Overview

We are looking for a few good cooks who love old buildings and camping in the wilderness, or young historic preservationists who love cooking and want a full immersion hands-on work experience! If you love cooking for others and want to work on historic buildings, or you are studying or working toward a career in historic preservation, and you love to cook, come spend a season with HistoriCorps. 

Though scopes of work vary, HistoriCorps projects cover a range of historic structures. Staff will work with volunteers to restore/rehabilitate multiple historic log, stone, adobe, and frame buildings that were originally used as ranger stations, guard stations, cow camps, and miner cabins. The buildings are all located on America’s spectacular public lands (BLM, NPS, USFS, state lands). 

Typically, volunteers are with HistoriCorps for five day sessions, camping close to the project sites. HistoriCorps provides its volunteers with three hearty meals a day in exchange for their contributions to the completion of detailed scopes of work.   

Crew Leaders will work at the direction of and assist the Project Supervisor on all aspects of HistoriCorps projects. They will also maintain a welcoming and professional crew camp and kitchen. HistoriCorps’ Field Staff positions, including that of Crew Leader, are seasonal in nature and do not offer year-round employment. Seasons for new Crew Leaders will start as early as May and end as late as November; returning Crew Leaders’ seasons can start as early as February. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

Adhering to and continually promoting a culture of safety on the worksite and in the camping area;
Driving HistoriCorps trucks and equipment trailers to job sites, often at great distances in between projects;
Planning, purchasing and preparing 3 meals a day in a camp kitchen for as many as 10 volunteers and paid crew;
Providing a safe, hygienic, clean, bear-proof camp kitchen in compliance with established food handling guidelines;
Assisting the Project Supervisor to plan and coordinate tasks for volunteer, student, and youth crews;
Working alongside volunteers on tasks as designated by the Project Supervisor;
Serving as a liaison between volunteer crews and the Project Supervisor;
Assisting with natural and cultural resources compliance such as seasonal fire bans, campground rules and regulations, and federal and state agencies’ historic preservation criteria and provisions.

Tagged as: Backcountry Skills, Camp Counselors, Camp Staff, Conservation, Cooks and Food Service, Crew, Full Time, Instruction and Guiding, Trail Supervisor, Crew, and Leaders

Qualifications:

The ability and aptitude to cook, and enjoy cooking, meals for medium to large groups in an outdoor kitchen without electricity or running water;
An aptitude and unflappable enthusiasm for working long days (12+ hours) outdoors in variable weather in backcountry and other remote locations;
Able to live and work in the backcountry or car camping environments for up to 14 days;
At least 21 years old with a valid driver’s license and a good driving record;
A rudimentary knowledge of hand tools.

Required Skills:

A rudimentary knowledge of hand tools and the building trades, and a willingness to learn;
Strong communication and conflict resolution skills;
Camping practicalities and cooking for groups.

Preferred Skills:

Strong leadership skills;
Wilderness First Aid or higher;
Experience with driving large trucks with trailer attachments.

About HistoriCorps

HistoriCorps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides volunteers of all skill levels with a hands-on experience preserving historic structures on public lands across America. Volunteers work with HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work saving historic places that have fallen into disrepair. HistoriCorps works to ensure America’s cultural and historical resources exist for generations to come. Our mission is to foster a preservation ethic by engaging volunteers in saving historic places!

Application Instructions

Visit www.historicorps.org/crew-leader and follow the instructions to our online application form!