Job Description

The Student Conservation Association in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), is seeking outgoing individuals to join the Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps. The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps offers paid work experience, job training, and educational opportunities. Corps members will join a team of young adults to complete conservation and infrastructure projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands. Throughout the season members will also participate in education and training activities related to resource management, environmental education and recreation.

2026 Harrisburg crew project locations may include sites such as:

• Hickory Run State Park
• Gifford Pinchot State Park
• Ricketts Glenn State Park
• Cove Mountain Preserve (Nature Conservancy)
• Other Community Partners and Organizations

Program Dates

April 27th, 2026 - November 25th, 2026

Application Process:

The application will remain open until 4/6. Candidates not selected for our initial cohort will be placed on a backfill list.

Daily Schedule:

Monday - Wednesday 7:00am-5:00pm

Thursday 7:00am - 4:30pm

Lunches are 30 minutes, unpaid

*This is a field based position. Efforts will be made to accommodate safe and/or indoor work during short periods of inclement weather but crew members may be called-off during periods of extreme weather and therefore, 40 hours per week is not guaranteed in the event of inclement weather events.

Crew members will meet each morning at a centralized meeting location in Harrisburg. At the meeting location, crew members will load into the crew truck and travel out to work locations together. Crews return to the meeting location by the end of the work day. Please consider that the commute to the worksite may be an hour or more each way. This time is included in the work day.

Work Project May Include:

• Facility maintenance projects including: painting, staining, light carpentry, plumbing, siding, other building rehabilitation and upkeep.
• Constructions projects such as: bridges, stairs, picnic tables, pavilions, and masonry.
• Trail maintenance and construction including: implementing water management techniques, brushing, blazing, reroutes.
• Habitat Restoration including: invasive species identification and treatments, herbicide applications.
• Tree Planting, and other general landscaping.
• Fencing and Boundary Line Maintenance.
• Other work as assigned.

Marginal Duties:

• Utilization of Three Job Shadow Days. Participate is not a requirement but highly encouraged.

Required Qualifications

• Ages 18+ at the start of the program.
• Able to conduct physically demanding work in all outdoor conditions. Including:
• The ability to hike up to 4 miles per day.
• Regularly lift/carry up to 40 pounds.
• Swing hand tools such as shovels, pick mattocks and McLeods for 6+ hours per day.
• Able to work effectively with other team members to achieve goals and contribute to team success.
• Must be able to model safe and professional behavior at all times including wearing all appropriate personal protective equipment - PPE.
• Must have housing in or near the program city. (45 Minutes or less drive to meeting location).
• Must have reliable transportation to and from crew meeting location.
• Must be a resident of Pennsylvania.
• Willing/able to complete overnight hitches during the season, spending 3 - 5 days away from home with the crew.
• Each crew will have 2 Overnight hitches per season. Other overnight experiences include Corps Member Training (March) and the All Corps Gathering (Sept).

Preferred Qualifications

• An interest in conservation careers, trade skills, or a related field in highly encouraged.
• Individuals over 21 with a clean driving record will be required to drive an SCA vehicle at times during the field season.

Living Accommodations

No housing is provided. Members must have/secure their own housing for the duration of the program.

Compensation

$17.31/hr paid bi-weekly. (75 total hours per pay period)

All allowances/pay are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Personal Vehicle Information

Recommended for transport to daily meeting location.

Additional Benefits

• Paid Time Off
• Paid Holidays
• Optional Employee Sponsored Benefits (Health, Dental, Vision, Retirement)

Equal Opportunity 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.