2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps - Meadville Youth Crew

Student Conservation Association • Meadville, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Student Conservation Association (SCA), in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is seeking motivated, team-oriented high school students for a six-week summer position with the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps in Meadville, Pennsylvania. Crew members work with a small team on hands-on trail, habitat, and facility projects on Pennsylvania public lands. Crews are supervised by two trained adult crew leaders or one solo leader. Participants earn $17.31 per hour, build practical job skills, and take part in environmental education and team-building activities connected to conservation, natural resource management, and outdoor recreation careers.

The program runs June 28 through August 6, 2027. The regular schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break, for 37.5 scheduled hours per week. Travel between the meeting location and worksites is part of the paid workday. Hours are not guaranteed: in severe or dangerous weather, a crew may be called off for an unpaid day. Housing is not provided. Crews meet at a central location in the program city and travel together to worksites in an SCA vehicle. SCA provides tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment; members must provide sturdy closed-toe work boots, long sturdy pants, weather-appropriate clothing, and a bag for personal items.

Applicants must be 15–18 years old at the start of the program, current Pennsylvania residents, available for the full program, and live in or near Meadville with reliable transportation to the daily meeting location. They must complete onboarding and receive field approval from SCA staff before the program begins. Members are expected to attend every workday, with no more than three absences for the season, arrive on time and prepared, follow leader instructions and safety policies, work cooperatively, and help maintain a safe, respectful, and welcoming crew.

Work is field-based, and schedules and projects may change on short notice. Members may encounter severe weather, poor air quality, high heat and humidity, poisonous plants, tick- and mosquito-borne illness, snakes, and other wildlife. SCA is an equal opportunity employer and makes selection decisions based on merit, qualifications, and performance, without unlawful discrimination.

Requirements

• Be 15–18 years old at the start of the program.
• Be a current Pennsylvania resident.
• Be available for the full program, June 28–August 6, 2027.
• Live in or near the program city and have reliable transportation to and from the daily crew meeting location.
• Complete all onboarding requirements and receive field approval from SCA staff before the program begins.
• Attend every workday, with no more than three absences for the season.
• Arrive on time and ready to work; follow instructions and safety policies; and demonstrate teamwork, a positive attitude, and a strong work ethic.
• Provide sturdy closed-toe work boots, long sturdy pants, weather-appropriate clothing, and a backpack or bag for personal items.

Responsibilities

• Complete trail maintenance and construction work, including water management, brushing, blazing, and reroutes.
• Participate in habitat restoration, including invasive species identification and removal, data collection, and tree planting.
• Perform facility maintenance such as painting, staining, and basic carpentry.
• Help build projects such as picnic tables, stairs, and signs.
• Maintain fencing and boundary lines.
• Take part in environmental education sessions and team-building activities.
• Help track project accomplishments and data and complete end-of-program feedback surveys.
• Attend workdays on time and ready to work, follow instructions from crew leaders and project partners, and follow SCA safety policies and procedures.
• Work as a team and help maintain a safe, respectful, and welcoming crew.

Benefits

• Hourly pay of $17.31, approximately $649 per week before taxes, paid biweekly.
• Practical job skills and experience related to conservation, natural resource management, and outdoor recreation.
• Environmental education and team-building activities.
• SCA-provided tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment.
• Shared transportation from the central meeting location to worksites in an SCA vehicle.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed