2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps - Trail Crew

Student Conservation Association • Dennison Township, PA

13d • Onsite

About The Position

The AmeriCorps Trail Crew Member serves with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps, a collaboration between the Student Conservation Association (SCA) and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The program provides paid conservation service, job-skills training, educational opportunities, and career pathways in environmental stewardship and infrastructure fields. The crew will spend most of the season restoring the Glen Onoko Falls Trail at Lehigh Gorge State Park in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, and may also work on priority projects in other Pennsylvania parks and forests. The crew includes six members, two assistant leaders, and two leaders.

Members perform hands-on trail restoration and construction, including technical stonework. The service term runs March 15 through November 18, 2027, with a minimum of 1,200 service hours required for AmeriCorps award eligibility. Members receive a living allowance of $675 per week and may receive a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,176.50 upon successful completion of the term. The role includes technical rigging and trail-design training, crew-wide training, and professional development activities.

The position is field-based and involves an eight-days-on, six-days-off hitch schedule, generally Wednesday to Wednesday. Standard hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with start and end times subject to change based on weather and project needs. The posting describes a minimum of 37.5 hours per week, states that 40 hours per week is not guaranteed during extreme weather, and also describes the commitment as 40 hours per week. Members must be prepared to spend hitches away from home and live and serve communally with the crew. Housing and meals are provided during hitches; members are responsible for having a Pennsylvania residence to return to on off days, when accommodations are not provided.

Requirements

• Be 21 to 25 years old at the start of the program.
• Be a Pennsylvania resident and maintain a Pennsylvania residence for off days.
• Be available for the full service term, March 15 through November 18, 2027, and complete at least 1,200 service hours.
• Be willing and able to complete overnight hitches, spending eight days away from home at a time.
• Have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation to and from hitch locations; a personal vehicle is required.
• Meet AmeriCorps eligibility requirements: be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or national; be at least 18 years old; have a high school diploma or equivalent or be actively working to complete one; and be willing to undergo the required National Service Criminal History Check.
• Develop and maintain professional relationships with staff, crew leaders, and other members.
• Live and serve effectively with teammates and contribute to team success.
• Understand verbal and/or written communication.
• Be dependable, flexible, and cooperative; take initiative; accept leadership and supervisory authority; and complete tasks appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Be able to communicate the presence of safety hazards through visual and auditory means.
• Be willing to serve in environmental conditions that may include extreme heat, cold, high winds, precipitation, severe weather, reduced air quality, and natural hazards.
• Comply with AmeriCorps Prohibited Activity restrictions specified in the SCA AmeriCorps Member Service Agreement.

Nice To Haves

• Previous trail-building experience.
• Previous experience with group living or hitch-based work.
• Interest in pursuing a career in conservation or a related field.
• Commitment to serving as a productive team member and demonstrating strong interpersonal and professional skills.
• Full participation in professional development activities, including virtual and in-person sessions.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and restore existing trail infrastructure.
• Build stone staircases and retaining walls.
• Use technical rigging to move and source stones.
• Shape and set stones.
• Define trail tread surfaces and close social trails.
• Apply sustainable trail-design practices, including water management, benching, trail assessments, trail clearing, blazing, new construction, and reroutes.
• Perform additional service activities assigned within the scope of the core project.
• Participate in crew house and team responsibilities, including shared chores, cooking group meals, and grocery shopping.
• Assist with maintenance and management of program supplies and materials.
• Assist with inspection and maintenance of program vehicles.
• Support coordination of transportation, safety protocols, accessibility needs, and other program supplies.
• Participate in required orientation, professional development, and training activities.

Benefits

• Weekly living allowance of $675, subject to applicable taxes.
• Segal AmeriCorps Education Award of $5,176.50 upon successful completion of the 1,200-hour service term.
• Eligibility for federal student loan forbearance and interest-payment deferment through AmeriCorps for qualifying student loans.
• Option to enroll in individual health, dental, and vision benefits through AmeriCorps.
• Lodging and meals during mandatory orientation; housing and meals during hitches.
• Holidays off.
• Technical rigging and trail-design training, First Aid with CPR/AED, workforce development and job-readiness activities, and other training.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED