ACE Conservation Corps- AmeriCorps Member, Mountain West START: October 13th, 2019
Summary: American Conservation Experience, a nationwide Non-Profit Conservation Corps based in Hurricane, Utah, in partnership with AmeriCorps is seeking corpsmembers dedicated to serving 12 or 24 weeks on conservation projects, including habitat restoration and trail construction and maintenance. This opportunity is intended for enthusiastic young professionals with a deep interest in advancing their environmental career.
Start Date:
October 13th, 2019
Estimated End Dates:
Winter Break: December 20th-January 6th
January 18th, 2020 (for 12 weeks)
April 11th, 2020 (for 24 weeks)
Location: Hurricane, Utah
Projects take place throughout the southwest. Crews frequently work in Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park and National Forests including Fishlake and Manti La Sal.
Schedule: Project schedules vary greatly, but typically corpsmembers work 8 days on/ 6 days off. For remote projects, corpsmembers spend off-days nearer to their project location, away from Hurricane. Remote projects typically last about three weeks, with a 4 days on/3 days off schedule.
Benefits: Members will receive a Living Allowance Stipend of $140/week, paid bi-weekly.
Corpsmembers obtain an Education Award for the amount of $1,566.14 (for 12 weeks) or $2,960.00 (for 24 weeks) upon successful completion of service.
ACE provides corpsmembers with food during all project days; corps members are responsible for providing their own food on off-days.
ACE provides corpsmembers housing during their term of service. When working in or near Utah, corps members spend off days in our hostel-style housing in Hurricane, Utah. When working remotely, corpsmembers will be provided housing in those remote locations. The member will provide his or her own blankets/pillow/sleeping bag/towels.
Gear: ACE provides each member their own tent. The member will provide his or her own sleeping bag, sleeping pad, rain gear, and hiking boots. Upon acceptance to the program, corpsmembers will receive a more extensive packing list. Weather during this time of year can be highly variable so plan on bringing layers of warm clothing and adequate rain gear.
Travel: ACE provides transportation to and from worksites; personal vehicles are not necessary throughout the member's term of service. ACE does not provide relocation assistance.
Position Description:
Corpsmembers serve in professionally supervised teams as they explore future outdoor careers, learn practical field skills, and develop confidence as emerging leaders in the field of conservation. Members are afforded opportunities to learn and train under the guidance of professional mentors within ACE, while gaining invaluable career perspectives working alongside staff from the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and many other stewards of our nation's public lands.
Field work and other duties might include but are not limited to:
- Habitat restoration
- Trail construction and maintenance
- Dry and wet stone masonry
- Reforestation
- Forest thinning
- Plant identification
- Fencing
- Invasive species removal
- Swamping
Corpsmembers get experience working with or in conjunction with the following tools and equipment, depending on their level of training:
- Trail Maintenance: Pick mattocks, Pulaskis, shovels, single/double jacks, McLeods, single bit axes, rock bars, chisels, crosscut saws, and griphoists
- Restoration Equipment: Herbicide backpack sprayers, spray bottles, GPS units, and measuring tools
- Power Tools and Gas Powered Equipment: Chainsaws, brush-cutters, drills, saws, and compressors
Qualifications: Applicants must be capable of performing physically demanding labor on environmental and conservation projects for 10 hours a day. Applicants should expect to hike extended distances on rough terrain carrying 40 lbs, and be prepared to spend 8 consecutive days in the field, on one project. Corpsmembers will work in a variety of weather conditions such as temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, high winds, intense sunshine, rain, and snow.
Required:
- U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
- Must be between the ages of 18 and 35
- Able and willing to work in a group
- Able and willing to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and capable of hiking moderate distances in somewhat rough terrain during inclement weather conditions
- Ability and willingness to undergo a Federal criminal background check
Preferred:
- Experience in hiking and navigation in steep terrain
- Strong desire to enter the conservation field as a natural resource professional
- Experience or interest in volunteering in local communities
The member must be willing to represent ACE and AmeriCorps in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner. ACE has a zero tolerance policy for illegal drugs (including recreational pot-smoking) and underage drinking. ACE reserves the right to require drug testing.
To Apply: Please submit a thoughtful resume and cover letter along with 3 professional references using the external application link on Handshake.
NOTE: Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact the Mountain West recruitment team: Kasey Burchett, kburchett@usaconservation.org or Michael Pietak, mpietak@usaconservation.org.