HistoriCorps is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides volunteers, youth, and students of all skill levels with a hands-on experience preserving historic structures on public lands across America. Volunteers work with HistoriCorps field staff to learn preservation skills and put those skills to work saving historic places that have fallen into disrepair. HistoriCorps works to ensure America’s cultural and historical resources exist for generations to come.
- Teaches volunteers, youth, and students traditional building skills
- Saves historic buildings
- Provides a unique service experience on public lands for people of all ages and from all walks of life
We are looking for a few good cooks who love old buildings and camping in the wilderness, or entry-level historic preservationists who love cooking and want a full immersion hands-on work experience! If you love cooking for others and want to work on historic buildings, or you are studying or working toward a career in historic preservation, and you love to cook, come spend a season with HistoriCorps.
Though scopes of work vary, HistoriCorps projects cover a range of historic structures. Staff will work with volunteers to restore/rehabilitate multiple historic log, stone, adobe, and frame buildings that were originally used as ranger stations, guard stations, cow camps, and miner cabins. The buildings are often located on America’s spectacular public lands (BLM, NPS, USFS, state lands).
Typically, volunteers are with HistoriCorps for five day sessions, camping close to the project sites. HistoriCorps provides its volunteers with three hearty meals a day in exchange for their contributions to the completion of detailed scopes of work.
Position Description
Crew Leaders will work at the direction of and assist the Project Supervisor on all aspects of HistoriCorps projects. They will also maintain a welcoming and professional crew camp and kitchen. HistoriCorps’ Field Staff positions, including that of Crew Leader, are seasonal in nature and do not offer year-round employment. Seasons for new Crew Leaders will start as early as May and end as late as November; returning Crew Leaders’ seasons can start as early as February. New Crew Leaders are generally required to attend HistoriCorps’ annual Field Staff Training in Colorado. 2023 training dates are May 15-26.
Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:
- Adhering to and continually promoting a culture of safety on the worksite and in the camping area
- Driving HistoriCorps trucks and equipment trailers to job sites, often at great distances in between projects
- Planning, purchasing and preparing 3 meals a day in a camp kitchen for as many as 10 volunteers and paid crew
- Providing a safe, hygienic, clean, bear-proof camp kitchen in compliance with established food handling guidelines
- Assisting the Project Supervisor to plan and coordinate tasks for volunteer, student, and youth crews
- Working alongside volunteers on tasks as designated by the Project Supervisor
- Serving as a liaison between volunteer crews and the Project Supervisor
- Assisting with natural and cultural resources compliance such as seasonal fire bans, campground rules and regulations, and federal and state agencies’ historic preservation criteria and provisions.
Required Skills and Qualifications
- The ability and aptitude to cook, and enjoy cooking, meals for large groups (8-18 people at a time) in an outdoor kitchen without electricity or running water
- Infusing in others your enthusiasm for the wilderness and historic resources
- Work well in immersive group settings
- An aptitude and unflappable enthusiasm for working outdoors in variable weather in backcountry and other remote locations, with the understanding that such work requires long days (12+ hours)
- Able to live and work in a remote and/or backcountry setting (i.e. tents) for up to an extended period of time. Most projects are 2-4 weeks long, with weekend breaks.
- A valid driver’s license and a good driving record (HistoriCorps will verify a potential hire’s driving record)
- Be willing to undergo a background check
- A rudimentary knowledge of hand tools and the building trades, and a willingness to learn
- Strong communication and conflict resolution skills
- Safety of all staff and workforce participants is paramount. Beginning in 2022, all Field Staff will be required to submit proof that they are fully vaccinated, according to CDC guidelines, from Covid-19 before their season begins with accepted exemptions for medical reasons and/or religious beliefs.
The preferred candidate will
- Demonstrate a high aptitude for culinary endeavors
- Possess rudimentary building trade skills and a positive attitude toward old buildings, log working experience ideal
- Have previous leadership experience with conservation or similar volunteer work crews, ideally in remote and/or backcountry settings
- Be First Aid certified
Successful Crew Leaders will benefit from:
- Exposure to the preservation trades, outdoor adventure programs, historic resources management, and volunteer/crew leadership
- Significant experience in cooking for groups in remote settings
- Level 1 Crew Leaders will focus on managing camp and kitchen, with introductory level training in preservation techniques.
- Level 2 Crew Leaders will have made camp and kitchen management “second nature” and, while still being responsible for camp and kitchen, will be ready to further develop their experience in preservation techniques and crew management
- Level 3 Crew Leaders will continue to be responsible for the camp and kitchen. They will have demonstrated significant progress toward becoming a leader on the job site and will have some level of competence in leading crews in accomplishing less-complex scopes of work.
Pay Range
$150 – $197 per day commensurate with experience.
HistoriCorps is an equal opportunity employer. HistoriCorps’ values include Community: Accessibility, Inclusion, and Diversity. We value and respect all members of our community and embrace the unique contributions every person gives to support our shared success. We are at our best when we support diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences at all levels of this organization. We ask for, listen to, and consider diverse points of view. We recruit and support individuals and groups who are underrepresented in our organization and profession. We strive to make historic preservation projects accessible and inclusive. We work to minimize physical, financial, and social barriers. We work to help our preservation community grow, diversify, and evolve.
Application Instructions
Please send a resume and letter of interest (maximum 600 words) to Jason Whitehead at jwhitehead@historicorps.org.