Reports to: Program Coordinator, Program Director     

Location: Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Housing not provided while off hitch) 

Season Dates: 05/26/2025-09/12/2025 

*Leader training week: 5/26/2025-5/30/2025 Southeast Conservation Corps Office, Chattanooga, TN 

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Exempt    

Health Benefits: Medical benefit options may be available for individuals serving 6 months or longer   

Other Benefits: Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Certificate (upon successful completion of hours), food & transportation provided while in the field, uniform shirts, personal protective equipment, and other professional development opportunities when available.   

Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 1 Assistant Crew Leader, 4 Crew Members 

 
Southeast Conservation Corps:   
Engaging future leaders who protect, restore, and enhance our nation’s lands through community-based service.   

Southeast Conservation Corps (SECC), a program of Conservation Legacy, is a non-profit, AmeriCorps-affiliated organization. SECC selects young adults, ages 18-30, up to 35 for veterans, to complete conservation service projects on public lands throughout the Southeast. SECC provides members with impactful opportunities through a unique set of programs that engage people in meaningful education and service to their communities and natural landscapes. SECC serves a diverse population that is representative of the Southeast, including youth, graduates, veterans, and a cross-section of ethnicities and income levels. SECC is also an active member of the AmeriCorps Disaster Response Team (A-DRT), and as such, selected crews may be deployed on Disaster response projects for up to 30 days.   

SECC partners with various land management agencies in Tennessee and throughout the Southeast region, such as the United States Forest Service, National Park Service, State Parks, city municipalities, and conservation-based non-profits. Projects vary but include trail construction and maintenance, ecosystem restoration, habitat restoration, fire fuels reduction, fencing on public lands, invasive weed removal, herbicide applications, and many others. The projects are manual labor based and most projects require a hike into and out of the project site daily carrying tools and a day pack.     

SECC camping crews serve in frontcountry and backcountry locations, often in challenging weather conditions. While hitch schedules vary by project and location, they typically will follow a 4-day on, 3-day off pattern, with 10-hour shifts and scheduled breaks throughout the day. While we aim to maintain consistency, flexibility is expected as schedules, times, and project locations are subject to change based on project needs.      

SECC is an independent, non-residential program, and crew members are responsible for securing their own housing when not in the field. On-hitch, crews manage camp chores and prepare all their own meals, with evenings often including group discussions. Members must provide their own personal outdoor gear (e.g., tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, day pack, multi-day pack, work pants, hiking/work boots), while SECC provides group camp equipment, tools, protective gear and transportation between project locations and crew cache location within the park. 

SECC is an independent, non-residential program. Crew Members are responsible for finding and attaining their own housing when not in the field. On-hitch crews prepare all their own meals and participate as a group to complete all necessary chores. Community/camp chores will be completed every evening, with many evenings including group discussions, conservation and/or corps related topics. Members must supply their own personal outdoor gear and equipment such as a tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, day pack, multi-day pack, work pants, hiking/work boots, etc. SECC will provide group camp equipment, tools, protective gear and transportation between SECC Office and project sites.     

Position Summary:   

The Crew Leader II position is an opportunity to make a difference in young peoples’ lives while completing conservation projects on public and private lands. Leaders will be mentors, educators, and facilitators for young adults, working to promote the health and resiliency of our land, air, and water. 

Standard schedule generally consists of 9 days on-hitch (out in the field as a crew unit) and 5 days off with some exceptions. Workdays follow a 10-hour shift with scheduled time for breaks. While the staff at SECC work to provide consistency throughout the season, personal flexibility is expected and should be prepared for when entering the term as schedules, times, and work locations are subject to change per project needs. Crew Leaders may also be required to come in for an additional day each hitch cycle to complete administrative duties and check-ins with program staff. On-hitch, crews camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores.   

The Crew Leader II position requires patience, a consistently positive mental attitude, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of competence in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due in a timely manner to supervisors. Finally, crew leaders must exhibit the ability to effectively work on diverse teams and those from a variety of populations and communities. 

