Field Leader - Midwest Roving Corps Team Leader

Position Summary 

The 2026 Midwest NPS/USFS Team will be made up of four young adults who will be working alongside USFS partners at Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, WI and NPS partners at Gateway Arch National Park, MO. Members of this team should be flexible and adaptive, as the team will change work projects and living sites often throughout the season. Team members may be working on building and improving trail in the woods one week and placing paver blocks in downtown St. Louis the next. Potential projects include building a trail reroute, building box steps, brushing trails, mapping wilderness areas, setting paver blocks around tree plantings, planting and landscaping.

The team will begin their program with a field-based training, which may take place at a separate site alongside other SCA crews. Guided by an experienced Project Leader, team members will learn and practice skills that are essential for a successful season, such as risk management and hands-on trail and tool trainings. Season projects involve working with hand tools and occasionally small equipment.

Fieldwork is physically and mentally demanding. Crew members can expect to camp part of the season, sometimes at primitive sites. Campsites may have limited amenities or cell service. This team will also have indoor housing when working in St. Louis.

Crew will consist of 3 young adult members (18 years of age or older) and 1 Project Leader. The team will have access to one SCA vehicle for transportation to/from the worksite.

 

Hosting Organization

The Student Conservation Association, Inc

 

 

 

Location 

St. Louis, MO

 

Schedule 

July 27, 2026 - October 30, 2026

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

• Act as a Crew Supervisor, by facilitating teamwork, managing field-based tasks, and guiding crew dynamics
• Serve as an Advisor, by training members in technical conservation work skills, mentoring personal and professional development, and teaching environmental stewardship
• Act as a Project Manager, by communicating with agency park partners, ensuring successful and timely completion of work projects, and upholding a positive representation of SCA
• Perform tasks as a Program Administrator, by organizing logistics, completing documentation, managing a budget, and communicating with SCA staff
• Work collaboratively with a team of four others to complete priority projects determined by NPS partner staff
• Work variable hours, possible long days and possible weekends, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, in varying weather conditions, and under physically demanding circumstances
• Use technical equipment such as hand or power tools.

 

Marginal Duties 

• Plan additional professional development opportunities for the team, as time and opportunity allows.

 

Required Qualifications 

• Experience working with youth or young adults, teaching, or environmental education a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills and experience managing group dynamics
• Experience with outdoor conservation work skills or related skills preferred – i.e. trail maintenance, trail construction, habitat restoration, chainsaw, carpentry, landscaping, or gardening
• Experience with various types of equipment in a safe and efficient manner (hand tools, power tools, two-way radio, etc.)
• Ability to perform manual, physical labor for up to 10 hours per day, exposed to the elements, and must occasionally lift and/or move 40 pounds or more
• Wilderness First Aid certification, or ability to obtain a Wilderness First Aid certification before start of season
• Must be able to attend Crew Leader training, which may take place at a different location than where team will be based throughout the season
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age
• Must have the ability to legally work in the US
• Must have a valid driver’s license for 3+ years and MVR that meets SCA standards.

 

This SCA Position is authorized under the Public Land Corps Authority. All participants must be between the ages of 16 and 30, inclusive, or veterans age 35 or younger. Participants must also be a citizen or national of the United St