Junior Ranger Crew Lead

About the position

Junior Ranger Crew Leads work with co-leader(s) and Assistant Crew Leads to teach, mentor, and supervise teams of youth ages 14-17 on OSMP lands each summer. They build functional teams, complete trail maintenance and land restoration projects, and support youth stewardship and job skill development. This is a dynamic job that requires a lot of physical and emotional energy, but the rewards are incredible. This posting is for three similar, but slightly different Junior Ranger Crew Lead positions: Trails Crew Lead - leads a team of 10 Junior Rangers to complete primarily trail maintenance projects; Youth Ranger Crew Lead - supports professional Ranger-Naturalists in leading a team of 12 Youth Rangers through various skills-based trainings in natural resource management and customer service while exploring career paths in conservation; Roving Crew Lead - supports crews in the field wherever needed; sometimes serves as Project Lead for a particularly complex project or helps out with office tasks.

Responsibilities

• Co-leads a 10-member Junior Ranger youth team, completing natural resource projects such as trail maintenance and construction, forestry, vegetation management, and ecological restoration.
• Responsible for the transportation and general management of the team including safety (physical and mental/emotional), supervision, project management, discipline, and evaluation.
• Works cooperatively with OSMP staff project sponsors to carry out site-specific work plans.
• Organizes work within the group to maximize safety, project completion, team development, and individual contribution.
• Keeps accurate records on each Junior Ranger team member, which includes documentation of hours worked, incident reports, progress reports and evaluations.
• Facilitates development crew members and Assistant Crew Leads and cultivates a positive team environment.
• Integrates learning opportunities into project timeline to help youth members develop stewardship awareness.
• Supports the leadership, growth & development of Junior Rangers & co-leaders on site.
• Plans and facilitates environmental education lessons and team building activities.
• Provides task instruction as needed.
• Knows and complies with all policies, including safety best practices.
• Participates in professional trainings and development; and adheres to attendance and workplace attire policies.
• Takes proper safety precautions, anticipates unsafe circumstances, acts accordingly to prevent accidents and injuries.
• Uses all proper safety equipment.
• Reports and takes personal responsibility for all accidents, damage to city property, and/or policy infractions.
• Coordinates team tasks and daily operations with co-leaders.
• Provides opportunities for co-leaders to practice weaker skills and collaboratively develop each other's leadership skills.
• Actively builds knowledge base and seeks professional development in order to support team with environmental education and team building activities.
• Openly shares successes and challenges to support team learning and individual growth.

Requirements

• Ability and desire to work with high schoolers (ages 14-17) and young adults (ages 18+).
• Ability to work with individuals from diverse ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic backgrounds in a fair, supportive, and cooperative manner.
• Ability to perform risk and hazard analysis and implement proper safety controls; ability to judge weather conditions.
• Ability to problem solve and make sound decisions by recognizing needs, assessing possible methods to meet needs, and acting on solutions.
• Ability to hike, carry tools, and move heavy objects (such as large rocks) on uneven terrain for extended periods of time in all weather.
• Ability to write and speak effectively and courteously to communicate ideas with youth, parents, community members.
• Skill in Leading Others with Emotional Intelligence - identifying the best people for the job, and noticing, interpreting, and anticipating others' concerns and feelings, and communicating empathetically in response.
• Knowledge of and compliance with all policies, including safety best practices.
• Skill in Teamwork - demonstrating interest, skill, and success in getting groups to learn to work together.
• Skill in Instructing and Mentoring - Teaching someone how to do something.
• Skill in Flexibility, Humility, and Adaptability: Openness to different and new ways of doing things.
• Have and maintain an acceptable background check including criminal history.
• Must be 19 years or older by program start date.
• Valid drivers' license and an acceptable motor vehicle record.

Nice-to-haves

• Ability to carefully plan activities, tasks, and projects; follow established procedures; and maintain accurate records.
• Knowledge of and ability to identify basic trail elements and structures, and explain why the structures are used.
• Knowledge of positive youth development principles and leadership styles.
• Skill in Project Management - familiar with coordinating events or projects that involve many variables.
• Skill in Taking Initiative - Identifying what needs to be done and doing it before being asked.
• Current Wilderness First Aid (WFA).
• Prior experience or training in Mental Health first aid.
• Creative. Ability to adapt prior knowledge, methods, concepts, or models to new applications.
• Desire to use past trails and team knowledge of Junior Ranger program to model and teach new team members.
• Bilingual and biliterate English/Spanish.

Benefits

• Benefit eligibility group: Seasonal Type 1.