Field Crew Leader (Backcountry, Forestry, Fuels, Trails) Montana Conservation Corps

Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies; Kalispell (MT); On-site; USD 32,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Education Award

Living allowance

Job summary

Montana Conservation Corps seeks Crew Leaders to oversee 3-5 adults on 4-9 day conservation projects across the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. You’ll foster growth, manage conflicts, and guide crews toward high-quality field work in diverse backcountry settings.

Roles involve camping, remote terrain, and safety training; prior leadership and a passion for conservation are valued as you complete a term of service with MCC.

Qualifications

• Leadership abilities for guiding crews in field settings.
• Experience in coordinating teams and resolving conflicts in remote project sites.
• Ability to work with diverse participants and outdoor skills.

Responsibilities

• Oversee 3-5 crew members on 4-9 day conservation projects.
• Facilitate crew growth, manage conflicts, and ensure quality project service.
• Lead field activities across Forest/Field and Fuels/Forestry crews as assigned.

Skills

Leadership

Team supervision

Conflict resolution

Outdoor/camping

Job description

Gain professional career skills, become an effective leader, and launch your natural resource career!

Montana Conservation Corps believes that through conservation service and authentic connection, you can sharpen your ability to create change and join the next generation of leaders for a better world. At MCC, we focus on the growth of our participants, positively impacting our public lands, and transferable career skills.

MCC participants join our program as AmeriCorps Members serving a term of service with Montana Conservation Corps. AmeriCorps is an independent agency of the United States government that engages over 5 million Americans in National Service across various programs. MCC is a service oriented organization that provides career skills training alongside personal development.

• Location: Bozeman, Helena, Kalispell, and Missoula MT
• Ages: 21 or over
• Program Dates: 02/22/2027-10/21/2027
• Living Allowance: $1,360 biweekly ($2,720 p/month) before taxes are taken out
• AmeriCorps Education Award: $5,176.50 upon completion of the program
• Health Insurance: Provided at no cost
• Member Assistance Program: Free 24/7 access to confidential behavioral health counseling, financial assistance, medical/legal advocacy, and more!
• Supportive coaching staff invested in your success.
• Community Cohorts: We offer community spaces to build community, connection, and support during the season. The groups meet regularly and are open to all participants who identify within the respective community.
• Food Per Diem while on Projects
• Access to Pro Deals
• Housing options may be available in specific regions; talk with a Program Manager to learn more!!

What you will do

As a Crew Leader (CL), you will oversee 3-5 adult crew members on 4-9 day overnight conservation projects on some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the Northern Rocky Mountains and Great Plains. Some crew leaders will lead a crew solo, some will lead with a co-leader, and some will have an assistant crew leader. The crew you will oversee will be made up of adults who come from a variety of backgrounds and locations throughout the country. Crew Leaders will be responsible for helping to facilitate crew member growth, manage conflict on their crew, and support the crew in completing quality project service in the field.

Crews will camp for the full duration of a hitch (i.e. 4-9 day project assignment), oftentimes in remote locations on varied terrain and in all weather conditions. Camping accommodations vary, including car-camping and remote backcountry settings away from a vehicle. Not all CLs will serve on all types of projects. Crews may be deployed for natural disaster relief. Projects & Crew types may shift during the season.

Field Crews

Duties may include building or maintaining trails, treating or removing invasive species, building fences, operating chainsaws to reduce wildfire risks by thinning trees, among many other types of projects.

Forestry Crews

Duties may include Tree Species ID, Timber Stand Assessment, Tree Marking, Timber Sale Boundary Marking, Tree Planting, Silviculture Prescriptions, Reforestation Plot Surveying, Chainsaw Operations/Maintenance, Precommercial Thinning, Fireline/Fuelbreak Operations, and more.

Field and Fuels

These crews will likely have a high proportion of chainsaw use, fireline construction and other forest health monitoring activities. This may also include wildland fuels mitigation projects and trail maintenance and construction.

What you will get

As a Crew Leader, you will participate in a 3 month dynamic and immersive leadership development program crafted over two decades to enhance your confidence, resilience, and technical capabilities. You will engage in activities that will help you explore communication styles, develop emotional intelligence, master conflict resolution, and learn facilitation techniques to teach to different learning styles, and apply your knowledge to new scenarios. Through feedback, reflection, and discussion, you will leave with actionable strategies to become an effective leader.

You will also receive extensive technical training to cover a range of essential skills for outdoor professionals, including federally recognized certifications in chainsaw and crosscut use (depending on crew type), defensive driving, and Wilderness Advanced First Aid (WAFA). You will gain expertise in backcountry travel, trail maintenance, Leave No Trace principles, habitat management, and natural resource management. This comprehensive training equips crew leaders with the knowledge and skills needed for diverse situations and challenges.

After a term of service with MCC as a Crew Leader, you will be mentally and physically stronger, more resilient, and have the ability to lead others with confidence. This isn’t just a chance to serve in the field and have a positive impact on public lands. This is an opportunity to work on your personal growth, and be prepared to meet any challenge you face in the future.

Who we are looking for

We often see applicants who don’t realize they are qualified to take on a leadership role here at MCC. MCC is a developmental program and it is our mission to teach, train, and develop leadership competencies in our participants. We recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a service term, therefore our position descriptions are guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Your experience, which may include paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer service, helps build the competencies and knowledge that translates to our openings. We encourage anyone to apply who has an interest in conservation and bettering themselves for the future.

What Qualities Make a Successful Crew Leader at MCC:

• A passion for service and conservation.
• A positive mental attitude and seeing others with positive regard.
• Adaptability and flexibility.
• A commitment to serving the whole term.
• A growth mindset – coming willing to learn, grow, and challenge yourself.
• A commitment to motivating others and their success.
• A desire to hone your personal leadership style.

MCC is committed to being welcoming to all and encourages people of all backgrounds to apply.