Backcountry Trails Conservation Crew Leader

American jobshiringnearme.org experience (ACE) is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to providing rewarding environmental service opportunities that harness the idealism and energy of a volunteer labor force to help restore America’s public lands. ACE has a national reputation for providing exceptional training and support to enable young adult crews to safely and economically implement technically complex and physically demanding conservation projects for the US Forest Service, BLM, National Park Service, USFWS and numerous state and local land management partners.

Job Title: jobshiringnearme.org Crew Leader – Backcountry Trails

Location: This position is based out of Sacramento, Ridgecrest, or Coachella Valley, CA. Field projects will take place on public lands throughout California and the Pacific West region. 

Department/Division: CREW, Pacific West

Status: Regular Full-Time (Non-Exempt)

Reports To: Senior Project Manager

Schedule/Hours: Full-time. Flexible Schedule with varying shifts; 40 hours/week with additional hours as needed. Typical schedules are either four, 10-hour days/3 days off or eight, 10 hour-days/6 days off. 

Travel: Yes, extensive regional travel required.

Start Date: April 27, 2026

Position Summary:
Develop your crew leadership and conservation skills leading a group of motivated young adults on a wide range of natural resource management projects throughout public lands in the state of CA. ACE Pacific West is currently recruiting for Crew Leaders to lead crews on high elevation trail and restoration projects in the Sierra Nevada and the Cascades during the summer of 2026. Project locations include the Pacific Crest Trail, John Muir Trail, and more. We are looking for folks with backcountry experience (long-distance hikers, etc.) and trail construction/maintenance experience including crosscut saw work and dry stone masonry. ACE will consider permanent as well as seasonal hires for this position.

As the primary front-line staff of the ACE Pacific West Field Operations Team, Crew Leaders lead diverse teams of young adults in completion of environmental conservation and restoration projects. Crew Leaders train and lead crew members in conservation work skills, basic environmental education, and outdoor living skills, and engage their crews in environmental work projects that address critical land management and environmental needs. Work is almost exclusively outdoors, involves strenuous physical labor in all weather conditions and climates, and typically involves “spike” camping for several days at a time in remote wilderness locations. The position requires extensive travel to public lands across the Pacific West and may involve working for other ACE offices/locations for temporary periods. All Crew Leaders receive a minimum of one week of intensive training with additional on-site supervision and training from skilled ACE and agency partner staff throughout their tenure with possible additional advanced training in chainsaw skills, trail construction, griphoist and rigging, wilderness first aid, restoration and more.  

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Lead, manage, and hold corps members accountable while serving on conservation projects.

• Lead, train, and supervise a conservation corps team during conservation work projects, which may include: constructing and maintaining trails, constructing and maintaining fences and outdoor facilities, restoring wildlife habitat, maintaining public parks, campgrounds, and recreation areas, planting trees, conducting native plant revegetation, eradicating exotic/invasive plant species, surveying, conducting ecological testing and monitoring, mapping and monitoring using GPS technology, wildfire restoration, and restoring forest health and reducing wildfire risk through tree thinning using powered equipment.
• Arrange environmental education activities and opportunities and help inspire the next generation of conservation and public lands stewards.
• Support, coach, mentor and supervise members in both technical and interpersonal professional development.
• Hike, backpack, camp and cook outdoors while at front country and wilderness spike camps.

Collect, record, and submit accurate, detailed project data.

• Accurately complete project field paperwork including weekly reports, safety sheets, incident reports, end-of-week checklists, feedback forms and others as necessary.

Ensure personal and corps members safety while in the field, especially as it relates to running chainsaws and other dangerous power tools.

• Arrange details of transportation, tools, equipment, camp/field living arrangements, field communication, and work project completion. Responsible for leading rig-up and de-rig before and after a project. Serves as primary transport for crew to worksites and camp during projects.
• Maintain and repair hand and power tools and other equipment as necessary.
• Responsible for enforcing the use of appropriate safety procedures in all tasks.
• Manage and replace items as needed in the cook set, first aid kit, and personal protective equipment (PPE) set.
• Safely transport crew and equipment in ACE vehicles with trailers.

Responsible for producing high quality work and guaranteeing successful project outcomes.

• Collaborate and communicate with ACE Project Managers and project partners to ensure that ACE crews safely complete the highest quality of work and achieve established project outcomes.
• Foster a culture and environment that positions ACE for success and ensures that ACE is the program of choice for partners, members and staff.
• Other duties as assigned; Responsibilities and tasks outlined are not exhaustive and may change as determined by ACE.

Required Experience and Qualifications: 

• 6 months – 1 year of experience working in field conservation positions, preferably within a jobshiringnearme.org Corps and with a record of advancement to assistant leadership or leadership positions.
• Possess a high school diploma or GED certificate. BA/BS degree from an accredited college/university preferred.
• Must secure First aid/CPR certification within 14 days of employment and maintain certification.
• Ability to camp on a project for two to four weeks at a time.
• Experience in field work performing environmental restoration, trail construction and maintenance, and other conservation tasks.
• Experience leading, training, and supervising teams of diverse individuals.
• Ability to drive vehicles/trucks and trailers in a variety of road conditions.
• Knowledge of environmental conservation skills, basic environmental education, and outdoor living/camping skills.
• Experience performing a wide variety of heavy manual labor for extended periods of time, often under adverse conditions and in various climates.
• ​Working knowledge of young adult development, team-building and motivational techniques.
• Experience serving as a positive role model and mentor for team members.
• Ability to adapt to the surrounding work environment and conditions that can change frequently.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with Corps members, partner agency staff, and the general public.
• Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
• Ability to understand and follow ACE systems and processes including supervisor key responsibilities.
• Ability to receive and provide constructive feedback.
• Ability to prepare and maintain records and reports.
• Must maintain a positive, constructive work environment conducive to team dynamics including timely, effective communication with project partners, supervisors, and crew members.
• Commitment to ACE’s mission of public service through youth development and volunteerism.
• A deep and continuing interest in the welfare and professional development of ACE participants.
• Ability to perform the essential duties of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Other Requirements: 

• Must be authorized to work in the U.S.
• Valid driver’s license and an insurable driving record.
• Proficient in English.
• Ability to pass a federal criminal background check.
• Willing to abide by ACE Policy and Federal Drug Free workplace policies and laws. ACE reserves the right to drug test at any time.

Physical Demands, Work Environmental and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talks and hears. Manual dexterity required for use of hand and power tools, computer keyboard/mouse and other office equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain, and camp overnight under field conditions.
• Vision Requirements: Requires close, distance, peripheral and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 50 lbs., ability to move up to 60 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can change frequently; working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates.
• ​Travel: This position requires domestic travel.

Compensation: Starting hourly pay of $17.50/hour – $19.00 /hour (depending on experience) for 40 hours/week + overtime if applicable. 

Benefits: ACE offers competitive medical and ancillary plans (health, mental health, dental, vision and other supplemental benefits). ACE Staff members are also eligible to participate in ACE’s retirement plan with a 3% employer contribution.

Holidays, Vacation, and Sick Time: As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to accrue up to 80 hours of paid vacation time annually during your first two years of continuous employment, then it increases to 120 hours annually. ACE observes 13 paid annual holidays (floating holiday flexibility). ACE provides 10 days (or 80 hours) of paid sick time annually.

Additional Benefits: 

Outdoor Perks: As an ACE staff member, you will be eligible to receive pro deals which include deep discounts on outdoor gear providing 30 – 50% off retail prices on 100s of established outdoor gear brands.

Meals Provided-You will receive three meals (plus snacks)/day while on project at no cost to you.

Trainings and Certifications – Crew Leaders receive industry recognized certifications provided by ACE including:

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) – equivalent cost of approximately $800 and is a three-year certificate with recertification options.
• Depending on projects, you may receive a 32-hour Chainsaw Training based on the NWCG S-212 training with the possibility of receiving an official Forest Service Saw Certification.

Housing: Shared dormitory housing option available during off-project days (employed individuals only).