Position: Youth Conservation Corps – Crew Leader
Location: Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming
Reports To: Chief People Officer
Status: Seasonal / Full-time / Non-Exempt
Compensation: $19.35 hourly
Dates: May 2025 – September 6, 2025 (Session 1 and/or Session 2) Session 1 term ends on 7/12/25, Session 2 flexibility in employment end date exists in Session 2 term, but will end no later than 9/6/25.
Summary Description:
Yellowstone Forever (YF) is the official nonprofit partner of Yellowstone National Park. Our mission is to protect, preserve, and enhance Yellowstone National Park through education and philanthropy. YF connects people to Yellowstone through outstanding visitor experiences and educational programs and translates those experiences into lifelong support of the park and philanthropic investment in its future. Our educational programming and products help people enhance their understanding and appreciation of the wildlife, natural wonders, and cultural history of the park. YF’s operations include Park Stores in and around Yellowstone; the Yellowstone Forever Institute, which offers in-depth educational programing for people of all ages; and a supporter program which raises funds for priority park projects.
Yellowstone Forever, the park’s nonprofit education and philanthropic partner, in partnership with Yellowstone National Park, is seeking a Crew Leader to work with the Yellowstone Youth Conservation Corps program as part of the 2025 summer season. The incumbent serves as a Crew leader for the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), a residential, work-based learning program and other youth work programs such as Montana Conservation Corps, the Student Conservation Association, and Groundwork USA.
The Yellowstone Conservation Corps Crew Leader leads groups of youth on assigned work projects related to fish and wildlife habitat improvement, natural resource conservation and management, trail rehabilitation, etc. Work is centered on work projects, resource education, leadership, and recreational activities. The incumbent lives at the YCC facility, frontcountry, and backcountry campsites, and assists residential supervisors as needed in problems relating to group living.
The YCC program is a work-based learning, leadership, and outdoor recreation program in Yellowstone National Park. The main goal of the program is to encourage youth, ages 15-18, to work, play, learn, and grow in one of the world’s greatest natural landscapes. The YCC program emphasizes work ethics, introduces youth to the spectrum of NPS career opportunities, supports resource education, and promotes recreational activities that encourage youth to build lifelong healthy habits.
Primary Responsibilities:
Composition of the position is anticipated to be:
· 50% - Directs, leads, and coordinates training and work projects to be completed by youth crews of typically 5-10 youth, volunteers and/or partner organizations, providing technical guidance before work starts and onsite at worksites. Schedules duties equitably to ensure that all youth on a crew receive maximum experience. Provides direction on work projects including correct use of hand tools, maintaining personal protective equipment (PPE), work tools and equipment, and camping gear in a ready-to-use condition. Work projects include but are not limited to trail rehabilitation, installation of large food storage boxes, bumper log construction, painting/staining, fence building
· 20% - Maintains a safe environment for self, coworkers, and enrollees - identifying and mitigating safety hazards. Responsible for the security, safety, and control of youth entrusted, assisting with the day-to-day operation of a residential facility -resolving problems relating to group cohabitation dynamics and assuring adherence to dormitory rules and regulations. Occasionally may be assigned a night shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Maintains a constant alert for unsafe situations to avoid any injuries and points out these hazards to supervisors, coworkers, and enrollees for their safety.
· 15% - Plans, coordinates, and leads resource education programs to enrollees using five components of the Yellowstone YCC Leadership curriculum – Leadership, Sustainability, Stewardship, Ecological Relationships, and Cultural Heritage. Also leads recreation and activities for youth including large group activities.
· 15% - Maintains time and attendance records and reports to supervisor or Lead Park Ranger on all work assignments completed by the crew and on conduct and performance problems that were recognized and resolved during a work week. Provides input to Lead Park Ranger about each youths' performance and social skills working as a team for the overall evaluation. Counsels youth on personal and/or group matters.
Performs office duties such as participation in the development of reports, gathering/collection of routine information, database management, and other administrative support tasks such as assisting with the creation or revision of program materials.
Operates government-owned or leased equipment and motor vehicles including sedan, 4x4s, and pickup trucks in order to move equipment and people to and from worksite. A valid State Driver's license is required.
· Physical Demands: The work requires regular physical exertion such as walking or climbing over wet, rough, uneven and/or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, or reaching; in some situations, the work may require physical exertion and camp overnight in backcountry locations. Hiking and backpacking several miles in a day in mountainous terrain.
· Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
· Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Must be able to move up to 50 pounds. Heavy items, such as equipment packs weighing up to 50 pounds, may be moved and carried on an occasional basis.
· Environmental: The work is performed primarily in the field. The work performed in the field involves regular and recurring exposure to extreme weather conditions and terrain, poisonous plants, biting insects and wild animals. Wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is a requirement.
· Travel: Occasional overnight travel to other areas of the park may occur. A valid driver’s license is required.
· Other tasks as assigned.
Basic Qualifications:
• Knowledge of practical methods and techniques of counseling acquired through experience gained as a monitor, leader, supervisor, or instructor of a group of persons in organized work, recreational, educational, or residential situations in order to guide and assist enrollees.
• Knowledge of several disciplines relating to the natural and cultural resources of the park sufficient to be able to understand and draw upon this information in performing educational work.
• Skill in operating motorized vehicles and maintaining a valid state driver’s license is required for this position in order to drive government vehicles.
• Skill in mentoring and counseling youth.
• Skill in leading outdoor work projects such as trail work, fence maintenance or construction, painting, lawn maintenance or landscaping, natural restoration, or construction.
• Skill in planning, coordinating, and teaching resource education programs to youth using a curriculum.
• Skill in planning, coordinating, and leading recreational programs for youth groups.
• Skill with simple hand tools such as garden rake, shovel, axe, hammer, wire brush, etc., and ability to effectively explain their proper use to enrollees.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with members of the groups served, and to establish and maintain constructive relationships with them.
• Ability to apply a practical understanding of some of the methods and techniques of conservation in order to lead enrollees in specific work activities or field projects.
• Skill in keeping records of observations and work activities of the enrollees.
• Ability to work in shared leadership situation.
• Ability to provide safety training on outdoor related topics and at work sites.
• Ability to train others in minimum impact backpacking techniques (Leave No Trace).
• Ability to train others how to camp safely in bear country.
• Ability to walk or climb over wet, rough, uneven and/or rocky surfaces; bending, crouching, stooping, stretching, climbing, or reaching.
• Ability to hike several miles in one day.
• Ability to work outdoors in inclement weather conditions.
• Ability to safely use hand tools.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to communicate and work effectively with YCC teen enrollees and YCC staff, and to establish and maintain constructive relationships with them.
• General knowledge of the National Park Service mission and of the relationship of education to the mission.
Housing:
Housing will be provided in the park in the YCC dorm in a shared room with other YCC staff and a shared bathroom down the hall with other YCC participants. Living in YCC dorm housing is required of this position.
Scheduling:
Length of service days will typically be 8 hours but might be as long as 12 on some days, with breaks, because of evening programming for youth participants. An average of 40 hours per week will be anticipated. Most days will begin at 8 am. The varied schedule will include nights, weekends, and holidays.
Compensation:
This is a seasonal, full-time, non-exempt position, which will be based in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. Travel between the offices and throughout the park may be required. Pay rate is $19.35 per hour, with overtime at time and a half. Benefits of this position include knowing that your efforts directly benefit Yellowstone National Park and having the opportunity to work in one of the world’s premiere wilderness areas.
Yellowstone Forever is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy to comply with all applicable local, state, and federal laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, marital status, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, genetic information, veteran status, political beliefs, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.