Overview
Title: Crew Leader II
Reports to: Program Coordinator
Location: Harrisonburg, VA
Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Camping Program
Dates: February 16th to May 12th OR August 18th 2026
Wages: $925-1125/week, depending on prior experience and certifications.
Benefits: Health benefits available after a probationary period
Multiple positions available.
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled.
Position Summary:
The Crew Leader II position is an opportunity to make a difference in young peoples’ lives while completing conservation projects on public and private lands. Leaders will be mentors, educators, and facilitators for young adults, working to promote the health and resiliency of our land, air, and water.
Standard schedule generally consists of 9 days on-hitch (out in the field as a crew unit) and 5 days off with some exceptions. On-hitch, crews camp together, prepare all meals together, and work together as a group to complete all projects and chores.
The Crew Leader II position requires patience, a consistently positive mental attitude, mentorship, technical aptitude, focus on efficiency, and a high level of competence in the outdoors. It also involves an administration role, where weekly paperwork is due in a timely manner to supervisors. Finally, crew leaders must exhibit the ability to effectively work on dynamic teams and those from a variety of communities.
Projects take place across the Appalachian Region, including partnerships with the US Forest Service, National Park Service, and other land managers. During their time in the field, leaders camp overnight and work outdoors in all types of weather conditions, performing heavy manual labor related to environmental conservation and restoration projects.
Crews may work in a variety of areas including habitat restoration, invasive species treatment, visitor access and developed recreation improvements, trail construction and maintenance, re-vegetation, tree planting, and more. The crew provides a supportive learning environment where members work with, learn from, and grow with one another while gaining skills to propel them into a career in environmental stewardship.
Appalachian Conservation Corps is an independent, non-residential program. Participants are responsible for their own housing, food, and transportation when they are not in the field. In addition to providing food while in the field, we will provide group camp equipment, tools, protective gear, and transportation between Appalachian Conservation Corps offices and project sites.
Qualifications:
• Must hold current advanced medical certification: 24 hours Wilderness First Aid with CPR/AED or higher or be willing to receive certification prior to start date.
• High School diploma or GED certificate.
• Must be over the age of 21 or have possessed a driver’s license for 3 or years more without any restrictions (to pass minimum insurability requirements for crew transport driving duties).
• Must be able to speak, understand, and write English.
Required Skills:
• Understanding of and experience with the mission and field management considerations of conservation corps and public land agencies.
• Leadership, management, and supervisory experience with youth or young adults.
• Ability to effectively manage all aspects of crew life and production within a 40-50+-hour work week including managing projects, camping, and programmatic policies and integrity throughout.
• Able to work long days in adverse conditions.
Preferred Skills:
• Facilitation and team-building experience with diverse groups of people.
• Time-management skills and ability to work independently as well as with others.
• Strong conflict resolution skills.
• Technical trails, carpentry, herbicide, or chainsaw experience.
About Appalachian Conservation Corps
Appalachian Conservation Corps (ACC) works to connect young people to critical conservation service work across Appalachia and neighboring communities in Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, DC, and Pennsylvania. As a corps program, ACC partners with public land managers to identify, plan, and complete projects that improve public access, habitat quality, and economic development. ACC is a program of Conservation Legacy, a nationwide network of conservation service organizations. Our programs focus on service, place-based learning, life skills development, appreciation of diversity, civic responsibility, and career development. ACC also provides an opportunity for members to learn about the local environment and issues affecting it and introduces individuals to recreation and resource management careers. ACC welcomes national applicants, but also emphasizes the engagement of local individuals who represent the communities in which they serve.
