Conservation Corps - Alaska-2026 Alaska Corps Team Member Position

SCA Alaska Corps Teams 2026

The SCA Alaska Corps is a 14-week AmeriCorps program focused on leadership

• development, completing trail work projects and building a sense of community.

As a member of a 5-person crew you will be led by one SCA Project Leader. The group will live and serve together for the duration of the program.

Members should be prepared to camp through the summer and face the challenges of weather, insects, remoteness and wildlife typical of outdoor work in Alaska. This is an opportunity to learn the hard and soft skills of being in the outdoor industry; folks will walk away with experience in conservation trail work and

outdoor living skills.

Alaska Corps teams live and work together for the duration of their program. SCA emphasizes the importance of community building and growth in interpersonal

skills throughout the program.:

Program Description:

The Student Conservation Association's Alaska Corps team is focused on providing young adults opportunities to grow competitive skills in the field of conservation trail work to prepare them to move into jobs with our project partners after their term of service. Our partners include The US Forest Service, The National Park Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and other

national, state, or local environmental agencies. Skills will include hands on conservation service experience, professional development training, and nationally recognized certifications.

Members of the crew will spend 3 months on service projects with various federal, state and local agencies across Alaska. Service projects will include trail work projects: construction of new trail using hand tools, maintenance of current trail including drainages, boardwalks or brushing, or fuels reduction

work (felling and bucking dead trees).

Duration of projects will vary. A variety of projects will be performed with various partners across Alaska.

Service will be outdoors and will typically require heavy lifting (~50 lb.). Members will use hand tools and may have the opportunity to use equipment such as chainsaws. Team members will be supervised in the field by an SCA Project

• leader. All team members are expected to be respectful, on-time, hardworking,

and aware of conditions to ensure a safe service environment.

Due to the geography and logistics in Alaska, applicants must be able to commit to the full duration of the season.

Program Dates:

*Please note – Site Locations are TBD.

Dates may change, but training opportunities will remain the same.

May 15 - Aug 22, 2026: Corps Team Member Dates (14 weeks)

•2 weeks SCA training in SCA program, Wilderness First Aid and Conservation Work

Skills:

•12 field weeks completing SCA service projects

Leadership Development:

• Leadership development is an important component of the SCA Alaska Corps

program. Members will go through intentional leadership and communication

• training to prepare them to excel as leaders in the field. Responsibilities

include self-leadership and group participation; cooking meals, critically thinking about hazards and risk on the project, and reporting outputs and timesheets related to member service activities.

SCA Alaska field staff will be assigned to support the crew to provide technical on-the-ground support/training and additional leadership training and guidance (as needed).

Crew Housing:

Members should expect to camp in a tent throughout the program. Housing(a tent) will be provided during work projects “hitches” of the program in the form of shared tents or shared communal bunk houses. Members will provide their own sleep system (sleeping bag and pad).

Transportation:

Program vehicles will be provided for the daily commute to the work site, and they will be driven by the SCA Project Leader and any AmeriCorps member who is 21+ and successfully completes SCA’s Drivers Training.  During field season, members should expect to be traveling with their crew to project sites

throughout Alaska, which may include ferry or plane travel.

Hours:

Corps members serve approximately 40 hours a week for the duration of the program. Service does not follow a typical Monday-Friday schedule often.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Ensure project, basecamp, community, and general safety standards are upheld;

full engagement is expected in all service projects and community activities.

• Uniform: AmeriCorps Member will be required to wear the AmeriCorps and SCA

logo daily

• Interfacing with general public and partner organizations in a manner that

reflects positively upon the crew, organization, and agency.

• Play an active role in learning and executing the logistics of a

project, cooking meals, understanding emergency response plans, critically thinking about risk and hazard mitigation, and completing all necessary paperwork related to member service activities.

• Comply with all SCA, NPS/USFS/USFWS/BLM, and AmeriCorps policies and refrain

from any prohibited activities.

Strong candidates will have the following knowledge, skills, experience:

• Experience working in an outdoor setting;
• Positive communication skills and ability to work with a team;
• Resiliency skills;
• Ability to take initiative;
• Ability to complete tasks independently with respect to timeline(s).

Minimum Qualifications:

• Interest and investment in leadership development and teamwork is required.

• Commitment to living and serving within an intensive crew environment;

interpersonal skills and community living experience are pluses.

* Commitment to service in environmental conditions that will include:

cold/heat, smoke, bugs, high winds, and precipitation.

• Must be willing to learn how to use hand tools and power tools to accomplish

service activities.

*  Must be eligible to serve as an AmeriCorps Member:

• Be a citizen, permanent resident, or national of the United States.

• Be at least 18 years or older.

• Have a high school diploma or equivalent or actively working to obtain one.

• Be willing to undergo National Service Criminal History Check, including

criminal background, sex offender and FBI checks.

• Ability to lift 50 lbs and walk/hike on uneven terrain, uphill or downhill,

for 5 miles, physical work for 8-10 hours per day.

• Ability to pass SCA’s background check.

Member Benefits:

• $300/week living allowance; *
• $1,100 travel allowance; *
• Camping through the duration of the program and food during hitches; group

gear provided

• Wilderness medicine training
• AmeriCorps Education Award $1954 eligibility (300-to-450-hour awards)
• Some positions may be eligible to receive Public Land Corps Hiring Authority

Eligibility

*All allowances subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Equal Opportunity Statement

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.

Physical requirements and working conditions specific to the position are available in the full job description.