Trail Crew Member - Great Smoky Mountains National Park

EPIC • Gatlinburg, TN

3d • Onsite

About The Position

American Conservation Experience (ACE), in partnership with Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is seeking a Trail Crew Member to contribute to trail projects alongside NPS Staff. This position offers training and mentorship to prepare the member for a future career in trail work or a related field in conservation. The role involves a variety of trail maintenance and construction tasks, including clearing drainages, removing fallen trees, mowing trail sides, cemetery maintenance, widening and outsloping trails, repairing trail surfaces, and maintaining erosion control structures. Trail construction tasks include assisting with building foot logs, staircases, retaining walls, and turnpikes. The work directly contributes to hiker safety, access to popular trail destinations, trail sustainability, and protection of natural resources. Members will work directly with the NPS Trail Crew, meeting at the trail shop each morning at 7 am and working a full day. This position is based out of the Gatlinburg Office on the Tennessee Side of the Park.

Requirements

• Members must be authorized to work in the United States.
• A valid driver's license and an insurable driving record.
• Members must be 21+ to drive due to ACE's insurance and liability requirements.
• A current and valid form of ID.
• Willing to undergo and must pass the required criminal history checks.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Ability to be both self-directed/work alone, and be a positive, contributing member of a group.
• ACE Members will need to complete bi-weekly timesheets, beginning of term feedback forms, end of term evaluations and for longer terms, a mid-term evaluation.
• Member may not participate in any prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with hiking, camping, and previous manual labor jobs is preferred.
• Ability and willingness to work outside in less-than-ideal conditions including working in the rain and working in hot/humid and cold weather.
• Applicants must be comfortable hiking 8-15 miles per day.
• Deep interest in hiking, challenging oneself physically, conservation, and working outdoors.

Responsibilities

• Clearing trail drainages
• Clearing trails of fallen trees
• Mowing trail sides to keep trail corridors open
• Cemetery maintenance (blowing leaves, mowing)
• Widening and outsloping the trail surface
• Trail surface repair
• Maintaining erosion control structures
• Assisting NPS Staff with building trail structures such as foot logs, staircases, retaining walls, and turnpikes
• Conducting duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources

Benefits

• Living Allowance: $740/week, dispersed bi-weekly.
• Housing Allowance: $500 per month for 2 months (taxed, reimbursable).
• Gear Allowance: Reimbursed up to $200 for approved boots.
• Provided Training/Orientation: Position specific training, ACE policies and procedures, guidance on prohibited activities, support networks, First Aid and CPR Training, trail maintenance and construction techniques, rigging, stone drilling and splitting using hammer drills and feathers/wedges, string trimmer use, working around mules, and rock bar and other trails hand tool use training.

What This Job Offers

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