Northwest Youth Corps - 1040 HR

Individual Placement (1 Positions Available)

U.S. Forest Service - Mt. Hood National Forest

West Zone: Zigzag and Clackamas River Ranger Districts

Zigzag, OR

Position Title: Recreation Assistant Individual Placement – 1040 HR (26 weeks)

Position Summary: The Mt. Hood National, West Zone recreation program is recruiting for one, 1040-Hour (26 week) Recreation Assistant Individual Placement beginning April/May 2026 through October/November 2026. The individual placement will become immersed in a bustling recreation program on the beautiful Mt. Hood National Forest. The incumbents will typically work four ten-hour days per week. Routine weekend work will be required.

Duties and Responsibilities: Duties include working alongside, and independently of, Forest Service employees. Patrolling Northwest Forest Pass trailheads to ensure public safety standards are being met. Providing public safety and recreation information to members of the public while in the field. Completing trailhead signage repairs, old kiosk removals, trash pickup, servicing vault toilets, site maintenance, dispersed site cleanup and assisting with hazard tree mitigation (75%), joining the Zigzag Trail Crew for trail maintenance projects using hand tools and saws (20%), and assisting other departments for cross training. Potential departments include: Wilderness Rangers, Fish Biologists, Silviculture, Timber, Interpretive Rangers, Botanists, Wildlife Biologists and Front Desk Employees in the Ranger Station. (5%). This work may require working in hot, cold, wet, or snowy conditions. Projects will include using power tools such as chainsaws (if training can be completed) and hand tools including hand saws, loppers, power drills, and other similar tools to complete small carpentry and maintenance projects throughout the West Zone of the Mt. Hood National Forest. All required tools and training will be provided by the Forest Service. Training opportunities may include chainsaw operations, crosscut saw, wildland firefighter coursework, and more.

Required Qualifications:

• U.S. Citizen or lawful, permanent resident
• Must pass a background/driver check
• Must have a high school diploma or GED
• Ages 18-30 (up to 35 for veterans)
• Willingness to work as part of a small team
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Willingness to learn recreation site and trail maintenance skills
• Experience or interest in recreating outdoors in the backcountry
• A positive attitude
• Current driver's license
• Ability to talk with members of the public and answer repetitive, but important, visitor questions
• Ability to work outdoors in remote settings and inclement weather on uneven ground
• Ability to hike 4-8 miles in a day in rugged country.

Desired Qualifications:

• Attention to detail
• Physically fit for long days of hard work
• Experience with hand tools and basic carpentry
• Coursework in recreation management, forestry, natural resources or related field
• A strong interest in resource management
• Personal transportation

Duty/Housing Location: Duties are performed on the West Zone of the Mt. Hood National Forest and based out of Zigzag, OR on the Zigzag Ranger District. Zigzag is surrounded by the iconic Mt Hood National Forest and close to Portland, OR. The West Zone is home of the Timberline Lodge, Ramona Falls, Wild and Scenic Clackamas River, Pacific Crest Trail, Timberline Trail, Trillium Lake, Mirror Lake, Olallie Lake and Resort, Mt Hood Wilderness, Roaring River Wilderness, and Timothy Lake. Nearly 4.5 million people per year come to view the wildlife and wildflowers, camp, hike, boat the lakes, play in the streams, go whitewater rafting, ski, mountain bike, hunt, fish, climb the 11,200 feet tall Mount Hood, and participate in a range of recreational activities in and around the Forest.

Government-owned bunkhouse housing on the Zigzag Ranger Station Compound along Hwy 26 is available during the term of this position. Rooms usually are shared with one other person. Wifi can be set up or is already set up. More information will be provided if you have any questions. The individual placement will start their workday at this location or at the other West Zone Ranger Station 20 minutes away in Sandy, OR.

Terms of Employment: The individual placement will complete a term of service (26 weeks) starting late April/May 2026 through October/November 2026. Individual placement must complete a minimum of 1040 service hours by the end of their term. The individual placement will average 40 hours of labor per week, minus holidays.

Individual placements are responsible for providing their own personal transportation and food.

Program Benefits: Individual placements will earn $16,380 along with a $6,503 housing allowance and a $1,389.53 commuting fund for a total combined stipend of $24,272.83, dispersed on a monthly basis throughout the 26 weeks. Additionally, the position includes a $500 gear reimbursement that may be used for supervisor approved position role relevant gear purchases. The living allowance is taxable.

Application Instructions

• Application Deadline: Until filled
• Interviews: Will occur as qualified applications are received
• Type of position: Individual Placement
• Service Dates: April/May 2026 – October/November 2026 (flexible within these parameters)
• Length of Term: 1040 Hours (26 Weeks)

Additional Information

If you have questions about the application process, please reach out to Northwest Youth Corps Internship Department at interns@nwyouthcorps.org . If you have questions about the position, please reach out to the Rheanna Williams, West Zone Developed Recreation Manager on Mt. Hood National Forest: Rheanna.williams@usda.gov.

All job offers are contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check (criminal history and driving history).