Description
Overview: The Western Colorado Conservation Corps offers opportunities for young adults to spend a season serving on meaningful conservation projects throughout Western Colorado. Projects may include a variety of trail construction/maintenance, fence construction/removal, invasive species removal, fire fuels reduction, habitat restoration and/or historic preservation work. AmeriCorps members have the opportunity to earn up to $3,247.50, in addition to a bi-weekly stipend, from an AmeriCorps Education Award (restrictions apply). Members must not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the AmeriCorps Member Service Agreement.
The position also requires preparation time and post session clean up.
Women’s Fire Crew Specifically:
This position will be based out of our Grand Junction office. This is not a 9-5 job, rather an experience where long hours and extended time away from your home base are to be expected. Serving as a Women’s Fire Crew Member at WCCC means having passion for service to others, for wild lands and wild places, for personal growth, or for any number of WCCC’s values. Crews will camp for most of their term, oftentimes in remote locations in varied terrain and in all weather conditions. Primary service types will include habitat restoration and fuels mitigation with the potential for fire response and prescribed burning – with a heavy emphasis in chainsaw use. Performs basic fire line activities such as line construction, lopping, and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring
The position also requires preparation time and post session clean up.
Essentials Position Functions:
• Must be willing and able to camp at least 4-8 nights per week, often leaving for service location on Sunday afternoon.
• Complete 10 hours of project work a day for 4-8 days while camping in a variety of outdoor conditions, including inclement weather for the duration of term.
• Successfully complete AmeriCorps member Orientation and CPR/First Aid Training.
• Must be motivated, responsible, and have a positive attitude.
• Willing to cook and clean up at camp site when necessary.
• Participate in evaluation process (number and timing of evaluations depend on length of contract).
• Participate in WCCC wide volunteer events.
• Participate in rig-up and rig-down procedures.
• Live, work, and serve closely with a diverse group of people.
• Performs basic fire line activities such as line construction, lopping, and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring, and mop-up operations.
• Moves dirt, chops brush, small trees, etc. to construct fire line.
• Is responsible for observing the rules of wildland firefighting safety.
• Applies practices and techniques to minimize resource damage.
• Serves as a skilled wildland firefighter on an organized crew during prescribed burns, monitoring and controlling the fire.
• Performs project service types such as fuel inventory and hazard reduction projects.
• Must adhere to and enforce the rules and regulations of WCCC and AmeriCorps, which includes abstaining from the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco as well as other rules, regulations, and risk management protocol.
• Members must not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the AmeriCorps Member Service Agreement.
Overview: The Western Colorado Conservation Corps offers opportunities for young adults to spend a season serving on meaningful conservation projects throughout Western Colorado. Projects may include a variety of trail construction/maintenance, fence construction/removal, invasive species removal, fire fuels reduction, habitat restoration and/or historic preservation work. AmeriCorps members have the opportunity to earn up to $3,247.50, in addition to a bi-weekly stipend, from an AmeriCorps Education Award (restrictions apply). Members must not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the AmeriCorps Member Service Agreement.
The position also requires preparation time and post session clean up.
Women’s Fire Crew Specifically:
This position will be based out of our Grand Junction office. This is not a 9-5 job, rather an experience where long hours and extended time away from your home base are to be expected. Serving as a Women’s Fire Crew Member at WCCC means having passion for service to others, for wild lands and wild places, for personal growth, or for any number of WCCC’s values. Crews will camp for most of their term, oftentimes in remote locations in varied terrain and in all weather conditions. Primary service types will include habitat restoration and fuels mitigation with the potential for fire response and prescribed burning – with a heavy emphasis in chainsaw use. Performs basic fire line activities such as line construction, lopping, and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring
The position also requires preparation time and post session clean up.
Essentials Position Functions:
• Must be willing and able to camp at least 4-8 nights per week, often leaving for service location on Sunday afternoon.
• Complete 10 hours of project work a day for 4-8 days while camping in a variety of outdoor conditions, including inclement weather for the duration of term.
• Successfully complete AmeriCorps member Orientation and CPR/First Aid Training.
• Must be motivated, responsible, and have a positive attitude.
• Willing to cook and clean up at camp site when necessary.
• Participate in evaluation process (number and timing of evaluations depend on length of contract).
• Participate in WCCC wide volunteer events.
• Participate in rig-up and rig-down procedures.
• Live, work, and serve closely with a diverse group of people.
• Performs basic fire line activities such as line construction, lopping, and scattering of fuels using hand tools and holding, patrolling, monitoring, and mop-up operations.
• Moves dirt, chops brush, small trees, etc. to construct fire line.
• Is responsible for observing the rules of wildland firefighting safety.
• Applies practices and techniques to minimize resource damage.
• Serves as a skilled wildland firefighter on an organized crew during prescribed burns, monitoring and controlling the fire.
• Performs project service types such as fuel inventory and hazard reduction projects.
• Must adhere to and enforce the rules and regulations of WCCC and AmeriCorps, which includes abstaining from the use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco as well as other rules, regulations, and risk management protocol.
• Members must not engage in any prohibited activities as listed in the AmeriCorps Member Service Agreement.
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Living Allowance
$2400
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$2400 monthly
Benefits
Education award upon successful completion of service, Living allowance, Non-competitive eligibility (federal jobs), Stipend, Student loan forbearance, Training
Additional Benefits
• AmeriCorps members are entitled to and must take a 30-minute lunch break, this time does not count towards service goal.
Education Benefits
GED/High School Diploma
Education Requirements
GED
Desired Certifications or Qualifications
Requirements:
• Excellent organization and communication
• Passion for an outdoor lifestyle
• Hands-on physical labor experience preferred
• High School Diploma or GED required (AmeriCorps)
• Must be between the ages of 18-28 years of age
• Ability to pass National Standards for Wildland Firefighting, including Pack Test and relevant medical screenings.
• Willingness to serve long, hard hours in all weather conditions; ability to be away on overnight trips for up to 16 days at a time.
• Ability to commit to the entirety of your AmeriCorps term of service with WCCC
• Ability to serve on diverse teams or with a diverse range of people
Physical Requirements:
• Ability to typically lift 30-50 lbs. repeatedly and operate a chainsaw on a regular basis.
• Ability to hike 3-12 miles per day in terrain that can be steep, rocky, or uneven, often wearing a 45 lb. backpack while carrying tools and sometimes backpacking with full packs of 60-70 lbs.
• Be willing and able to run a chainsaw, use hand tools and herbicide equipment with appropriate training.
• Must be able to complete arduous work in adverse weather conditions (i.e., snow, rain, excessive heat).
• Ability to camp in remote locations from 4-8 days a week.
Qualifications:
No experience necessary! However, you must:
• Be a United states citizen or permanent resident.
• Be available full time between the dates specified on the Member Service Agreement.
• Be between the ages of 18-28.
• Able to pass a pre-service National Criminal History check (State, Sex Offender, and Federal).
Desired Languages
English
Other Conditions
Uniforms provided and required
Subject to criminal background check
Age Requirement
18 - 28