Position: Seasonal Veterans Corps Field Crew Member/Leader (AmeriCorps, ages 18 - 35)

Location: St. Paul, Mankato, Duluth, or Rochester, MN
    This is not a residential program; participants must secure housing preferably near the crew location

Service Term: 900-hour AmeriCorps position. 

Position Summary: AmeriCorps Veterans Corps Field Crews serve outdoors restoring habitat, managing natural resources, and responding to natural disasters or community needs. In addition to these tasks members will work with the Veterans Corps Manager to attend sessions on transitioning to civilian life and connecting to veteran services and resources. The Field Crew program prioritizes personal and professional growth while teaching hands-on conservation skills in the field. Members develop technical skills throughout their term while completing challenging and impactful conservation projects.  Members will be trained in a wide variety or skills and receive nationally recognized certifications and opportunities to network with professionals.  Natural resources projects vary by region and crew location, but may include:

• Invasive species management
• Stream bank stabilization, erosion control
• Prescribed burning
• Trail construction & maintenance
• Tree planting
• Basic carpentry
• Wild land fire suppression
• Emergency response

Projects are in partnership with public land management agencies such as the State Department of Natural Resources, US Fish & Wildlife Service, National Park Service, cities, counties, and trail associations. Projects are physically challenging and team-oriented and occur throughout the Midwest, including urban and wilderness settings. There will be out-of-town assignments, requiring camping for 4 – 12 consecutive days, frequency depends on project schedules. Crews are led by Crew Leaders and supervised by Regional staff and a Veterans Corps Manager.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Complete natural resources service projects in cooperation with fellow members safely, effectively, and efficiently and to the satisfaction and specifications of the project host
• Abide by Corps program safety regulations as well as applicable federal/state/municipal law and OSHA requirements; communicate any safety concerns and incidents
• Contribute actively to the team to complete projects, demonstrating a commitment to the Corps values of safety, service, respect, equity and community, as well as justice, diversity, and inclusion.
• Positive attitude, desire to learn new skills, interest in community service; represent Conservation Corps in positive manner in public
• Serve a minimum of 1,700 hours and complete the entire service term per the start and end dates listed on the Member Service Agreement
• Complete and approve timecards and other required reports and paperwork in timely manner

 
Hours & Schedule
Schedules can vary, depending on crew location. Crew members should expect to be scheduled for at least 40 hours of service per week. A typical schedule is Monday – Thursday, 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM, including a mandatory 30 minute lunch break which does not count towards service hours. Overnight travel (4 – 12 consecutive days) is often required for service projects. Some special assignments (including wildfire response and other emergency response assignments) may require members to deploy for several weeks at a time.  

Training & Development
The Corps provides orientation and skills training at the start of the program year, and additional region or project specific training throughout the service term that may include:

• AmeriCorps benefits
• S130 & S190 Firefighter training and red card certification training
• Chainsaw, brush saw and pole saw operations
• Safety and risk management
• Power and hand tool safety and maintenance
• First Aid and CPR
• MN Safety Council defensive driving
• Trailer operation and safety
• Invasive species management/herbicide application
• Plant identification
• Leave No Trace principles.
• Veteran resources
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion

Qualifications

• Honorably served in the US military
• 18-35 years old
• Ability and desire to work well with others in a team setting, outdoors and in all weather conditions
• Commitment to upholding Corps values of safety, service, respect, equity, and community
• Dedication to complete the full term of AmeriCorps service
• Ability to perform the Essential Service Functions, which include but are not limited to:

• • Long (10 hour) days of shoveling, digging, and swinging heavy tools repetitively
  • Long (10 hour) days of chainsawing / brush sawing
  • Heavy lifting, bending, and carrying up to 50 pounds
  • Walking and working on steep or uneven terrain
  • Working in extremes of heat or cold