Title: Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps 2026 Ancestral Lands Farm Technician

Reports to: Program Coordinator

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Status: Seasonal, Full-time

Dates: 1/5/2026-11/20-2026

Wages: $22.50/hr.

Benefits: Paid training, Employee Assistance Program, health benefits for eligible positions.

Schedule: Monday through Friday 8-hour days 8am to 4:30pm

Housing: No housing provided

Application closes: December 19, 2025

Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps (ALCC) engages motivated young adults, ages 17 - 30, to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects throughout the western United States. Projects may include trail construction & maintenance, habitat improvement, hazardous fuels reduction, re-vegetation, historic preservation, and local environmental service projects. ALCC provides opportunities for members to learn about and connect with the environment, issues surrounding conservation, and local Indigenous values.

ALCC crews work in a variety of National Parks, National Forests, and other public areas. Selected members are placed on a crew which will then collaborate to perform project work. ALCC is a non-residential program and does not offer housing. Gear and equipment rental is available upon request.

Position Summary:

The vision of the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps Farm Corps is to catalyze a movement to restore our local food systems through agriculture, seed sovereignty, and traditional knowledge. By fostering intergenerational community and intertribal connections between youth and elders, and empowering future generations through mentorship and immersive farmer training, we aim to protect and revitalize our seeds, ensuring the resilience of our cultural and agricultural heritage for generations to come.

The Farm Corps began in 2011 as a summer youth program in Acoma Pueblo, offering participants a hands-on experience in cultivating crops with traditional landrace seeds and flood irrigation farming. Over time, the program has evolved into an immersive experience through core areas, which include ancestral Pueblo agroecological approach to cultivation and land stewardship, the regeneration and rematriation of indigenous landrace seeds, and fostering community and intertribal peer relationships.

Throughout the growing season, participants receive a living stipend while engaging in every stage of cultivation—from soil conservation and regeneration practices, seed-saving techniques, traditional and modern irrigation methods, to seed processing and traditional food preparation. The Ancestral Lands Farm Corps model has expanded to serve the communities of Zuni and Isleta Pueblo.

Our community growing efforts support continuity and resilience by providing seed access and educational resources, rooted in the regeneration of indigenous seeds uniquely adapted to the Southwest's climate, soils, aridity, and agroecological techniques. Many of these seeds, displaced over time through well-meaning conservation efforts, are now being returned to their ancestral lands, waters, and caretakers through our rematriation work. These propagated seeds are stored in our Community Seed Bank, freely available upon request to Acoma Pueblo and other Southwest tribal communities

The Ancestral Lands Farm Technician supports the Isleta Farm Corps Program located and operated at the ALCC Albuquerque Office and is managed and mentored by the Ancestral Lands and Farm Corps Staff. The responsibilities of the Farm Technician are planting/cultivating indigenous plants, food, and seeds for the Isleta community, which includes constant care of the field and participation in field maintenance. Work may include but is not limited to supporting and providing guidance to the 6-person Farm Corps Crew and Farm Corps Fellows during the growing season, removal of weeds from the field, irrigating the field and tool maintenance at the end of each day, harvesting and processing fresh crops, and processing and storing seeds. Participants will receive training in seed saving and propagation, traditional and modern sustainable agricultural practices, and traditional culinary and food preservation practices. The participants will be exposed to the elements of New Mexico weather, which may include but is not limited to severe weather in some conditions and will have to advise staff of any stand down situations that may occur.

Responsibilities:

Project Management & Implementation

• Train and motivate a crew of 6 young adults and Farm Corps Fellows to efficiently. complete farming and seed propagation goals set by partners and staff.
• Delegation of project work & investment among crew.
• Manage the on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work.
• Monitor and track tool and equipment inventory.
• Establish tool and equipment maintenance routines.
• Effectively coordinate logistics with project partners, crew members, and ALCC staff.

Safety & Risk Management

• Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site.
• Promote culture of safety by facilitating safety briefings and standdowns.
• Communicate and manage field incidents with ALCC staff.
• Initiate On-call or emergency medical services in the event of injury or incident.
• Transport crew and equipment safely in ALCC vehicles with trailers.

Administration

• Report project accomplishments by measuring and documenting outcomes.
• Compile notes and documentation pertaining to crew work hours, group and member. dynamics, and incident management.
• Notify staff of farm needs for purchases, to manage, document and report all purchases.
• Work with staff to identify the goals and ideas for the overall farm corps program.

Essential Skills:

• Critical thinking and ability to resolve issues and solve problems.
• Ability to exercise judgment and make decisions in dynamic situations.
• Strong and holistic situational awareness.
• Strong time-management skills.
• Willingness to learn and be a part of a community of peer leaders.
• Must be adaptive, patient, and able to maintain a positive perspective on crew.
• Physically able to work long days in adverse conditions.

Our Commitment

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non-traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use 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 otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. 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.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Full commitment to the program and its mission.
• Experience in facilitating and building community.
• Must successfully complete a criminal history check. All offers are contingent upon successful completion of criminal history check process.
• Understanding of and experience with the mission and field management considerations of conservation corps and public land agencies.
• 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.
• Must over the age of 21 or have possessed a driver’s license for 3 or years more without any restrictions (to pass minimum insurability requirements for crew transport driving duties).

Preferred Qualifications or a Strong Desire to Grow in the Following:

• Demonstrated project management experience in Farming or Farm corps program.
• Familiarity with Leave No Trace (LNT) principles.
• Experience with experiential and/or environmental education.
• Leadership experience with youth and/or young adults.
• Experience working with the vulnerable population of people, i.e. children and the elderly.
• Current Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, and/or CPR certification.
• Experience with ALCC or other conservation corps or youth corps

Any questions can be addressed to:

Elijah Lujan/Program Coordinator
elujan@conservationlegacy.org

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.