2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps - Ridgway Youth Crew - PO-00802508

Student Conservation Association • Ridgway, 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 program. Crew members work with a small group of peers 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, develop 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., including a 30-minute unpaid lunch. Travel between the crew meeting location and worksites is included in the paid workday. The position is 37.5 hours per week, although hours are not guaranteed in severe or dangerous weather. Housing is not provided. Crews meet each morning in the program city and travel together to worksites in an SCA vehicle. SCA provides tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment; members provide their own sturdy closed-toe work boots, long sturdy pants, weather-appropriate clothing, and a bag for personal items.

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 through 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, arriving on time and ready to work; no more than three absences are permitted for the season.
• Have sturdy, closed-toe work boots, long sturdy pants, weather-appropriate clothing, and a backpack or bag for personal items.
• Work outdoors and be prepared for possible severe weather, poor air quality, high heat and humidity, and natural hazards including poisonous plants, ticks, mosquitoes, snakes, and other wildlife.

Responsibilities

• Complete trail maintenance and construction projects, including water management, brushing, blazing, and reroutes.
• Support habitat restoration, including identifying and removing invasive species, collecting data, and planting trees.
• Perform facility maintenance, including painting, staining, and basic carpentry.
• Participate in building projects such as picnic tables, stairs, and signs.
• Maintain fencing and boundary lines.
• Attend workdays on time and ready to work, with no more than three absences during the season.
• Work as a team to complete daily tasks and projects as routines, weather, and conditions change.
• Follow instructions from crew leaders and project partners and comply with SCA safety policies and procedures.
• Help maintain a safe, respectful, and welcoming crew environment.
• Participate in environmental education sessions and team-building activities.
• Help track project accomplishments and data and complete end-of-program feedback surveys.

Benefits

• $17.31 per hour (approximately $649 per week before taxes), paid biweekly.
• Practical job skills and experience working on public lands.
• Environmental education and team-building activities related to conservation, natural resource management, and outdoor recreation careers.
• SCA-provided tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment.
• Transportation together to worksites in an SCA vehicle.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Intern
• Education Level: No Education Listed