natural resource career paths.

Evaluation and Reporting:

As an AmeriCorps member, performance will be evaluated on whether the member has completed the required number of hours, the member has satisfactorily completed assignments, and if the member has met other performance criteria that were clearly communicated at the beginning of the term of service.

Reporting requirements include, but are not limited to:

• Bi-weekly timesheets
• Monthly Accomplishment Report
• Narrative Monthly Report.
• Bi-Monthly Check-Ins
• Midterm and Final Evals
• Exiting Task

Substance Free:

Per a drug-free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.

If you have questions about the position, please contact:

Samantha McCann

Stewardship Manager

The Nature Conservancy South Carolina

samantha.mccann@tnc.org

Phone: 512-521-6891

If you have questions about the application process, please contact:

Ray Wilson

Individual Placement Program Coordinator

Southeast Conservation Corps

rwilson@conservationlegacy.org

Phone: 423-322-4976

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.