2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps - York Youth Crew

Student Conservation Association • York, PA

21h • Onsite

About The Position

The Student Conservation Association (SCA), in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is hiring motivated, team-oriented high school students for the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps summer program. Crew members work with a small team of peers on hands-on trail, habitat, and facility projects on Pennsylvania public lands, including state parks and forests. Each crew is supervised by two trained adult crew leaders or one solo leader. Members earn an hourly wage while developing practical job skills and participating in environmental education and team-building activities related to conservation, natural resource management, and outdoor recreation careers.

The York, Pennsylvania program runs June 28 through August 6, 2027, for six weeks. The schedule is Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with a 30-minute unpaid lunch break, for 37.5 paid hours per week when work conditions permit. Travel between the meeting location and worksites is included in the paid workday. Pay is $17.31 per hour, approximately $649 per week before taxes, and is paid biweekly. Work may move to safe or indoor locations during brief periods of bad weather. In severe or dangerous weather, a workday may be canceled without pay, so weekly hours are not guaranteed.

Housing is not provided. Crews meet each morning at a central location in the program city and travel together to worksites in an SCA vehicle. SCA supplies 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.

The work is field-based, and schedules and projects may change at 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 York, Pennsylvania, 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.
• Bring sturdy, closed-toe work boots, long sturdy pants, weather-appropriate clothing, and a backpack or bag for personal items.
• Follow crew leader and project partner instructions and all SCA safety policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

• Complete trail maintenance and construction work, including water management, brushing, blazing, and reroutes.
• Support habitat restoration, including invasive species identification and removal, data collection, and tree planting.
• Perform facility maintenance such as painting, staining, and basic carpentry.
• Build projects such as picnic tables, stairs, and signs.
• Perform fencing and boundary line maintenance.
• 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.
• Help maintain a safe, respectful, and welcoming crew environment and follow SCA safety policies and procedures.
• Participate in environmental education sessions and team-building activities.
• Help track project accomplishments and data, and complete end-of-program feedback surveys.

Benefits

• Hourly pay of $17.31, approximately $649 per week before taxes, paid biweekly.
• SCA provides tools, crew work shirts, and required safety equipment.
• Hands-on work experience and practical job skills development.
• Environmental education and team-building activities connected to conservation, natural resource management, and outdoor recreation careers.

What This Job Offers

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