CCNM Fire Mitigation and Chainsaw Crew Leader

Conservation Legacy; Las Cruces (NM); On-site; USD 39,000 - 59,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid training

Health benefits for eligible positions

Food budget while on hitch

Job summary

Conservation Legacy seeks a Crew Leader II for the Wildland Fire Mitigation project in Las Cruces, NM. You will mentor a youth crew, lead conservation tasks, manage safety, and coordinate with partners while maintaining a positive team environment.

The role includes training, administrative duties, and camp management, with a schedule of long hitch cycles and a weekly pay structure. Housing is not provided; benefits include paid training and health coverage where eligible.

Qualifications

• Leadership and supervisory experience with youth or young adults.
• Ability to manage crew life and production over long shifts.
• Strong focus on safety and risk management.
• Excellent communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and supervise a crew of young adults; provide feedback and growth opportunities.
• Train, motivate and supervise crew to complete conservation tasks and maintain morale.
• Promote safety, manage incidents, and coordinate logistics with partners and staff.
• Administer crew hours, budgets, and project documentation.
• Oversee camp management, meals, and low-impact camping practices.

Skills

Leadership

Mentorship

Safety

English proficiency

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Chainsaw

Job description

Title: 2027 Wildland Fire Mitigation & Chainsaw Crew Leader

Reports to: CCNM Program Director

Location/s: Las Cruces, NM

Status: Seasonal, Full-time, Camping Program

Dates: 01/18/2027 - 05/07/2027

Wages: $925-1125/week, depending on prior experience and certifications. During the initial training weeks, the pay will be $750/week.

Benefits: Paid training, food budget while on hitch, Employee Assistance Program, health benefits for eligible positions.

Training:

Generally, the term begins with leadership training which focuses on developing outdoor leadership skills, goal setting, technical and field skills training and developing an understanding of CCNM policies and procedures. Following leadership training, most seasons will begin with an orientation with Crew Leaders and Crew Members that includes Leave No Trace, Outdoor Living & Nutrition, and Wilderness First Aid. Informal hands‑on training will continue throughout the term with on‑the‑ground skills training.

Housing:

Housing on days off is not provided.

One position available.

Application closes November 8, 2026.

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 8 days on-hitch (out in the field as a crew unit) and 6 days off with some exceptions. Crew Leaders are required to come in for an additional day each hitch cycle to complete administrative duties and check‑ins with program staff, typically the day after returning from the project (Wednesday, the Ninth Day). 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.

Purpose:

The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Chainsaw crew will work with the Gila National Forest on a variety of forest management, fire mitigation, and prescribed burn (climate conditions permitting) projects.

Project work may include, but is not limited to:

• Hazard tree removal and sawyer work, including felling, bucking, limbing, swamping, etc.
• Fire prep‑work such as creating and maintaining fire breaks and fuels reduction projects
• Invasive species removal
• Timber stand improvement
• Trail improvement

Training will include:

• S-212 (or equivalent) chainsaw training
• ICS-100 Introduction to ICS
• IS-700 NIMS Introduction
• S-130 Basic Wildland Firefighting
• S-190 Basic Wildland Fire Behavior
• Red Card (requires passing the arduous level pack test)

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor assistant crew leader (or Crew Leader in Development Program CLDP): provide valuable feedback, give opportunities for growth, delegate responsibilities, and encourage technical and leadership skill development.
• Implement skills training on worksite and facilitate intentional discussions via informal lessons to contribute to the crew’s personal growth and group dynamics.
• Promote individual corps member development and a safe, healthy, cohesive, other‑centered and team‑oriented community.
• Follow and enforce all policies, maintain professional boundaries, and appropriately represent the program. This includes creating a substance free work environment, refraining from the use of tobacco products, alcohol, and drugs while involved in the program.

Project Management & Implementation

• Train, motivate and supervise a crew of young adults to efficiently complete tasks and objectives outlined in conservation projects, while working long hours and managing high quality of work and crew morale.
• Think critically to resolve issues and solve problems, requesting assistance or help when needed.
• Communicate & coordinate logistics with project partners, Assistant Crew Leader (or Crew Leader in Development), & staff

Safety & Risk Management

• Monitor, manage, and promote the holistic health of the crew, including physical and emotional (intimidation free community environment) safety.
• Exhibit strong situational awareness & promote a culture of safety.
• Transport crew and equipment safely in organizational vans or large SUVs with trailers in accordance with CL Driver policy.
• Manage and document incidents in the field and activate incident response system, if needed, per Conservation Legacy policy.

Administration

• Thorough documentation of crew hours, accomplishments, disciplinary actions taken, and incident response according to Conservation Legacy policy and procedure
• Manage food budget and credit card for purchases.
• Track and submit credit card receipts for all expenses every month.

Camp Management

• Oversee, manage, and assign camp chores (or camp tasks).
• Monitor and manage crew community needs in camp.
• Instruct crew in how to create a safe, hygienic, and tidy camp environment while mitigating crew caused impacts to campsites, practicing minimum impact camping techniques.
• Maintain all program policies and procedures in camp environment.
• Leading a camping crew is an intensive commitment requiring a continuous physical presence. Leaders must remain physically present, and cognitively and emotionally available to support community and individual crew member needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Full commitment to the program and its mission.
• 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.
• Must hold current advanced medical certification (for backcountry crews: 80 hours Wilderness First Responder with CPR/AED or higher; for front country crews: 24 hours Wilderness First Aid with CPR/AED or higher) or be willing to receive certification prior to start date.
• 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.
• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.
• Willingness to participate in community-building activities and solution‑oriented problem solving with peer leaders.
• Able to work long days in adverse conditions.
• Must be able to speak, understand and write English.
• High School diploma or GED certificate.
• Must 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).

Preferred Qualifications or a Strong Desire to Grow in the Following:

• Experience with experiential and/or environmental education.
• Experience with backpacking, wilderness living and travel.
• 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.
• Chainsaw experience. (B-faller certification preferred)
• Sense of humor, spirit of adventure, and desire to make a positive difference and promote leadership in others.
• Familiarity working in Indigenous communities

Our Commitment

Conservation Legacy is committed to the full consideration of all qualified individuals and will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to perform essential job functions. Physical requirements may include periodic overnight travel, non‑traditional work hours, ability to move across varied terrain, use program‑specific tools and a range of technology on an infrequent or frequent basis. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects. The ability to safely drive an organizational vehicle may also be required for some positions. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.

Any questions can be addressed to:

Genevieve Tucker

Crew Program Director

[e-mail]

Conservation Legacy is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodations due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please send a request to the hiring manager.