Project Supervisor
If you are a historic preservation construction professional passionate about sharing your skills and knowledge while saving historic structures in some of the most beautiful places in America, HistoriCorps may be the opportunity for you. The Project Supervisor is our boots-on-the-ground professional who directs the day-to-day work of each project, provides preservation education, trains volunteers, students and youth in hands-on preservation skills, and works closely with the HistoriCorps Project Manager to communicate project progress and needs.
Want a break from the mundane, the familiar, the day-to-day work? Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life and wake up in the morning to an elk herd on the horizon, or bald eagles soaring above? Want to re-invigorate your passion for historic preservation, meet people of like mind, and introduce others to the gratifying work we do? Do you want to do all this in places most people spend a lifetime dreaming about? HistoriCorps will take you there.
Program Description
HistoriCorps’ mission is to foster a preservation ethic in all through engaging volunteers, students, and youth in hands-on preservation projects. We then put those skills to work saving historic places for generations to come.
HistoriCorps crews restore/rehabilitate historic buildings across the country! Most are located on the United States’ spectacular public lands and. Our partners include the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, USDA Forest Service, state parks, and other public agencies.
Position Description
Project Supervisors are responsible for everyone on their worksites and everything related to the project scopes of work. Duties include:
- Prepare sites and plan project-related tasks for arrival of crews
- Promote and adhere to all work safety standards
- Supervise and instruct unskilled and semiskilled volunteers and students
- Provide a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment
- Supervise up to 3 paid crew members (typically 1 Crew Leader)
- Supervise volunteer crews of up to 18 people (typically 6-8)
- Camp onsite through each project work session, in sparse-to-primitive campsites
- Assist a Crew Leader in managing group campsite, including kitchen duties, cleaning, and safety concerns; be responsible for everyone onsite
- Manage all jobsite activities, including supervision of sub-contractors
- Purchase project materials
- Deliver timesheets, reports, and photographs in timely manner to the home office
- Oversee cleanup to a “leave no trace” standard (other than the preservation work!)
- Collaborate respectively with Project Manager, Crew Leader, and other HistoriCorps staff
- Collaborate with project partners, such as host agencies and volunteer groups
Project Supervisors are expected to work long days in variable weather, live in a remote and/or backcountry setting (i.e., tents) for extended periods of time. Most projects run for 2 – 4 weeks, with weekend breaks between each work session. New Project Supervisors are generally required to attend part or all of HistoriCorps’ annual Field Staff Training in Colorado. 2023 training dates are May 15-26.
Required Qualifications
A successful candidate will demonstrate:
- A journeyman’s knowledge of historic building techniques, hand tools, and the historic building trades gained through a minimum of 5 years of experience in the historic preservation field
- Previous leadership experience instructing crews and supervising projects, ideally in remote or backcountry settings
- Experience rehabilitating or restoring log, frame, masonry, and/or adobe structures
- A working knowledge of, and practical experience with, The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties
- Strong communication, management, and conflict resolution skills
- Ability to do physical, outdoor work (including lifting up to 50 pounds)
- Possession of a valid driver’s license and a good driving record
- Willingness to undergo a background check
In your application, please include a cover letter describing your interest in the position and a list of past projects you have supervised. Please describe the scope of work and skills needed to accomplish these projects.
Compensation for this seasonal position starts at $259/day and is commensurate with experience. In addition, travel costs to and from project sites is covered by HistoriCorps. We hire multiple Project Supervisors of all backgrounds every season. Please send a resume, letter of interest (maximum 400 words), and list three references to Jason Whitehead at jwhitehead@historicorps.org. You are welcome to request an informational interview as well.
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.