Seed Collection Conservation Crew Member

Join American Conservation Experience as a dedicated seed collection crew member and enjoy exploring the Rocky Mountain region while gaining skills in plant identification and seed collection. Multiple term lengths are available.

American Conservation Experience, a non-profit conservation corps with a divisional branch in Flagstaff, Arizona, is looking for members to come join our team of young adults serving on meaningful conservation projects throughout the Southwest.

This opportunity is intended for those looking to learn valuable skills for their career while immersed in a community of like-minded young professionals from around the country. Members typically serve for 12 or 24 weeks on projects including ecological restoration, habitat improvement, and trail maintenance and construction, all while completing a term of AmeriCorps service. While serving, members typically have 3-6 days off between each project cycle to enjoy Wyoming or Montana's abundant beauty and recreational opportunities with their friends and colleagues. Take your first step towards beginning or advancing your career by applying with us today!

Start date: July 14, 2025

Estimated end dates: October 3 (12 week term) or December 22, 2025 (24 week term)

Locations:

First 12 weeks in one of the following assigned locations:

Grand Tetons/Yellowstone

Northeastern Wyoming

Eastern Montana

Second 12 weeks (if signing up for a 6 month term): various projects around the Southwest

Orientation and Housing Location: Assigned Seeds of Success location

Schedule: Project schedules vary greatly, but typically members serve 8 days on/ 6 days off or 4 days on/ 3 days off.

Benefits: Member compensation and benefits include a package valued at over $2,000/mo.

Members will receive a Living Allowance of $400/week, paid bi-weekly.

Members may be eligible to obtain an Education Award for the amount of $1,956.35 (450 hour) or $3,697.50 (900 hour) upon successful completion of service.

Members completing a 900 hour term (24 weeks) will receive Wilderness First Aid training and Chainsaw training.

ACE provides members with food during all project days; members are responsible for providing their own food on off days.

ACE provides members with free housing accommodations for off days near the assigned work location during their term of service. The member may need to provide their own blankets/pillows/sleeping bag/towels depending on the location.

AmeriCorps members may also be eligible for qualifying childcare coverage and federal loan forbearance. Additional enrollment steps are required.

Gear: ACE provides each member with their own tent. The member will provide their sleeping bag, sleeping pad, rain gear, and hiking boots. Upon acceptance to the program, members will receive a more extensive packing list. Weather can be highly variable, so plan on bringing layers of warm clothing and adequate rain gear. Members will have access to deeply discounted Pro Deals via Outdoor Prolink once they are offered and accept a position and will have the opportunity to purchase discounted gear before their arrival.

Travel: ACE provides transportation to and from worksites; personal vehicles are encouraged for these remote locations for ease of transport on off days. ACE does not provide relocation assistance.

Position Description:

Members serve in professionally supervised teams as they explore future outdoor careers, learn practical field skills, and develop confidence as emerging leaders in the field of conservation. Members are afforded opportunities to learn and train under the guidance of professional mentors within ACE, while gaining invaluable career perspectives working alongside staff from the National Park Service, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and many other stewards of our nation's public lands.

The Department of the Interior is embarking on a massive project to collect native seeds across the western United States in order to retain a large seed bank in case of massive wildfires. ACE crew members will be working during the first 12 weeks of their term with National Park Service, Bureau of Land Management and/or Fish and Wildlife Service employees to identify and collect seeds from a variety of native species over the course of this project.

An optional second 12 weeks of the term will be spent on various conservation projects around Arizona, including:

• Trail construction and maintenance
• Invasive species removal
• Habitat restoration
• Dry and wet stone masonry
• Reforestation
• Forest thinning
• Plant identification and surveying
• Fencing
• Historical and cultural preservation

Members may gain experience with, or in conjunction with, the following tools and equipment, depending on their level of training:

Trail Maintenance: Pick mattocks, Pulaskis, shovels, single/double jacks, McLeods, single bit axes, rock bars, chisels, crosscut saws, and griphoists.

Restoration Equipment: Herbicide backpack sprayers, spray bottles, GPS units, and measuring tools.

Power Tools and Gas Powered Equipment: Chainsaws, brush-cutters, drills, saws, and compressors.

Qualifications:

Applicants should be prepared to perform physically challenging labor on environmental and conservation projects for 10 hours daily. Applicants should expect to hike extended distances on rough terrain carrying backpacks, tools, and equipment and be prepared to spend 8 consecutive days in the field on each project. Members will work in various weather conditions, such as temperatures ranging from below-freezing to over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, high winds, intense sunshine, rain, and snow.

Required:

• U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
• Able and willing to work in a group
• Able and willing to work outdoors in varying weather conditions and capable of hiking moderate distances in somewhat rough terrain during inclement weather conditions
• Willingness to undergo and must pass the required three-part federal criminal history check
• ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred:

• Experience in hiking and navigation in steep terrain
• Strong desire to enter the conservation field as a natural resource professional
• Experience or interest in volunteering in local communities

Physical Demands, Work Environment, and Working Conditions:

• Physical Demands: Requires frequent sitting, standing, walking, hiking, carrying, using hands to handle or feel, reaching with hands and arms, talking and hearing. Manual dexterity required for the use of various tools or equipment. Required to stoop, kneel, climb stairs, and/or crouch. Ability to hike over rough terrain, and camp overnight under field conditions.
• Vision Requirements: Close, distance, peripheral, and depth perception vision as well as the ability to focus, may be required.
• Weight Lifted or Force Exerted: Frequently moves up to 25 pounds, ability to move up to 60 pounds.
• Environmental: Outdoor and indoor conditions. Work environment conditions can frequently change working under adverse weather conditions and in various climates.
• Noise Environment: Moderate to high noise, such as gas-powered chainsaws and other hand and power tools.
• Travel: This position requires domestic travel.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The ACE member(s) may encounter environmental conditions/hazards, including extreme heat or cold, rocky terrain, swamp or wetland conditions, biting insects, and potentially dangerous wildlife. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger themself, fellow staff/members, or resources.

The member must be willing to represent ACE and AmeriCorps in a professional, positive, and enthusiastic manner. ACE has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drugs and underage drinking. ACE reserves the right to require drug testing.

To Apply: Please submit a thoughtful resume, complete a motivational statement (instructions are provided when applying) OR upload a cover letter, and provide at least 2 references that are either professional or from a community leader (eg colleagues, teachers, counselors, religious leaders, career advisors). Navigate to our Indeed Homepage to view other listings and to find a link to our website. On our website you can use the APPLY NOW section located on the upper right hand corner of the position listing to apply using ACE's online application portal.

NOTE: Early consideration will be given as applications are received. This position may close at any time. If you have any questions regarding this position, please feel free to contact Sara Henderson (shenderson@usaconservation.org).You can find Division Contact Information by navigating to our website listed on our Indeed Homepage.

ACE participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information when you are hired to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

EEO: Employment or Service with ACE is based upon ability, qualifications, attitude, and job-related factors. Every qualified employee, member, or applicant has the same opportunity for recruitment, hire, training, transfer, promotion, compensation, demotion, termination, benefits, employee activities, and general treatment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, creed, national origin, pregnancy, ancestry, citizenship status, genetic information, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, medical condition, marital or parental status, political affiliation, ethnicity, hair texture or style, arrest record, caste, hereditary status, endogamy, or any other classification protected by applicable local, state, or federal law.

Current Openings for Seed Collection Conservation Crew Member Jobs at American Conservation Experience - CREW