Title: New River Gorge Veteran Fire Corps Crew Leader

Date of Employment: Mid-January – Late April 2025

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Non-exempt

Location: Beckley, WV

Salary: $1050 / week

 

 

Appalachian Conservation Corps:  

Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) works to connect young people to critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. As a corps program, ACC partners with public land managers to identify, plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation service organizations. Our programs focus on service, place-based learning, life skills development, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. ACC also provides an opportunity for members to learn about the local environment and issues affecting it and introduces individuals to recreation and resource management careers. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve. 

 

The Appalachian Conservation Corps Veterans Fire Corps program provides training and on-the-job experience for post 9-11 era veterans interested in entering careers and gaining experience in natural resource management.  The program engages participants in a cohort environment in which a team of recent era veterans works together to train and complete natural resource management projects, specifically related to fire fuels management and fuels reduction. Project work and schedules will vary depending on region and season. The typical hitch schedule is 4 days on and 3 days off. 

 

Trainings will focus on gaining conservation and forestry skills, specifically the use of hand tools and the operation of chainsaws. Members will go through training to earn S130- Firefighter Training, S190- Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior, S212- Wildland Fire Chainsaws, IS100b- Intro to Incident Command System, and IS700a-National Incident Management System, as well as First Aid/CPR.    Additionally, the program aims to provide background knowledge and introductory training in wildland firefighting. The program assists veterans in their transition to civilian careers by providing contact with potential future employers and trainings in applying for federal land management jobs. 

 

Position Summary:  

Appalachian Conservation Corps staff crew leaders perform many roles and are the key to our program’s success. The position is multi-faceted and demanding but with opportunity for enormous rewards. Successful candidates will demonstrate resourcefulness, situational flexibility, effective communication skills, excellent judgement, maturity, initiative, professionalism, and the desire to devote themselves to a crew experience where the needs of others are placed above oneself. The crew leader position requires mentorship, patience, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of comfort in the outdoors. Crew leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.  

This position will be joined by an AmeriCorps crew leader (ACL), an AmeriCorps leadership position focusing on the continued development of leadership skills. While this will be a collaborative relationship, the staff crew leader bears ultimate responsibility for member development, as well as high quality and high quantity project accomplishments for our partners.   

 

Responsibilities: 

 

Leadership & Mentorship 

· Manage, supervise, and lead the day-to-day details of project work 

· 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 healthy community

· Mentor and delegate project responsibilities, crew life, and member development to co-leader

· Must be willing to follow and enforce all ACC policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent Appalachian Conservation Corps. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from alcohol and drugs while on hitch.

 

Project Management, Safety & Implementation 

· Train and motivate a crew of six veterans to efficiently complete conservation projects on public lands

· Manage the on-the-ground quality and quantity of project work

· Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems.

· Communicate effectively & coordinate logistics with project partners, co-leader, & ACC staff. 

· Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site

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

 

Administration 

· Complete professional documentation of time sheets, daily and weekly reports, corps member and peer evaluations, disciplinary action forms, incident reports, etc. in a timely manner

· Responsible for all project related outcomes and deliverables

· Manage food budget and credit card for purchases

 

Essential Functions: 

· Frequently required to walk, hike, sit and talk or listen

· Required to use hands to operate objects, tools, or controls, and to reach with hands and arms

· Regularly lift and/or move up to 50 pounds 

· Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision and the ability to focus

· Required to drive an ACC vehicle - and therefore have a very clean driving record

· Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

 

Preferred Qualifications: 

· Experience with ACC or other conservation corps or youth corps, leading Veterans

· Teaching, facilitation, and team-building experience with diverse groups of people 

· Faller B Chainsaw certification (Or ready to evaluate as one) 

· Wildland Fire experience (Hot shot, hand crew, engine crew, etc.)  

· Current 80 hour + medical certification (WFR, WEMT, or OEC) with CPR/AED 

· Familiarity with basic conservation skills (hand tool use and maintenance, etc.) 

· Strong conflict resolution skills 

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

 

Minimum Qualifications: 

· Leadership experience

· Strong time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others 

· Ability to manage all aspects of crew life and production effectively and efficiently within a 40-45-hour work week 

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

· Willingness to learn and be a part of a dynamic community of peer leaders 

· Desire to learn from and work with recent era military veterans

· Willingness to commit fully to the program and its mission

· Significant chainsaw operations and maintenance experience

· Physically fit and able to work long days in adverse conditions 

· Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel, LNT principles  

· High School diploma or GED certificate  

· Minimum of Wilderness First Aid and CPR/AED current  

· Must be 21, have a clean driving record (insurable by ACC) and a current driver’s license

 

Benefits:

· S-212 Chainsaw Certification

· Training & Certifications: S-130 & S-190, Firefighter Training and Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior. IS100b, Intro to Incident Command System. IS700, National Incident Management System (NIMS).

· First Aid & CPR  

· Uniforms, Personal Protective Equipment, Food, and Lodging while on hitch. 

· Opportunity for intermediate trainings on Chainsaw and Fire.

 

Equal Employment Opportunity 

This program is available to all, without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression, political affiliation, marital or parental status, genetic information, and military service. Where a significant portion of the population eligible to be served needs services or information in a language other than English, the recipient shall take reasonable steps to provide written material of the type ordinarily available to the public in appropriate languages.