2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps - Pittsburgh Youth Crew

Student Conservation Association • Pittsburgh, PA

2d • 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 in Pittsburgh. 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. Members earn $17.31 per hour, build practical job skills, and participate 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 hours per week. Travel between the crew meeting location and worksites is included in the paid workday. Weekly hours are not guaranteed because severe or dangerous weather may result in an unpaid day off. Housing is not provided. Crews meet at a central location in Pittsburgh 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 backpack or bag for personal items. 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, and natural hazards including poisonous plants, ticks, mosquitoes, snakes, and other wildlife.

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 Pittsburgh 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.
• Be prepared to attend every workday, with no more than three absences for the season.
• 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.
• Support habitat restoration through invasive species identification and removal, data collection, and tree planting.
• Perform facility maintenance such as painting, staining, and basic carpentry.
• Participate in building projects such as picnic tables, stairs, and signs.
• Maintain fencing and boundary lines.
• Attend 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, with no more than three absences for 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, as well as SCA safety policies and procedures.
• Contribute to a safe, respectful, and welcoming crew environment.

Benefits

• Paid compensation of $17.31 per hour, approximately $649 per week before taxes, paid biweekly.
• Practical job skills development and environmental education and team-building activities.
• SCA-provided tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment.
• Transportation together to worksites in an SCA vehicle.

What This Job Offers

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