2024 SCA Alaska Corps

2024 SCA Alaska Corps Member

The SCA Alaska Corps is a 14-week AmeriCorps program focused on leadership development, completing trail work projects and building a sense of community. As a member of a 5-person crew you will be led by one SCA Project Leader. The group will live and serve together for the duration of the program.  Members  should be prepared to camp through the summer and face the challenges of weather, insects, remoteness and wildlife typical of outdoor work in Alaska. This is an opportunity to to learn the hard and soft skills of being in the outdoor industry; folks will walk away with experience in conservation trail work and outdoor living skills. 

Alaska Corps teams live and work together for the duration of their program. SCA emphasizes the importance of community building and growth in interpersonal skills throughout the program.

Program Description:

The Student Conservation Association's Alaska Corps team is focused on providing young adults opportunities to grow competitive skills in the field of conservation trail work to prepare them to move into jobs with our project partners after their term of service. Our partners include The US Forest Service, The National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other national, state, or local environmental agencies. Skills will include hands on conservation service experience, professional development training, and nationally recognized certifications. 

Members of the crew will spend 3 months on service projects with various federal, state and local agencies across Alaska. Service projects will may include trail work projects: construction of new trail using hand tools, maintenance of current trail including drainages, boardwalks or brushing, or fuels reduction work (felling and bucking dead trees).  

Duration of projects will vary. A variety of projects will be performed with various partners across Alaska. Service will be outdoors and will typically require heavy lifting (~50 lb). Members will use hand tools and may have the opportunity to use equipment such as chainsaws. Team members will be supervised in the field by an SCA Project leader. All team members are expected to be respectful, on-time, hardworking, and aware of conditions to ensure a safe service environment. 

Due to the geography and logistics in Alaska, applicants must be able to commit to the full duration of the season.  

Preference will be given to applicants that are local to Alaska.  

Program Dates -

*Please note – this is a tentative schedule.  Dates may change, but training opportunities will remain the same. 

May 15 - Aug 20, 2023: Corps Team Member Dates (12-14 weeks)  

•2 weeks SCA training in SCA program, Wilderness First Aid and Conservation Work Skills 

•12 field weeks completing SCA service projects  

*Date may vary depending on project and partner site
 

Leadership development 
Leadership development is an important component of the SCA Alaska Corps program. Members will go through intentional leadership and communication training to prepare them to excel as leaders in the field. Responsibilities include self-leadership and group participation; cooking meals, critically thinking about hazards and risk on the project, and reporting outputs and timesheets related to member service activities. SCA Alaska field staff will be assigned to support the crew to provide technical on-the-ground support/training and additional leadership training and guidance (as needed). 
  
Crew Housing   
Members should expect to camp throughout the program. Housing will be provided during work projects “hitches” of the program in the form of shared tents or shared communal bunk houses. Members will provide their own sleep system (sleeping bag and pad). 
Transportation
Program vehicles will be provided for the daily commute to the work site, and they will be driven by the SCA Project Leader and any AmeriCorps member who is 21+ and successfully completes SCA’s Drivers Training.  During field season, members should expect to be traveling with their crew to project sites throughout Alaska, which may include ferry or plane travel. 

Hours 
Corps members serve approximately 40 hours a week for the duration of the program. Service does not follow a typical Monday-Friday schedule often. The general schedule is from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm but may vary by project. 


Primary Responsibilities:

Ensure project, basecamp, community, and general safety standards are upheld; full engagement is expected in all service projects and community activities.  

Uniform: AmeriCorps Member will be required to wear the AmeriCorps and SCA logo daily    

Interfacing with general public and partner organizations in a manner that reflects positively upon the crew, organization, and agency.  

Play an active role in learning and executing the logistics of a project, cooking meals, understanding emergency response plans, critically thinking about risk and hazard mitigation, and completing all necessary paperwork related to member service activities.  

Comply with all SCA, NPS/USFS/USFWS/BLM, and AmeriCorps policies and refrain from any prohibited activities. 

Strong candidates will have the following knowledge, skills, experience:

• Experience working in an outdoor setting;
• Positive communication skills and ability to work with a team;
• Resiliency skills;
• Ability to take initiative;
• Ability to complete tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).

Minimum Qualifications:

Interest and investment in leadership development and teamwork is required 

Commitment to living and serving within an intensive crew environment; interpersonal skills and community living experience are pluses.  

Commitment to service in environmental conditions that will include: cold/heat, smoke, bugs, high winds, and precipitation. 

Must be willing to learn how to use hand tools and power tools to accomplish service activities. 

 Must be eligible to serve as an AmeriCorps Member: 

Be a citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States; 

Be at least 18 years or older; 

Have a high school diploma or equivalent or actively working to obtain one; 

Be willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks; 

Ability to lift 50 lbs, and walk/hike on uneven terrain, uphill or downhill, for 5 miles, physical work for 8-10 hours per day 

Ability to pass SCA’s background check.  

Team Member Benefits: 

• $250/week living allowance;*
• $1000 travel allowance;*
• Camping through the duration of the program and food during hitches; group gear provided
• Wilderness medicine training
• AmeriCorps Education Award eligibility (300 to 450 hour awards)
• Some positions may be eligible to receive Public Land Corps Hiring Authority Eligibility

*All allowances subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.


It is our strong belief that equal opportunity for all members is central to the continued success of our programs. We will not discriminate against an applicant because of race, religious creed, religion, color, sex, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, age, physical disability, mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity characteristics or expressions in selections, terminations and or recommendations. Opportunity is provided to all applicants in the basis of qualifications and program requirements. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be provided to applicants during the selection process and to members during service.