Wildland Fire and Fuels Crew Member

This position is only open to active Colorado National Guard members

Partner Agency: US Forest Service Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest

Positions Available: 4

Location: Yampa, CO

Tentative Dates: May 19th - August 9th, 2025 (up to 12 weeks on RMYC payroll;

possibility for season extension)

Stipend: $840/week living allowance. Total amount will be up to $9,724.

AmeriCorps: 450-hour minimum requirement

Plus: 450-hour AmeriCorps Education Award ($1,956.35) upon successful completion

Certifications: ICS-100, L-180, S-130, S-190, IS-700, RT-130, S-212, First Aid/CPR, Defensive Driving

Boot/gear reimbursement up to $400

Public Land Corps Hiring Authority upon completion of 640 hours on public lands.

Program Overview: This position is only open to active Colorado National Guard members. Members will serve on a five-person fuels reduction crew hosted and supervised by the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest staff, primarily out of Yampa Ranger District. Primary duties will include operating a chainsaw, stacking cut material into piles, hiking over uneven terrain, and camping overnight on national forest land. Members will be trained and certified in the use of chainsaws and wildland firefighting. Successful applicants must have a strong ethic, a positive attitude, and a willingness to learn. Members are entitled to a ½ hour lunch break per day that does not count towards service hours. The Forest Service will provide all supplies and equipment needed to perform the position. Members will need to purchase lace-type exterior leather work boots with melt-resistant lug soles, at a minimum of 8 inches high. Boots are eligible for the boot/gear reimbursement of $400.

Throughout the term, there will be opportunities to serve on prescribed burns and wildland fire assignments. While on fire assignments, members will switch from RMYC’s payroll to being paid directly by the agency in charge of the fire (AD status). The hours served during fire assignment will not count towards the 450-hour AmeriCorps requirement.

General Qualifications:

• This position is only open to active Colorado National Guard members
• Applicant must be able to perform arduous labor in remote locations for 10-12 hours per day, at times in inclement weather conditions.
• Ability to pass the USFS Work Capacity Test at the “Arduous” level (3-mile walk on flat ground with 45-pound pack in 46 minutes). This is required for the opportunity to serve on wildland fires. More information is available here:
• Willingness to travel.

Service Statement: As an AmeriCorps service program, RMYC holds all of its members and staff to the highest standards of service focused on environmental stewardship, education, and healthy futures. AmeriCorps is a federal program that is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connect over 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet community needs. The mission is to strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct and team-based national and community service. We provide resources and people power to organizations dedicated to the improvement of communities. We enrich the lives of those we serve and those who serve. Participants grow personally and professionally gaining new skill sets through providing hands-on conservation experience, valuable networking opportunities, and professional skills training. Why do you want to serve with AmeriCorps? Spending a season serving with AmeriCorps through RMYC can be a life-changing and rewarding experience. Successful candidates will demonstrate a commitment to service, diversity, self-development, and the team environment.

Requirements:

• Active Colorado National Guard
• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 18 Years of age or older with a valid driver's license and clean driving record.
• Pre-service background screening is required, including an FBI background check
• Must be eligible for enrollment in AmeriCorps as a US Citizen, National, or Lawful Permanent Resident. Documentation will be required on the first day.

CONDITIONS OF AGREEMENT: AmeriCorps members will be subject to all state and federal laws, and the rules and regulations of OSHA and RMYC. The member is expected to fully understand and adhere to the rules, regulations and code of conduct as described in the AmeriCorps member manual. Policy violations will result in disciplinary action according to program guidelines, including written warnings, fines, suspension without stipend, and/or termination. The AmeriCorps member is accountable for meeting or exceeding the responsibilities of this position as described above, and will be evaluated at mid-term and end-term by Corps Program Staff, with input from project hosts. Successful completion is contingent on both AmeriCorps education award hours and service through the agreed upon term end date.

Job Type: Temporary

Pay: $840.00 per week

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Uniform allowance
• Vision insurance

Shift:

• 10 hour shift
• 12 hour shift

Ability to Commute:

• Yampa, CO 80483 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Yampa, CO 80483: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $840