Details

• This is a seasonal, full-time position from August 31 to December 11, 2026
• Compensation: $15/hour (30-40 hours per week), Wilderness First Aid certification, and professional development opportunities
• Schedule: Classroom day Mondays 9am-3pm, project work days Tuesdays-Thursdays 8am-4pm, field trip Fridays 8am-2pm; camping trip 9/28 - 10/1
• To Apply: Fill out the Google Form here by August 1, 2026
• Contact: Email ycc@cottonwoodgulch.org with any questions

Since 1926, Cottonwood Gulch Expeditions (CGE) has created transformative outdoor experiences that foster personal growth, build community, and inspire a lifelong connection to the natural world. In 2018, CGE created a residential summer YCC program funded by the U.S. Forest Service for young adults to participate in conservation work in a similarly immersive environment to CGE’s summer treks for youth ages 8-18. In 2025, CGE received funds from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to create a brand-new fall YCC program for New Mexico residents to get involved in this meaningful work here in Albuquerque.

Our fall YCC empowers and inspires New Mexican young adults ages 18-25 to become leaders, conservationists, and educators over the course of 15 weeks. We seek impassioned young people who want to grow together as a cohort, spend time outdoors, engage in hands-on conservation work with community partners, learn how to engage students in environmental stewardship, and develop skills for their careers and their lives. Our fall YCC begins on 8/31/26 and ends on 12/11/26, with paid holidays off on Labor Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Thanksgiving, and the day after Thanksgiving; sick leave is available upon request, subject to supervisor approval.

Responsibilities

• Implement conservation projects at partner sites, including but not limited to: habitat restoration, trail construction and improvements, planting and harvesting, etc
• Participate in career and life skills training, as described below
• Work alongside CGE field staff to support conservation education programming
• Spend 4 days & 3 nights camping to learn outdoor living skills and work in remote areas

Training topics

• Risk management, with a certification in Wilderness First Aid via Red Cross
• Conservation principles; land ethics; natural resource management
• Collaborating with peers and community partners; group development
• Conflict resolution; decision making; giving and receiving feedback
• Project planning and implementation; project leadership and delegation
• Native habitat and watershed restoration; trail construction; agricultural systems
• Financial literacy; resume and cover letter writing; searching for and applying to jobs
• Environmental education principles; lesson planning; facilitating educational programs
• Career paths in the outdoors

Eligibility

Applicants must be:

• At least 18 and up to 25 years of age at point of hire
• New Mexico residents, see our website for a list of accepted documents to verify residency
• Have a valid U.S. Social Security number or have applied for a valid Social Security number
• Available to work up to 40 hours per week from August 31 to December 11, 2026
• Available for a 4-day, 3-night campout from September 28 to October 1, 2026 (10/2 off)
• Able to access transportation to and from project sites; CGE will provide van transit to any site more than 15 minutes from Bachechi Open Space
• Able to lift up to 50 pounds and walk at least 5 consecutive miles
• Able to fulfill the essential functions of the assigned work with or without reasonable accommodations