Title: Multi-Watershed Monitoring Crew Leader

Conservation Legacy Program: Southwest Conservation Corps Four Corners

Reports to: Watershed Programs Coordinator

Dates of Employment: March 30, 2026 – November 3, 2026

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Camping Program

Location: Based out of Durango, CO. Working in SW Colorado, Arizona, and Utah

Salary: $1025-1125/ week, depending on prior experience and certifications

Benefits:

• Health Benefit Eligible

• 5 paid days off structured in August between seasons

• 3 additional days of PTO

• Food provided while in the field

• Uniforms and protective equipment

• Access to Mental Health Consultant and Employee Assistance Program

Training:

• U.S. Forest Service recognized Chainsaw training (Certificate awarded upon completion of program)

• Colorado pesticide applicator examination and licensure

• Leadership skills trainings

Housing: SCC will provide camping location for leaders and CLDP’s during the spring season. Off-hitch accommodation will not be provided during the regular season. Host-housing and a partnership with a local hostel may be available during the off-hitch. More information will be provided during the interview process.

Deadline: Application closes December 31, 2025

Program Summary:

The Southwest Conservation Corps (SCC) is a program of the non-profit service organization, Conservation Legacy, that is built on the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) that operated from 1933 – 1942. SCC provides youth and young adults opportunities to complete conservation projects on public lands. While serving with SCC, members receive training on job skills, conflict resolution, leadership, teamwork, and environmental stewardship. Programs are developed using a step ladder approach to provide a progression of skill development based on a member’s needs. Members receive a weekly living allowance, training, and an AmeriCorps Education Award (for qualifying individuals).

Position Summary:

The Multi-Watershed Monitoring Crew Leader position is an opportunity to make a difference in young peoples’ lives while completing conservation projects on public and private lands. Leaders will be mentors, educators, and facilitators for young adults, working to promote the health and resiliency of our land, air, and water.

Standard schedule generally consists of 8 days on-hitch (out in the field as a crew unit) and 6 days off with some exceptions. Crew Leaders may also be required to come in for an additional day each hitch cycle to complete administrative duties and check-ins with program staff. On-hitch, crews camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores.

The Multi-Watershed Monitoring Crew Leader position requires patience, a consistently positive mental attitude, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of competence in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due in a timely manner to supervisors. Finally, crew leaders must exhibit the ability to effectively work on dynamic teams and those from a variety of communities.

This Multi-Watershed Monitoring Crew will work with watershed groups across the Southwest to perform vegetation surveying along streamside habitat in 3 watersheds in Colorado, Utah, and Arizona. Watershed groups include the Dolores River Restoration Partnership, Escalante River Watershed Partnership, and Friends of the Verde River. Vegetation monitoring is crucial to informing river restoration efforts across these watersheds that have been severely impacted by invasive species and other stressors. The crew may also engage in a couple weeks of restoration work in the Summer or Fall.

The primary responsibility of this crew is to collect vegetation monitoring and species inventory data according to each watershed’s rapid monitoring protocol. This crew consists of two individuals (1 crew leader and 1 crew member) that will tie in and work closely with field staff from each watershed group in order to collect data. This crew is designed to be flexible to meet the evolving needs of each partnership. Flexibility, adaptability, and the ability to work and manage a crew remotely are essential for this Crew Leader position. While working (i.e. on-hitch), the crew will camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores. Hitch schedules may vary between 4 days on/ 3 days off, 5 days on/ 2 days off, or 8 days on/ 6 days off. SCC does not provide accommodation off-hitch, and Crew Leaders will be responsible for their own accommodation during that time.

Crew Leaders will lead crews in completing technical conservation projects while instilling interpersonal skills and leadership skills. Crew leaders will also be responsible for leading crews in environmental stewardship, i.e. Leave No Trace, and risk management. A variety of soft skills and technical competencies are required to be successful in this role. See below for core competencies:

Responsibilities:

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

• Mentor crew: provide valuable feedback, give opportunities for growth, delegate responsibilities, and encourage technical and leadership skill development.

• Promote individual corps member development and a safe, healthy, cohesive, other-centered and team-oriented community.

• Follow and enforce all policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent the program. 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, Safety & Implementation

• Train and motivate crew member to efficiently complete conservation projects on public lands

• Manage the on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work

• Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems.

• Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners, crew member, & SCC staff.

Safety and Risk Management

• Monitor, manage, and promote the holistic health of the crew, including physical and emotional (intimidation free community environment) safety.

• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety.

• Transport crew member and equipment safely in organizational vans or large trucks with trailers in accordance with CL Driver policy.

• Manage and document incidents in the field and activate incident response system, if needed, per Conservation Legacy policy.

Administration

• Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, etc. in a timely manner

• Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables

• Manage food budget and credit card for purchases

Camp Management

• Oversee, manage, and assign camp chores (or camp tasks).

• Monitor and manage crew community needs in camp.

• Instruct crew in how to create a safe, hygienic, and tidy camp environment while mitigating crew caused impacts to campsites, practicing minimum impact camping techniques.

• Maintain all program policies and procedures in camp environment.

• Leading a camping crew is an intensive commitment requiring a continuous physical presence. Leaders must remain physically present, and cognitively and emotionally available to support community and individual crew member needs.

Essential Functions:

• 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 SCC vehicle - and therefore have a clean driving record

• Consistently exercise discretion and judgment

• Analyze and interpret monitoring data as needed by each watershed group

• 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

Minimum Qualifications:

• Relevant bachelor's degree (botany, range science, wildlife or conservation biology, natural resource management, ecology, watershed science, environmental science, or related field)

• Full commitment to the program and its mission.

• Understanding of and experience with the mission and field management considerations of conservation corps and public land agencies.

• Leadership, management, and supervisory experience with youth or young adults.

• Must hold current advanced medical certification (for backcountry crews: 80 hours Wilderness First Responder with CPR/AED or higher; for front country crews: 24 hours Wilderness First Aid with CPR/AED or higher) or be willing to receive certification prior to start date.

• Ability to effectively manage all aspects of crew life and production within a 40-50+-hour work week including managing projects, camping, and programmatic policies and integrity throughout.

• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

• Willingness to participate in community-building activities and solution-oriented problem solving with peer leaders

• Able to work long days in adverse conditions

• Must be able to speak, understand and write English.

• High School diploma or GED certificate.

• Physically capable of standing and hiking (6-10 miles/day on rough, uneven terrain)

• Experience safely operating 4WD trucks on paved and unpaved roads, often in remote areas on unimproved roads.

• Consistently teach and demonstrate best driving practices.

• Must be 21, have a clean driving record (insurable by SCC), a current driver’s license, and have had a valid driver’s license for at least 3 years

Preferred Qualifications or Desire to Grow in the Following:

• Experience with experiential and/or environmental education

• Teaching, facilitation, and team-building experience with diverse groups of people

• Strong conflict resolution skills

• Botanical identification training/experience

• Time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others.

• ArcGIS certification or experience, including use of ArcMap, ArcGIS Online, and Arc Field Maps

• Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel

• Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others