Position Title: USFS Forest Archeology Strike Team Crew Leader I
Conservation Legacy Program: Conservation Corps North Carolina
Site Location: USFS Uwharrie Ranger District
Dates: January 25 - December 10, 2027
Wages: $20-25 per hour, depending on prior experience and certifications, plus overtime
Application closes November 6
Organizational Summary:
Conservation Legacy is a nationwide non-profit. The Corps programs within the organization engage participants in different conservation and community projects that serve public and private lands. These projects provide opportunities for personal and professional development and strive toward a high priority of needs for public land managers and community partners. Through the mission of engaging future leaders who protect, restore and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service; Conservation Legacy works toward a world with healthy lands, air and water; thriving people and resilient communities.
Program Summary:
Conservation Corps North Carolina empowers young adults through meaningful outdoor work that benefits North Carolina’s land and water and fosters healthy communities. A program of Conservation Legacy, CCNC partners with public land managers and community organizations across the state to engage motivated individuals—typically ages 15–30—in challenging and impactful conservation service projects. These projects may include trail construction and maintenance, habitat restoration, hazard fuel reduction, invasive species removal, and other technical conservation work. CCNC crews and individual placements gain hands-on experience, professional development, and the opportunity to positively impact North Carolina’s natural resources and communities.
Position Summary:
In this position, the Crew Leader will work with the Forest Service in North Carolina. Their duties may include archaeological monitoring, survey, excavation of archaeological resources, GIS recordation, as well as the recordation and reporting of archaeological sites and survey for the USFS.
Fieldwork includes locating prehistoric and historic sites, recording archaeological and environmental data, maintaining essential field documentation, and reporting the information collected. Project work may vary but will include shovel testing, pedestrian survey, open excavations, back filling, artifact processing, GPS recordation of site locations, and ground delineation of sites for management. Laboratory work includes production of field catalogs and inventories of archaeological data, washing and sorting artifacts, analyzing artifacts, and field data, producing maps and drawings, database entry, cataloging and entering site data into both NRM and NFsNC recordation systems.
In addition to archaeological work, projects may include some interdisciplinary work pertaining to natural resource management depending on the needs of the partnering agency. This position is heavily field-based and involves daily physical activity.
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.
Standard schedule generally consists of Monday – Friday, 8-hour workdays, plus occasional overtime. 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.
Project Work:
Cultural Resource Survey with Archaeologist
• Complete background research for the project area, develop field maps, schedule, and prepare
equipment
• Conduct pedestrian survey or other approved survey methods for the project area
• Record cultural resources in the field: write forms, take photos, record location
• Flag cultural resources for avoidance
• Download data at the office
Write Cultural Resource Documentation with Archaeologist
• Essential functions and responsibilities
• Develop GIS maps for the project area and any documented cultural resources
• Collaborate on completing cultural resource forms and reports
• Maintain cultural resource project documentation and records
Responsibilities:
Leadership & Mentorship
• Mentor assistant crew leader: provide valuable feedback, give opportunities for growth, delegate responsibilities, and encourage technical and leadership skill development.
• 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 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, & staff.
• Opportunity to receive technical trainings throughout the season.
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.
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 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-hour work week including managing projects and programmatic policies and integrity.
• 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 be 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).
• Relevant Bachelor’s degree with field school experience
• Physically capable of strenuous field activities (off-trail hiking, monitoring, survey, etc.) for 10 hours in adverse conditions (high heat, high humidity, biting insects, rough terrain, inclement weather) while carrying up to 40 lbs.
• Must be able to lift 50 lbs.
Preferred Qualifications
• Educational experience in Anthropology, Archaeology, Cultural Resource Management, or Historic Preservation.
• Experience with North Carolina archaeological fieldwork.
• Individuals with cultural resource inventory and limited testing, artifact analysis, preparation of cultural resource inventory reports and site forms.
• GIS proficiency: data collection, site and survey map production, and ArcGIS suite navigation, and Microsoft Word Suite.
• Familiarity with or lived experience in Indigenous communities.
• Interest/experience in Indigenous research methods, cultural preservation, or community engagement.
Expectations:
CCNC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew members are responsible for their own
housing, food, and transportation to and from the work site. A CCNC vehicle will be provided during work hours. Some equipment is available to borrow throughout the season, but Crew Members are asked to supply as much of their own personal gear as possible. A gear list is provided upon acceptance into the program.
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.
Supervisor Name and Contact Information:
Jackie Meyer jmeyer@conservationlegacy.org
and
Miriam Zouhri mzouhri@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.