Service Project:   

SECC and Great Smoky Mountains National Park have partnered to host a trail crew alongside the National Park Service Trail Crew. The primary focus of the project will be the restoration of Bullhead Trail, with additional projects in various park locations. This project is highly physically demanding, requiring participants to hike up to Mt. LeConte—an arduous level 5-mile trek each way with an elevation gain of approximately 3,000 feet—along with other tough hikes, all while carrying heavy loads of tools, equipment, and a day pack. Crew members will camp in close quarters in an open shelter atop Mt. LeConte, where they should expect limited service, resources, and amenities. 

The GRSM Trail Program Coordinator will lead the crew and oversee restoration efforts. Members will camp overnight in the field and complete service projects outdoors in all weather conditions, performing manual labor related to conservation and restoration. Potential tasks include, but are not limited to: 

• Trail construction and maintenance 

• Corridor clearing 

• Replacement of equestrian hitching posts 

• Repair or installation of water structures along trails 

• Signage installation and repainting blazes 

• Habitat restoration 

• Fence installation and repair 

• Community Service 

Responsibilities: 

 Leadership & Mentorship  

• Implement skills training on worksite and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics.   

• Promote individual corps member development and a safe, healthy, cohesive, other-centered and team-oriented community.   

• Follow and enforce all policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent the program. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program.   

Project Management & Implementation   

• Train, motivate and supervise a crew of young adults to efficiently complete tasks and objectives outlined in conservation projects, while working long hours and managing high quality of work and crew morale.  

• Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems, requesting assistance or help when needed.   

• Communicate & coordinate logistics with project partners, Assistant Crew Leader (or Crew Leader in Development), & staff   

Safety & Risk Management   

• Monitor, manage, and promote the holistic health of the crew, including physical and emotional (intimidation free community environment) safety.    

• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety.   

• Transport crew and equipment safely in organizational vans or large SUVs with trailers in accordance with CL Driver policy.  

• Manage and document incidents in the field and activate incident response system, if needed, per Conservation Legacy policy. 

Administration   

• Thorough documentation of crew hours, accomplishments, disciplinary actions taken, and incident response according to Conservation Legacy policy and procedure    

• Manage food budget and credit card for purchases. 

• Track and submit credit card receipts for all expenses every month. 

Camp Management 

• Oversee, manage, and assign camp chores (or camp tasks). 

• Monitor and manage crew community needs in camp. 

• Instruct crew in how to create a safe, hygienic, and tidy camp environment while mitigating crew caused impacts to campsites, practicing minimum impact camping techniques. 

• Maintain all program policies and procedures in camp environment. 

• Leading a camping crew is an intensive commitment requiring a continuous physical presence. Leaders must remain physically present, and cognitively and emotionally available to support community and individual crew member needs.  

Minimum Qualifications:   

• Full commitment to the program and its mission.   

• Understanding of and experience with the mission and field management considerations of conservation corps and public land agencies. 

• Leadership, management, and supervisory experience with youth or young adults.   

• Must hold current advanced medical certification (for backcountry crews: 80 hours Wilderness First Responder with CPR/AED or higher; for front country crews: 24 hours Wilderness First Aid with CPR/AED or higher) or be willing to receive certification prior to start date.   

• Ability to effectively manage all aspects of crew life and production within a 40-50+-hour work week including managing projects, camping, and programmatic policies and integrity throughout. 

• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.   

• Willingness to participate in community-building activities and solution-oriented problem solving with peer leaders.   

• Able to work long days in adverse conditions.   

• Must be able to speak, understand and write English.   

• High School diploma or GED certificate.   

• Must over the age of 21 or have possessed a driver’s license for 3 or years more without any restrictions (to pass minimum insurability requirements for crew transport driving duties).    

Preferred Qualifications or a Strong Desire to Grow in the Following:   

• Experience with experiential and/or environmental education.   

• Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel.   

• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people.   

• Time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others.   

• Strong conflict resolution skills.   

• Technical trails, Crosscut or Chainsaw experience.   

• Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others.   

• 1-2 years’ experience with SECC, other conservation corps or youth corps  

• Technical trail construction and maintenance experience 

• Current and relevant certification in Wilderness Medicine (WFA, WAFA, WFR) with CPR/AED  

• Forest Service chainsaw certifications   

• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people   

• Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects   

• Experience with Disaster Response  

Substance Free   

In accordance to a drug free workplace, alcohol and drugs are prohibited while participating in AmeriCorps and program activities and while on organization property.