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.

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 Fire Crew Member at WCCC means having passion for service to others, for wild lands and wild places, for personal growth, and 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.

Once the crew has been red card certified and are eligible for fire deployment, individuals from the Fire Crew will disperse onto traditional crews to be available for deployments.

The position also requires preparation time and post-session clean up.

Essential Position Functions:

• Mentor and lead a crew of 5-7 individuals, 18-28 years old, in day-to-day service activities on the project site and at camp along with 2 Assistant Crew Leaders (ACL) to help.
• Give guidance, leadership opportunities, and responsibilities to the Assistant Crew Leaders to facilitate their personal growth and development.
• Oversee camp operations including camp set-up, camp hygiene, Leave No Trace principles, and all other camp elements involved with safety and risk management with the assistance of 2 ACL’s.
• Complete 9 hours of service a day for 5 - 8 days while camping in a variety of outdoor conditions, including inclement weather, for the duration of the term. (No prior experience required).
• Submit written and digital reports on projects and expenses on a weekly basis to field staff.
• Oversee food budget, meal planning, and shopping list for group food.
• Coordinate projects and logistics on the ground with WCCC Staff, and project partners.
• Transport crew safely in WCCC’s vans or other vehicles while towing a trailer.
• Perform duties expected of any corps member including service project completion, meal preparation, cleanup/setup, and other day-to-day duties.
• Lead service projects such as trail building and maintenance, wildlife habitat restoration, fence building and maintenance, and invasive species removal while serving with the 2 Assistant Crew Leaders (ACL).
• Coordinate with the ACLs to lead the crews during camping, cooking, recreation, environmental education, and group learning.
• Plan recreational and educational activities, food and equipment preparation and maintenance, and program evaluation.
• Live, work, and serve closely with a diverse group of people.
• 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.

Service Environment:

This position requires arduous physical activity in adverse weather conditions. Crew leaders must be physically fit and able to lift, bend, carry, push and other heavy physical labor.