CREW LEADER
Crew Leads guide environmental restoration projects throughout the Puget Sound region (in urban, suburban, and rural settings). The Crew Lead is responsible for: project coordination between land management agencies, EarthCorps project managers, and 5-6 Crew Members; facilitation of crew safety and well-being, productivity, morale and quality of work; and Crew Member training and education in the field.
Ecological restoration is one tool to address these impacts of climate change and care for our land. Crews at EarthCorps have an opportunity to directly improve the resiliency of our land by restoring habitat, improving water and air quality, reducing erosion, sequestering carbon and engaging the broader community to become stewards of our shared resource.
This position is managed by the EarthCorps Operations Manager, supervised by EarthCorps project managers, and is offered through AmeriCorps. As such, all applicants must meet the requirements to become an AmeriCorps member and abide by AmeriCorps policies.
PROGRAM OPPORTUNITIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTENDED OUTCOMES:
Crew Leadership & Delegation: Crew leading provides individuals with an opportunity to experience a peer leadership model as they work on restoration projects alongside crew members. Crew leaders receive an orientation that prepares them to teach and coach members on their crew. Mentoring others in restoration strengthens skills in communication, delegation, team building and interpersonal support.
Additional Crew Leading responsibilities include:
- Motivates, directs and coordinates a crew of young adults in a structured program of service, restoration, and training.
- Coaches the crew to achieve quality results, monitors safety and efficiency of crew work.
- Encourages crew morale and supports teamwork amongst corps members.
- Clarifies the standards of behavior as well as policies and procedures of EarthCorps and ensures adherence to program goals and mission, including attendance policies.
- Leads by example while serving alongside corps members.
Coordination & Project Implementation: Crew leaders develop project management skills over the course of the term of service as they implement and coordinate projects with the support of project managers. Through their work on projects, crew leaders develop skills in project planning, risk management, problem solving, and environmental restoration techniques.
- Serves as onsite liaison between agency partners, project managers and crewmembers.
- Coordinates fieldwork projects with project managers and crewmembers
- Serves as on-site project leader for EarthCorps in the absence of a project manager.
- Maintains project and equipment logs/records as directed by a project manager.
- Assists project manager in maintaining production, quality, and safety goals/standards for crew.
Responsible for implementing environmental restoration projects throughout the Puget Sound region. These projects (with typical percentages per year) include but are not limited to:
- Initial invasive plant removal (manual/ mechanical) 25%
- Invasive plant control (herbicide) 20%
- Native plant installation (planting) 15%
- Stewardship/ Site maintenance 20%
- Trail construction/maintenance 20%
Education, Training and Instruction:
- Fosters and encourages quality service and interaction amongst corps members.
- Conducts training and presentations in areas such as: proper tool use, first aid, workplace safety, leadership skills, & community service.
Communication:
- Prepares oral and written reports of service projects, equipment use and maintenance, corps member feedback and mentoring, education and training completed, attendance and incident reports.
- Conducts regular, individual crew member check ins to discuss corps member progress and communicates status to program manager.
- Mentors and motivates individual corps members.
- Demonstrates sensitivity to and awareness of cultural differences and their effect on crew and corps leadership.
- Participates in other meetings as directed.
SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FOLLOWING:
Crew leading is a challenging experience! We are looking for some mix (or all!) of the following past experiences and capacities to make sure individuals are successful in this role:
- Experience in environmental restoration or a similar work environment
- Experience leading others in outdoor activities (especially peers in a physical work environment)
- Demonstrated high level of personal responsibility and professionalism
- Capacity to delegate, multitask, stay organized and be responsive
- Experience communicating to a wide range of audiences and sensitivity to cultural differences
- Demonstrated ability to make safe decisions with limited information
- Commitment and ability to serve for the full AmeriCorps term
Restoration is a physically demanding service that takes place outdoors in all weather conditions. Each year, new members consistently underestimate the physical and mental requirements. Crew Leaders must both have the capacity to perform restoration tasks in challenging physical situations and the ability to motivate others. Service regularly involves:
- Long days of repetitively shoveling, digging, and swinging heavy tools,
- Heavy lifting up to 50 lbs. (22 kg) and bending,
- Working, eating, and camping outdoors in all weather conditions such as rain, heat, smoke, wind, and snow.
- Walking on steep or uneven terrain up to 8 mi. (13 km) while carrying 40 lbs. (18 kg) of weight
- Working in extremes of heat or cold/rain
- Handling herbicides
- Interacting and collaborating with others daily in-person
Please consider the nature of the work prior to applying and let us know if you have any specific questions or concerns.
We request that all Corps Members be fully vaccinated by an authorized COVID-19 vaccination before beginning their service. Circumstances may dictate that masks or distancing will be required during the course of service. This may include the wearing of face coverings and necessary distancing between crew members in the field, among other crew protocol.
CREW LEADER TERMS OF SERVICE:
- PERIOD OF SERVICE: January 13th, 2025 – December 12th, 2025
- RATE OF PAY: Living stipend of $3,330/month
- TYPICAL HOURS OF SERVICE: 7:20 a.m.– 5:30 p.m. Monday – Friday, occasional Saturdays.
- STATUS: Temporary, enrolled through AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps members must abide by policies set by AmeriCorps and complete 1,700 hours of service, including mandatory trainings.
- Clear Criminal History Background Checks conducted to fulfill AmeriCorps requirements
BENEFITS:
- Training and Education
- For eligible participants: AmeriCorps education award up to $7,395 dependent on service hours
- Wilderness First Responder (WFR) training provided if needed
- Medical, Vision and Dental Insurance
- Paid Time Off (8 sick days and 6 personal days) and Holidays designated by EarthCorps
- Subsidized ORCA Pass for bus transportation
- Boots, pants, t-shirts, rain gear and safety equipment provided
We encourage applicants from all racial, ethnic, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and gender identities to apply, especially those from historically marginalized communities.
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