Year-Round Field Crew Member: Virginia

Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS); Roanoke (VA); On-site; USD 30,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards seeks Four Field Crew Members to work under a Field Crew Leader on remote projects with limited cell service. Crews backpack and live in demanding environments for up to 8 days at a time, facing freezing temperatures, humidity, rain, and high elevation.

The remote nature may delay access to medical care, requiring resilience and teamwork. Roles emphasize strong communication, field training ability, professionalism, and initiative.

Qualifications

• Good communication with teammates and leaders.
• Ability to be trained in the field and follow safety guidelines.
• Professionalism, initiative, and reliability in remote settings.
• Willingness to learn and adapt to changing field conditions.
• Ability to express needs and concerns clearly.
• Emotional maturity and resilience for remote hitch environments.
• Resourcefulness and comfort working outdoors with limited contact.

Responsibilities

• Work under the supervision of Field Crew Leader and Assistant Leader on remote projects.
• Backpack and live in physically demanding, remote environments for up to 8 days.
• Camp, travel to trailheads, and operate in varying weather and elevation conditions.

Skills

Communication

Judgment

Field training readiness

Professionalism

Initiative

Willingness to learn

Express needs and concerns

Emotional resilience

Resourcefulness outdoors

Job description

About the Job

Four Field Crew Members will work under supervision of a Field Crew Leader and an Assistant Field Crew Leader while camping and working on remote projects with limited to no cell service.

Crews are expected to backpack and live in physically demanding, remote environments for up to 8 days at a time.

Conditions of this environment may vary significantly including freezing temperatures, high humidity, persistent rain, and high elevation.

The remote nature of our work may mean delayed access to medical care.

Crew Members should have

• good communication skills and judgment
• an ability to be trained in the field
• professionalism
• initiative
• willingness to learn
• ability to express needs and concerns
• emotional maturity and resilience
• resourcefulness
• comfort in the outdoors with minimal contact to others while on hitch

A typical work hitch includes meeting at the SAWS office, driving a SAWS vehicle to a trailhead (sometimes multiple hours), backpacking into the project...