Year-Round Field Crew Leaders: North Carolina & Tennessee
Apply Below
About the Job
APPLICATIONS CLOSED
Start Date: Training to start January 5, 2026, some flexibility may be possible on a case-by-case basis
Position Duration: Position is year-round with funding secured through August 2030, with potential to extend
Status: Regular/Full Time
Compensation: $23 per hour paid every two weeks
Position Supervisor: Field Crew Program Manager [or] SAWS Lead Trainer
Location: One crew based in Asheville, NC – performing work across National Forests in Western NC, another crew based in Johnson City, TN - performing work across the North Zone of Cherokee NF
Schedule: Expectation for this position is 40 hours per week. Weekly schedule will be dependent on project and time of year but will include 8-day and 4-day hitches, generally camping overnight but returning home at the end of the workday when project logistics allow.
Crew Structure: 1 Crew Leader, 1 Assistant Crew Leader, 4 Crew Members
Application Deadline: Nov 14, 2025 **NC Applications reopened 11/7-11/14**
The Crew Leaders and Assistant Crew Leaders will cooperate to lead four Crew Members while camping and working on remote projects with limited to no cell service. Crews are expected to backpack and live in physically demanding, remote environments often for 8 (and sometimes 10) days at a time. Conditions of this environment may vary significantly including freezing temperatures, high humidity, persistent rain, and high elevation. The remote nature of our work may mean delayed access to medical care. Leadership of the crew will require excellent communication skills and judgment, maturity, ability to train in the field, professionalism, initiative, emotional maturity and resilience, resourcefulness, patience, ability to delegate tasks, technical trailwork skills, and comfort in the outdoors with minimal contact with others while on hitch. Crew leaders and Assistant Crew Leaders are expected to make decisions in the field to keep their crew safe and provide a high quantity and quality of work for our partners. While Crew Leaders and Assistnat Crew Leaders will collaborate to lead their crew, Crew Leaders are ultimately responsible for successes and shortcomings of the crew.
A typical work hitch includes meeting at the SAWS office, driving a SAWS vehicle to a trailhead (sometimes multiple hours), backpacking into the project site, staying in the field for up to ten days at a time, hiking out, traveling back to the office, cleaning gear, tools, vehicles, completing reporting requirements, and preparing your crew for the next work hitch.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Crew Management
Transport crew and equipment safely in SAWS 11-passenger vans or SAWS truck
Adjust plans and make decisions as the season, work week, or day unfolds
Manage, train, supervise, and lead the day-to-day details of project work in varied weather conditions
Communicate directions, project specifications, and constructive feedback to supervisees
Monitor, manage, and promote the crew’s physical and emotional safety on and off the work site
Teach leadership skills and facilitate leadership opportunities for Assistant Crew Lead and Crew Members
Check in daily via emergency communication device
Maintain an inclusive, safe, positive, and fun working environment
Learn, practice, and teach ‘Leave no Trace’ techniques
Trail Repair and Maintenance
Use a variety of hand tools and understand complex rigging systems
Teach and use crosscut saws and axes
Teach and use dry stone masonry techniques
Teach and use rigging equipment including griphoists, wire rope, slings, shackles, blocks, and maasdam rope-puller.
Construct new trail and be familiar with trail layout and design concepts
Construct a variety of trail structures with wood and rock (stairs, check steps, box steps, rolling grade dips, etc.)
Hike long distances in steep terrain with heavy gear and tools.
Reporting and Logistics
Submit paperwork (timesheet, hitch report, incident reports, project photos) in a timely manner
Manage credit card purchases and receipt reconciliation
Maintain a crew cache of tools and equipment
Assist SAWS staff in developing and maintaining strong, positive relationships with agency personnel, partner organization staff and volunteers
Craft and curate media (blogs, photography, video, etc.) to share for reporting and documentation
Follow and implement SAWS organizational policies in the field
Maintain high standards for project completion and quality work
Benefits
USFS Crosscut saw certification
Wilderness First Responder and CPR certification
Opportunities for professional development and network growth
May qualify for Public Land Service Corp (PLC) Hiring Authority certificate
Opportunities for pro-rated gear deals
Health, dental, vision insurance (Health: Employee pays 20% of monthly premium, 50% of premium for dependents. Dental & Vision: Employee pays 100% of premiums)
Life and disability insurance
Paid vacation (20) and holidays (14)
Sick leave accrual
Paid parental leave
Food stipend of $20/day for over night trips
Qualifications
*Any applicant who meets most of the qualifications is encouraged to apply*
In addition to enthusiasm for the SAWS mission, applicants should have the following:
Trailwork Experience/Skills
Ability to travel on foot over rough terrain for up to 10 miles per day while carrying 60lbs. or more.
Ability to regularly lift and/or move up to 60 pounds.
Comfortable navigating and hiking independently in the backcountry with a pack over rough terrain in areas with no or limited cell coverage.
At least 14 months of active trail work experience ideally with a variety of projects (logging out, rockwork, rigging, brushing, trail design, timber work).
Demonstrable experience maintaining remote, backcountry trails. Familiarity with Wilderness trail maintenance a plus.
Ability to certify at a B-bucking/felling chainsaw and crosscut saw level at start of position. (Current certifications preferred.)
Leadership/Culture
Ability and desire to create a safe and productive work culture.
At least 8 months actively serving in a leadership position with experience leading team or group. Ability to express and employ knowledge of group dynamics and conflict resolution preferred.
Ability and desire to problem solve and take an active role in resolving interpersonal conflicts
Ability and experience teaching skills to others and providing constructive feedback
Other
Ability to gain a First Aid and CPR certification. (Current certifications preferred.)
Must have and be able to maintain a valid driver’s license and can drive a SAWS vehicle.
Must be able to speak, understand, read, and write English and have strong communication skills both verbal and written.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions
Ability to pass a background check
Must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident
About Us
Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) sets standards of excellence that inspire, connect, and equip people to steward wild landscapes. We provide stewardship to protected public lands in the Southern Appalachian region, including Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Kentucky. Founded in 2010, SAWS partners with federal agencies, including the Forest Service, to supplement existing stewardship efforts and provide additional support for training, skill-building, and community engagement. SAWS works to support safe access to public lands, preserve natural resources, and develop the next generation of conservation stewards. SAWS is headquartered in Asheville, NC with offices in Roanoke, VA and Johnson City, TN.
SAWS is an equal opportunity employer and provides a drug-free workplace. SAWS values a safe work environment, free from discrimination of any kind.
To Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume at the bottom of this page. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled.
Questions regarding the application may be submitted to Blake Garrison, Field Crew Program Manager at blakegarrison@wildernessstewards.org.
SAWS is an equal opportunity employer and provides a drug-free workplace. SAWS values a safe, inclusive work environment, free from discrimination of any kind.