Field Leader - 2026 Idaho Corps Program

Position Summary 

SCA’s Idaho AmeriCorps Residential Program is designed to meet the environmental conservation, natural resource protection, community stewardship, and workforce development needs of public land managers in Idaho and the surrounding communities. 14 corps members and 3 project leaders will spend the season based at the Indianola Ranger Station, located in North Fork ID, and work on public land management projects in crews of 5 or 6 people. Crews will spend significant amounts of time in basecamp settings and remote locations. 2026 projects include fence construction, trail maintenance, fuels reduction and thinning, developed recreation management, watershed restoration and more.

Location 

North Fork, ID

Schedule 

April 26, 2026 - September 26, 2026

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

As an SCA Project Leader you will serve as a teacher, supervisor, and role model for your crew. Facilitate team operations: food planning/purchasing, tools, equipment, and vehicles for backcountry and front country hitches lasting 8 – 10 days. Actively manage group dynamics and corps members’ well-being in remote environments and at the Indianola program base. Actively manage project/member risk to maintain a safe work environment. Supervise and assist the work skills training of corps members. Promote leadership development within the team and evaluate success and potential. Manage relationships with agency partners and work collaboratively with public land agencies on program logistics. Ensure successful and timely completion of conservation service projects on public land. Assist SCA Program Coordinator in budget management and reconciliation. Represent SCA in a positive manner.

Marginal Duties 

Actively manage supplies and logistics for your team. Work vehicle management throughout the season. Day-to-day budget management. Complete pre and post-project paperwork and reporting requirements. Complete member mid-season and end of season evaluations. Help to manage program facility maintenance activities and community space organization.

Required Qualifications 

Valid driver’s license (3 years) and Motor Vehicle Record that meets SCA’s standards; Successfully complete a Health Screening Questionnaire before the position start date; Obtain a Wilderness First Responder Certification during training; Leadership experience in the outdoors (outdoor education, conservation work, or leading peer groups); Must understand, enact and uphold project, crew community, basecamp, vehicle, and additional safety standards set through SCA’s policies; Perform manual, physical labor for up to 10 hours per day, hike 10 miles in a day, exposed to the elements, and must occasionally lift and/or move 40 pounds or more; Camping, hiking, and backcountry experience; Work in challenging outdoor conditions, including extreme heat, extreme cold, high winds, and precipitation; Full engagement in all work projects and community activities; Commitment to mentorship, teamwork, learning, and problem-solving; Live and work in a multi-gendered, multi-cultural communal environment, sharing common spaces and communal meal settings each day; Must be a minimum of 21 years of age, and able to legally work in the US. Must be able to attend mandatory SCA Project Leader training: April, 2026. Ability to meet SCA’s criminal background check standards. Must be willing to live at remote housing location throughout season.

Preferred Qualifications 

Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) Certification; Experience with trail work, habitat restoration, or conservation projects; Chainsaw or Crosscut Certification (Bonus points for B-Faller and B-Bucking certifications); Trailer Driving Experience;

Hours 

40 per week

Living Accommodations 

SCA Idaho AmeriCorps is based at the historic Indianola Ranger Station on the Salmon-Challis National Forest. The living conditions are simple, rustic, and community focused. Along with the 1913 Ranger Station where the main office is located, there are several bunkhouses, a community house, shower house, and several storage buildings on site for tools and equipment. The facility is off-grid with no cell phone service and limited satellite internet connectivity. Land lines are available, and propane generators provide power to appliances in the buildings. Members will live in rustic bunkhouses or in furnished wall-tents. Situated on the Wild and Scenic Salmon River, there are ample opportunities for recreation, and travel to nearby towns for goods is a 45-minute drive. A significant amount of time will be spent camping during the work hitches. Leaders can expect periods of up to 10 days camping in front-country or back-country locations throughout the season.

Compensation  

Pay: $850/week Travel Costs: (Covered for leader training, up to $500 toward travel costs to Idaho after training) Phone stipend: $45/month All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. Meals: Provided during fieldwork Gear: Group camping gear provided (tents, stoves, cooking supplies) Uniform Package: Includes daypack, work shirts, water bladder and more! You’ll also receive: Wilderness First Responder Training (completion of this certification is required for the position) Conservation trail work skills training Defensive driver training Trailer driving training

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

Additional Benefits 

Bear Safety

Defensive Drive Training

First Aid/CPR

Wilderness First Responder Training

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.