Conservation Corps - Alaska-2026 Alaska Corps Team Member Position

Student Conservation Association • Anchorage, AK

8d • Onsite

About The Position

The SCA Alaska Corps is a 14-week AmeriCorps program focused on leadership
development, completing trail work projects and building a sense of community.
As a member of a 5-person crew you will be led by one SCA Project Leader. The
group will live and serve together for the duration of the program.
Members should be prepared to camp through the summer and face the challenges of
weather, insects, remoteness and wildlife typical of outdoor work in Alaska.
This is an opportunity to learn the hard and soft skills of being in the outdoor
industry; folks will walk away with experience in conservation trail work and
outdoor living skills.
Alaska Corps teams live and work together for the duration of their program. SCA
emphasizes the importance of community building and growth in interpersonal
skills throughout the program.
The Student Conservation Association's Alaska Corps team is focused on providing
young adults opportunities to grow competitive skills in the field of
conservation trail work to prepare them to move into jobs with our project
partners after their term of service. Our partners include The US Forest
Service, The National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other
national, state, or local environmental agencies. Skills will include hands on
conservation service experience, professional development training, and
nationally recognized certifications.
Members of the crew will spend 3 months on service projects with various
federal, state and local agencies across Alaska. Service projects will include
trail work projects: construction of new trail using hand tools, maintenance of
current trail including drainages, boardwalks or brushing, or fuels reduction
work (felling and bucking dead trees).
Duration of projects will vary. A variety of projects will be performed with
various partners across Alaska.
Service will be outdoors and will typically require heavy lifting (~50 lb.).
Members will use hand tools and may have the opportunity to use equipment such
as chainsaws. Team members will be supervised in the field by an SCA Project
leader. All team members are expected to be respectful, on-time, hardworking,
and aware of conditions to ensure a safe service environment.
Due to the geography and logistics in Alaska, applicants must be able to commit
to the full duration of the season.

Requirements

• Interest and investment in leadership development and teamwork is required.
• Commitment to living and serving within an intensive crew environment; interpersonal skills and community living experience are pluses.
• Commitment to service in environmental conditions that will include: cold/heat, smoke, bugs, high winds, and precipitation.
• Must be willing to learn how to use hand tools and power tools to accomplish service activities.
• Must be eligible to serve as an AmeriCorps Member:
• Be a citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States.
• Be at least 18 years or older.
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent or actively working to obtain one.
• Be willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs and walk/hike on uneven terrain, uphill or downhill, for 5 miles, physical work for 8-10 hours per day.
• Ability to pass SCA’s background check.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in an outdoor setting;
• Positive communication skills and ability to work with a team;
• Resiliency skills;
• Ability to take initiative;
• Ability to complete tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).

Responsibilities

• Ensure project, basecamp, community, and general safety standards are upheld; full engagement is expected in all service projects and community activities.
• Uniform: AmeriCorps Member will be required to wear the AmeriCorps and SCA logo daily
• Interfacing with general public and partner organizations in a manner that reflects positively upon the crew, organization, and agency.
• Play an active role in learning and executing the logistics of a project, cooking meals, understanding emergency response plans, critically thinking about risk and hazard mitigation, and completing all necessary paperwork related to member service activities.
• Comply with all SCA, NPS/USFS/USFWS/BLM, and AmeriCorps policies and refrain from any prohibited activities.

Benefits

• $300/week living allowance
• $1,100 travel allowance
• Camping through the duration of the program and food during hitches; group gear provided
• Wilderness medicine training
• AmeriCorps Education Award $1954 eligibility (300-to-450-hour awards)
• Some positions may be eligible to receive Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Eligibility

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED