Position: Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin Field Crew Leader (AmeriCorps, ages 18+)
Location: 1720 Big Lake Road Cloquet, MN 55720
This is not a residential program; participants must secure housing preferably near the crew location
Service Term: March 16th, 2026 – September 17th, 2026
Service Term and Education Award Amounts:
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Enrollment Type and Minimum Hours Required
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Education Award*
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Full Time (FT)
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1700 Hours
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$7,395.00
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Three Quarterr Time (TQT)
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1200 Hours
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$5,176.50
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X
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Half Time (HT)
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900 Hours
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$3,697.50
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Reduced Half Time (RHT)
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675 Hours
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$2,817.14
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Quarter Time (QT)
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450 Hours
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$1,956.35
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Minimum Time (MT)
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300 Hours
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$1,565.08
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Abbreviated Time
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100 Hours
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$416.17
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*Members are eligible for an education award up to the amount listed by enrollment type.
Benefits:
- Living Allowance: $2,600/month pre tax
- Access to outdoor clothing library
- Student loan forbearance (on qualifying student loans)
- Access to Employee Assistance Program
- Service term eligible to count towards Public Service Loan Forgiveness program
- Health insurance
- Childcare assistance
- Training, certifications, networking
Projects Partners:
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa (CCMI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and AmeriCorps grantee that engages hundreds of youth and young adults each year in programs and initiatives that improve access to outdoor recreation, restore natural habitat, protect waterways, and respond to community needs and natural disasters. Our mission is to cultivate a community of emerging leaders in service to people and the planet. Learn more at conservationcorps.org.
Our values embody safety, justice, stewardship, community and leadership. In working toward our vision, we believe that it is important we commit to the following:
- Using equity as a lens for the work we do and decisions we make
- Building a shared vision surrounding Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion goals with our partnering organizations and communities, and
- Providing an equitable training environment and high-quality programming to all our participants.
Fond du Lac Resource Management: The Fond du Lac (FDL) Reservation has been formally managing natural resources as a government function since 1975. The Resource Management Program now has over 50 full-time staff members overseeing conservation and restoration projects relating to Natural Resources, Forestry, Conservation Enforcement, Wildlife, Fisheries, Invasive Species, Air Quality, Water Quality and several others. It’s stated in the program’s mission that “The Fond du Lac Resource Management Division is committed to the management, conservation, and sustainability of the natural resources of the Fond du Lac Band in order to protect the environment on the Fond du Lac Reservation and within its treaty areas. The Resource Management Division will use the tools of research, education and outreach with Band Members, partners and stakeholders to accomplish these goals” (Fond du Lac Resource Management Division, 2017, p. 5) FDL’s mission, staff expertise, and broad range of conservation focus areas provides a unique opportunity to train the next generation of Indigenous Natural Resource and Environmental Professionals.
Position Summary: The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin, Starting out in Earth Conservation, crew engages motivated Indigenous young adults, ages 18+, to complete challenging and impactful conservation and service projects throughout the Fond du Lac Reservation and within the 1837, 1842, and 1854 ceded territories. The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin crew will work with current FDL Resource Management professionals to gain valuable experience and skills, to prepare for future careers in the natural resources field. Crew members will work on challenging and impactful conservation projects that may include:
- Invasive species management
- Community gardening
- Prescribed burning
- Trail construction & maintenance
- Tree planting
- Habitat Restoration
- Wildland fire suppression
- Wolf population Monitoring and Management
- Emergency response
The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin Crew Leader position is integral to this AmeriCorps field program’s goal of accomplishing environmental service projects by providing training, education, coordination, and leadership to ensure a positive and safe experience for its Crew Members. The Crew Leader will begin two weeks before the rest of the field crew members join, to get one-on-one training with CCMI staff. This will serve as a training and learning period to get better acquainted with FDL Resource Management staff, crew supervision techniques, CCMI policies and procedures, and project expectations and responsibilities. This training will occur both on the Reservation and in the ceded territories and could take place in the office or outdoors.
The Maajii-akii-gikenjigewin crew will work to conserve and restore rivers, wetlands, watersheds, forests, and other important ecosystems within the FDL reservation; expand access to the outdoors for FDL Band members; engage Tribal youth in conservation work to prepare them for careers in natural resources; and support the conservation plans of FDL Resource Management, with a focus on locally led and designed conservation efforts that support and respect Tribal sovereignty and cultural knowledge.
By the end of the term, the entirety of the crew, and specifically the crew leader, will have a wide breadth of understanding of management activities occurring within the FDL Reservation and ceded territories, and be prepared for future careers in a variety of fields occurring within resource management at a local, state, and federal level.
The Maajii-akii-Gikenjigewin Crew Leader will lead a crew of 4 Crew Members, serving as the primary liaison between project hosts and program staff. The Crew Leader is responsible for the crew’s service and safety during each project. The Crew Leader and Crew Members are supervised by FDL Resource Management and CCMI staff.
Role Clarification: This is an AmeriCorps member level position, NOT a staff member. While serving in this AmeriCorps position, members need to abide by the below restrictions:
- Members may NOT sign/approve official documents such as FDL or AmeriCorps paperwork, other member‘s timecards, performance evaluations, disciplinary contracts, project contracts or any similar documents.
- Members may NOT be directly involved in project acquisition or contracting.
- Members may NOT discipline other AmeriCorps members. While they may provide guidance, facilitate crew meetings, motivate, reward and uphold safety policies on the service site, all policy violations and disciplinary action must be directed to and handled by Corps staff.
Duties & Responsibilities
- Complete natural resources service projects in cooperation with fellow members safely, effectively and efficiently and to the satisfaction and specifications of the project host
- Abide by FDL and Conservation Corps program safety regulations as well as applicable federal/state/municipal law and OSHA requirements; communicate any safety concerns and incidents
- Contribute actively to the team to complete projects, demonstrating a commitment to the Corps values of safety, justice, stewardship, community and leadership.
- Positive attitude, desire to learn new skills, interest in community service; represent FDL and Conservation Corps in a positive manner in public
- Complete the entire service term per the start and end dates listed on the Member Service Agreement
- Complete and approve timecards and other required reports and paperwork in timely manner
- Be responsible for crew safety and training in order to promote a safe service ethic and prevent accidents and injuries.
- Organize daily operations so that efficient, high-quality standards are assured.
- Provide crew leadership in such a manner that members are treated fairly, learn service and life skills, and perform efficiently.
- Coordinate public relations so that the community is aware of program accomplishments and crews are involved in communities in which they serve.
Hours & Schedule
A typical schedule is 40 hours/week, Monday – Thursday, 7:00 AM – 5:30 PM, including a mandatory 30 minute lunch break which does not count towards service hours. Overnight travel (4 – 5 consecutive days) is sometimes required for service projects. Some special assignments (including wildfire response and other emergency response assignments) may require members to deploy for several weeks at a time.
Training & Development
The Corps and FDL Resource Management provides orientation and skills training at the start of the program year, and additional region or project specific training throughout the service term that may include:
- Team building and conflict resolution
- Leadership
- Safety and risk management
- MN Safety Council defensive driving
- First Aid/CPR/AED
- AmeriCorps benefits
- Power and hand tool safety and maintenance
- Invasive species management
- Treaty Rights
- Plant identification
- Leave No Trace principles.
Other Information
Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against anyone. This program is available to all, without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy, religion, age, national origin, genetic information, disability, military status, familial status, political affiliation, or any other characteristic protected by law. Conservation Corps engages AmeriCorps members, ages 18-30, as defined under the American Conservation and Youth Service Corps Act, a subtitle of the National and Community Service Act of 1990. Reasonable accommodations available upon request.
