Position: Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin Field Crew Leader and Crew Member (AmeriCorps, ages 18+)

Location: 1720 Big Lake Road Cloquet, MN 55720

This is not a residential program; participants must secure housing preferably near the crew location

Crew Leader Service Term: March 17th, 2025 – September 18th, 2025

Crew Member Service Term: March 31st, 2025 – September 18th, 2025

Service Term and Education Award Amounts:

Enrollment Type and Minimum Hours Required: 900 hours

Education Award: $3,697.50

*Members are eligible for an education award up to the amount listed by enrollment type.

Benefits:

· Living Allowance: 

• Crew Leader → $2,600/month pre tax
• Crew Member → $2,400/month pre tax

· Access to gear lending library

· Student loan forbearance (on qualifying student loans)

· Access to Employee Assistance Program

· Service term eligible to count towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness program

· Health insurance

· Childcare assistance

· Training, certifications, networking

Project Partners:

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and AmeriCorps grantee that engages hundreds of youth and young adults each year in programs and initiatives that improve access to outdoor recreation, restore natural habitat, protect waterways, and respond to community needs and natural disasters. Our mission is to cultivate a community of emerging leaders in service to people and the planet. Learn more at conservationcorps.org.

Our values embody safety, justice, stewardship, community and leadership. In working toward our vision, we believe that it is important we commit to the following:

• Using equity as a lens for the work we do and decisions we make
• Building a shared vision surrounding Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion goals with our partnering organizations and communities, and
• Providing an equitable training environment and high-quality programming to all our participants.

Read our full Justice, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion statement online at: conservationcorps.org/about/jedi/ 

Fond du Lac Resource Management: The Fond du Lac (FDL) Reservation has been formally managing natural resources as a government function since 1975. The Resource Management Program now has over 50 full-time staff members overseeing conservation and restoration projects relating to Natural Resources, Forestry, Conservation Enforcement, Wildlife, Fisheries, Invasive Species, Air Quality, Water Quality and several others. It’s stated in the program’s mission that “The Fond du Lac Resource Management Division is committed to the management, conservation, and sustainability of the natural resources of the Fond du Lac Band in order to protect the environment on the Fond du Lac Reservation and within its treaty areas. The Resource Management Division will use the tools of research, education and outreach with Band Members, partners and stakeholders to accomplish these goals” (Fond du Lac Resource Management Division, 2017, p. 5) FDL’s mission, staff expertise, and broad range of conservation focus areas provides a unique opportunity to train the next generation of Indigenous Natural Resource and Environmental Professionals.

Position Summary: The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin, Starting out in Earth Conservation, engages motivated Indigenous young adults, ages 18+, to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects throughout the Fond du Lac Reservation and within the 1837, 1842, and 1854 ceded territories. The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin crew will work with current FDL Resource Management professionals to gain valuable experience and skills, to prepare for future careers in the natural resources field. Crew members will work on challenging and impactful conservation projects that may include:

• Invasive species management
• Stream bank stabilization, erosion control
• Prescribed burning
• Trail construction & maintenance
• Tree planting
• Basic carpentry
• Wildland fire suppression
• Wolf population monitoring and management
• Emergency response

The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin crew will work to conserve and restore rivers, wetlands, watersheds, forests, and other important ecosystems within the FDL reservation; expand access to the outdoors for FDL band members; engage Tribal youth in conservation work to prepare them for careers in natural resources; and support the conservation plans of FDL Resource Management, with a focus on locally led and designed conservation efforts that support and respect Tribal sovereignty and cultural knowledge.

By the end of the term, the entirety of the crew will have a wide breadth of understanding of management activities occurring within the FDL Reservation and ceded territories, and be prepared for future careers in a variety of fields occurring within resource management at a local, state, and federal level.

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 FDL and 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, justice, stewardship, community and leadership.
• Positive attitude, desire to learn new skills, interest in community service; represent Conservation Corps in positive manner in public
• Complete the entire service term per the start and end dates listed on the Member Service Agreement
• 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

A typical schedule is 40 hours/week, 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 – 8 consecutive days) is sometimes 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 and FDL Resource Management 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
• Leadership
• Conflict resolution
• Diversity, equity, and inclusion
• Safety and risk management
• Power and hand tool safety and maintenance
• Wildland Fire
• Mental Health
• First Aid and CPR
• Invasive species management/herbicide application
• Treaty Rights
• Plant identification
• Leave No Trace principles.

Qualifications

• Willingness to learn and adapt to changing plans, work, and project needs
• Commitment to upholding Corps values of safety, justice, stewardship, community and leadership.
• Ability to perform project work in a safe manner, while wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including hard hat, gloves, safety glasses, CCMI steel-toed work boots, and hearing protection (when using loud equipment such as brush saws, chain saws, etc)
• Dedication to complete the full term of AmeriCorps service
• Ability to perform the Essential Service Functions, which include but are not limited to:

o Long (8-12 hour) days engaging in physically demanding work using various hand and power tools

o Heavy lifting, bending, and carrying up to 50 pounds

o Walking and working on steep or uneven terrain

o Working outdoors in all weather conditions

• Must be a US Citizen, US National, or Lawful Permanent Resident Alien of the US
• Must pass a criminal history check consisting of a National Sex Offender Public Website check, a state criminal history check, and a fingerprint-based FBI check. Passing the criminal history check is defined as no positive hits on the NSOPW and no history of violent offenses on the state or FBI checks.
• High school degree, GED, or willingness to work towards obtaining a GED

Preferred Qualification

Preference for individuals who identify as Indigenous or who have a close connection to the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.

Other Information

Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to creating an inclusive environment that values the diversity of its staff and members and does not discriminate against anyone. Conservation Corps does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, military service, union membership, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status with regards to public assistance, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodations available upon request.

Women, BIPOC, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.