Western Massachusetts Conservation Corps

Massachusetts Conservation Corps

Are you seeking the chance to learn hands-on skills and work outdoors? Does completing outdoor recreation services, for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (MA DCR), in picturesque locations in your backyard, sound like fun? If you said yes to either of these questions, then the SCA Massachusetts Conservation Corps (MACC) is the program for you! Come serve in this unique workforce development program that operates Tuesday – Friday, serving 10-hour days with three-day weekends.

The MACC is a partnership between SCA, the MA DCR, Massachusetts Service Alliance, Windover Foundation, and AmeriCorps. During this 28-week program you will learn technical and interpersonal skills as you jump-start your career! Our community of like-minded folks will tackle critical trail, recreation, and land management projects in the Bay State.

Program Dates: The MACC is a 6-month program that runs from April 28 - November 6, 2025

SCA Massachusetts Conservation Corps:

The program's home base is the MA DCR office in Pittsfield, MA, with projects based regionally. Participants will meet and travel together to project locations. Members are serving four 10-hour days from Tuesday- Friday each week. Throughout the service term there are a few additional service days built in to assist program partners with additional trail and land management projects.

Training Season:

The program begins with 1.5 weeks of training, with the first week being Monday-Friday. This includes SCA, AmeriCorps, and partner policies and protocols, wilderness first aid (16-hour course) and CPR, conservation trail skills, leadership development, customer service and visitor experience training, and tool maintenance.

Conservation Season:

Projects or hitches will typically be Tuesday - Friday for 2-3 weeks but could vary depending on the location and site partner's needs. Service may include, new trail construction, native or dimensional lumber bridges, rock steps/walls, invasive species management, resource monitoring, sign installation, and pollinator habitat creation. Additionally, everyone will have an opportunity to educate the public about the important service they are providing.

While serving, members will be outdoors, exposed to the elements - heat, cold, rain, and bugs. The skills learned, projects completed, and friendships made throughout the season will make all the hard work well worth the time and effort!

Professional Development Opportunities

Members will have an opportunity to learn many skills, network with project partners, and learn from one another. MACC program partners work in a variety of fields such as natural resources, ecology, trails and greenways, cultural resources, biology, interpretive services, and forestry to name a few. Serving with and learning from these professionals is an invaluable experience that will jump-start your career.

Essential Functions and Duties:

• Attend and participate in all trainings
• Manual, physical labor for 10 hours per day, exposed to the elements, lifting 50 pounds
• Carry tools, and daypack over challenging terrain
• Ability to hike up to 5 miles per day
• Operate and maintain hand and power tools
• Serve independently and as part of a team
• Willingness to interface and educate the public about the service

Marginal Functions

• If eligible, driving a large truck for programmatic purposes
• Basic maintenance of program vehicles
• Additional trail and land management service days with program partners

Qualifications:

Mandatory Qualifications:

• Must have the ability to work legally in the United States
• Ability to pass state and federal background checks
• Being located within commutable distance from the DCR office at 740 South Street in Pittsfield, MA.
• High school diploma or GED or actively working towards either
• At least 18 years old
• Available for the duration of the entire service term – must complete at least 900 service hours

Preferred Field Crew Member Qualifications:

• Demonstrate strong service ethic and desire to serve the community
• Experience with outdoor physical or manual labor

Position Benefits:

• $500 weekly living allowance
• AmeriCorps Education Award - $3,697.50 (Upon successful completion of at least 900 hours and the full length of the position)
• Wilderness First Aid and CPR certification

Safety Hazards:

• Outdoor manual labor has a variety of safety concerns that the SCA is monitoring and mitigating on an ongoing basis:
  • Weather
  • Using and maintaining hand and power tools to complete service activities
  • Driving large vehicles for service

EO 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.

For questions about the application process and program, please reach out to the recruiter for this program, Brian Pember at bpember@thesca.org