Strike Team - Crew Leader I
Conservation Legacy
Title: Strike Team- Crew Leader I (DAY CREW)
Reports to: Program Coordinator, Program Director
Location/s: Crew will be based out of the Conasauga Ranger District office and serving within various locations within the Chattahoochee National Forest Conasauga Ranger District, Chatsworth, GA (3941 US-76, Chatsworth, GA 30705)
(Members must live within a 30mi radius of Chatsworth, GA)
Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Non-exempt
Dates:
- Start Date: 5/18/26
- End Date: 8/14/26
- Crew Leader training week: 5/18-5/22 at the SECC Chattanooga, TN office.
Wages: $20-25 per hour, depending on prior experience and certifications, plus overtime
Benefits: Medical benefit options may be available for individuals serving 6 months or longer.
Other Benefits: Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Certificate (upon successful completion of hours), uniform shirts, personal protective equipment, and other developmental opportunities as available
Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 1 Assistant Crew Leader, 2 Crew Members
Purpose — About Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC):
Empowering youth and adults to cultivate compassion, responsibility and life skills through community service, hard work and land stewardship.
SECC, a program of Conservation Legacy, is a non-profit AmeriCorps program. We engage youth (age 15-18) and young adults (ages 18-30, up to 35 for veterans) in service projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC collaborates with land management agencies (United States Forest Service, National Park Service, State Parks, local municipalities, and non-profits) to host day or overnight camping crews and individual placements.
Our positions provide impactful educational and service opportunities that benefit both communities and landscapes. SECC’s participants reflect the population of the Southeast region, including youth, graduates, veterans, and individuals from various backgrounds.
Position Summary:
The Crew Leader I 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.
This crew will operate on a varied hitch schedule, with options including 5 days on 2 days off Monday-Friday OR 4 days on 3 days off Monday-Thursday OR Tuesday-Friday. Schedules will vary depending on the project. The crews’ schedule will depend on the project and partner’s needs. Members must remain flexible and expect partners to communicate crew schedule before off time. Crew Leaders may also be required to come into the office to complete administrative duties and check-ins with program staff.
The Crew Leader I 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.
Service Project:
SECC and the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, Conasauga Ranger District have partnered to support a Strike Team. This small crew will be immersed within the Conasauga Ranger District supporting projects alongside district: Biologists, Silviculturists, and Recreation teams. Most projects involve strenuous manual labor in all weather conditions and require hiking to and from the project sites daily, carrying tools and day packs. This is an opportunity for members to gain experience in a variety of natural resource management areas.
Project service will include (but is not limited to):
Silviculture
Stand exam plots are taken to collect stand-level data. The crew will serve alongside Silviculture staff to measure tree data across the district. This project includes hiking, tree measurement, coring trees to determine age, and recording data.
Wildlife Projects
Invasive Plant Treatments: Conduct herbicide treatments of non-native invasive plants via a backpack sprayer. Must be able to carry 35lbs for extended durations. Non-native plants that will be treated include kudzu, Chinese privet, autumn olive, and bicolor lespedeza.
Other projects may include: Wildlife surveys (bats, bobwhite quail, breeding bird surveys), stream habitat enhancement via the addition of large wood, wildlife opening maintenance, gate inventory/repairs, wild pig management, and wildlife stand improvement.
Recreation
The Recreation Team maintains all campgrounds, day-use areas, wilderness areas, and trails on the district. Projects that will be included when 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. These projects could include bathroom cleaning and maintenance, trash site cleanup, campground maintenance using weed-eaters and leaf-blowers among other power tools.
5/18-5/25 members will begin their season at the SECC office. 5/26 members will be expected to arrive at the Conasauga RD office in personal vehicles, where they will be based for the remainder of their season.
Responsibilities:
Leadership & Mentorship
- Mentor assistant crew leader: provide valuable feedback, give opportunities for growth, delegate responsibilities, and encourage technical and leadership skill development.
- Understand and integrate Conservation Legacy’s DEI vision and values (diversity, equity, and inclusion) within crew community context.
- Implement skills training on worksite 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 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 & Implementation
- Train, motivate and supervise a crew of young adults to efficiently complete tasks and objectives outlined in conservation projects, while working long hours and managing high quality of work and crew morale.
- Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems, requesting assistance or help when needed.
- Communicate & coordinate logistics with project partners, Assistant Crew Leader (or Crew Leader in Development), & staff.
Safety & 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 and equipment safely in organizational vans or large SUVs 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
- Thorough documentation of crew hours, accomplishments, disciplinary actions taken, and incident response according to Conservation Legacy policy and procedure.
- Manage food budget and credit card for purchases.
- Track and submit credit card receipts for all expenses every month.
Substance Free:
In accordance with a drug free environment, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.
Minimum Qualifications:
- 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 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.
- 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:
- Experience with experiential and/or environmental education.
- Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel.
- Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people.
- Time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others.
- Strong conflict resolution skills.
- Technical trails, Crosscut or Chainsaw experience.
- Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others.
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.
Application Instructions:
To Apply: Complete the Application, upload cover letter and resume.
Any questions can be addressed to:
Rhett Robinson
Program Coordinator
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.