Crew leader

Summary

Southeast Conservation Corps’ Crew Leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding, but with opportunity for enormous rewards.

Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, effective communication skills, excellent judgement, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to a crew experience where the needs of others are placed above oneself.

The Crew Leader position requires, mentorship, patience, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors.

Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.

Project Work :

SECC’s Strike Team will be working directly with the Conasauga Ranger District within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest.

The work completed by the Strike Team will help land managers prepare for future projects.

Project work will include (but is not limited to) :

NNIS (non-native invasive species) plant treatment

Invasive plants degrade wildlife habitats by displacing native vegetation and reducing foraging and breeding habitats, among other effects.

Treating invasive plant species with herbicides (foliar spraying with backpacks or other hand-held equipment) is one of the most effective ways to recover native communities.

Invasive plants are most common near private land, on roadsides, or in areas where previous land uses favored them (such as wildlife openings).

We target a number of NNIS, including autumn olive, kudzu, Japanese knotweed, and privet.

Wood loading in streams

Aquatic habitats benefit from the presence of large woody debris (LWD) for a variety of reasons. One important function is to slow high velocity flows during storm events and prevent scouring and steeply incised streambeds.

Adding LWD is accomplished by selectively felling trees into streams or pushing or using grip hoists and cables to pull and position wood into place.

We add LWD to streams when surveys indicate it would be beneficial.

Developed Recreation

The Recreation Team maintains all campgrounds, day-use areas, and trails on the district. Our with covers a variety of areas and our staff has a variety of skill sets.

Work that will be included when working 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. This work could include bathroom cleaning and maintenance, campground maintenance using weed-eaters and leaf-blowers among other power tools.

Hitch Schedule : The crews’ schedule will depend on the project and partner needs. Members must remain flexible and expect partners to communicate crew schedule before off time.

Typical hitch schedules : 5 days on 2 days off Monday-Friday OR 4 days on 3 days off Monday-Thursday OR Tuesday-Friday.

This crew is a day crew model No Camping, completing predetermined projects created in collaboration with SECC project partners.

Crew members will begin and end each day at the Conasauga Ranger District Office within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest in Chatsworth, GA.

Required Skills

Required Skills :

Minimum Qualifications :

1-2 years’ experience with SECC, other conservation corps or youth corps

USFS recognized chainsaw certification

Willingness to commit fully to the program and its mission

Leadership experience with youth or young adults

Excellent organizational & communication skills

Must be able to demonstrate strong project management skills

Strong time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others

Ability to effectively and efficiently manage all aspects of crew life and production within a hitch schedule

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

Willingness to learn and be a part of a dynamic community of peer leaders

Must be adaptive, patient and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout

Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions

Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel, and LNT principles

High School diploma or GED certificate

Current and relevant certification in Wilderness Medicine (WFA, WAFA, WFR) with CPR / AED

Willingness to deploy on a Disaster Response

Preferred Qualifications :

Background with experiential and / or environmental education

Data collection

Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people

Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects

Strong conflict resolution skills

Experience with Disaster Response

Relevant Bachelor’s Degree

Required Experience

Participant Essential Eligibility Requirements : Essential eligibility requirements for the program must be met. If you are unable to meet certain requirements, we may be able to assist you with some modification unless it alters the fundamental nature of the program, compromises the health and safety of participants or staff, or places an undue financial or administrative burden on the organization.

These requirements are written the same for all positions and therefore may not apply directly to your position.

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 SECC vehicle

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

Ability to pass Conservation Legacy’s criminal history checks

Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident and provide primary documentation to support this

Required Skills :

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

Promote individual corps member development and a healthy, supportive community

Must be willing to follow and enforce all SECC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Southeast Conservation Corps.

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 and motivate a crew of two young adults to complete conservation projects efficiently on public lands

Delegate project work & investment among crew

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

Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems

Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners & SECC staff

Safety & Risk Management

Implement and enforce SECC’s COVID-19 Pandemic Policies and Procedures (provided to applicants during interview process), including mask use when required

Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site

Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety

Transport crew and equipment safely in SECC’s vans or large vehicles with trailers

Administration

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

and submit in a timely manner

Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables

Manage food budget and credit card purchases, including receipt reconciliation

Safety and Judgment

Effectively communicate danger to others in the form of either a warning of danger others may be encountering or a notification of personal distress, injury or need for assistance.

You must be able to do so at a distance of up to 50 meters and in conditions with limited visibility or loud background noise such as darkness or high winds.

Effectively perceive, understand and follow direction by others so that you will be able to successfully execute appropriate and perhaps unfamiliar techniques to manage hazards.

These directions may be given before the hazard is encountered or may need to be given during exposure to the hazard.

Stay alert and focused for several hours at a time while traveling and working in varied weather conditions

Perceive and comprehend significant and apparent hazards, including those hazards previously identified by others

Respond appropriately to stress or crises

If taking prescription medications, participants must be able to maintain proper dosage by self-medicating without assistance from others

Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site

Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety

Transport crew and equipment safely in SECC’s vans or large SUVs with trailers

Environmental Ethics

Learn, practice, and teach Leave no Trace’ techniques

Outdoor Skills and Fitness (where appropriate)

Learn and safely perform fundamental outdoor living / travel and work skills as appropriate to the project. Additionally, remain adequately hydrated, fed, and properly dressed so as to remain generally healthy and safe, avoiding environmental injuries.

Live in a physically demanding, possibly remote environment for an uninterrupted period of up to several weeks. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly and may include severe and / or trying weather.

The remoteness is such that it may require at a minimum one hour, but perhaps in excess of 12 hours, to reach the nearest advanced medical care.

Last updated : 2024-04-06