The Sustainability Institute / Environmental Conservation Corps
FOUNDED IN: 2009
Address:
3973 Rivers Avenue Suite 101
North Charleston, South Carolina
29405
Crew Member: Environmental Conservation Corps - 3 Months
JOB DETAILS
Actively Recruiting: Yes
Position title: Crew Member: Environmental Conservation Corps - 3 Months
Type of Position: Corpsmember / Intern
Town, City, Park, etc: North Charleston
State / Territory: South Carolina
Benefits: Education Award, Student Loan Forbearance
Project/Program Focus: Coastal Restoration, Habitat Restoration
Attachments/Supplemental Materials:
EAP-Position-Description-2024
ORGANIZATION/PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Habitat restoration & green infrastructure projects that advance coastal resilience: We specifically focus on 5 conservation activities: (1) Salt marsh restoration, including cultivating and planting Spartina and restoring oyster reefs and constructing living shorelines; (2) Building rain gardens; (3) Water quality monitoring, testing and data collection (salt and fresh water); (4) Planting native trees and plants; (5) Constructing, maintaining and repairing trails, bridges and boardwalks. Home weatherization and energy conservation workshops that promote energy & water savings: We facilitate community workshops that train and empower families to conserve energy and water in their homes and significantly reduce utility costs.
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Position Title: EAP Crew Member
Dates: Late May 2024 – August 2024 (3 months / 300 hours)
Schedule: Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, Friday: 8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Total Living Allowance: N/A
Segal Education Award: $1,459.26 upon successful completion of AmeriCorps service term
The Sustainability Institute’s Environmental Conservation Corps (ECC) program is an AmeriCorps-accredited workforce development and service-learning program for young adults. These opportunities offer desirable field skills and training for people pursuing careers in conservation and environmental fields.
Education Award Program positions are available to young adults aged 18-28 who are currently enrolled in school and not working full-time (part-time/weekend jobs are permitted). EAP positions offer:
● Training: Build knowledge and skills in a diversity of conservation and sustainability jobs
● Certifications: Receive free professional certifications relevant to the field
● Compensation: Earn an end-of-service Segal Education Award
● Connections: Meet and work with a wide variety of governmental agencies and nonprofit
organizations
● Teamwork: Experience working in a team of peers and within a nonprofit organization
● Leadership: Help lead critically important conservation projects to combat climate change
JOB DUTIES
Crew Members will engage in habitat restoration activities in public parks, forests and waterways,
including, but not limited to, activities such as restoring salt marshes and oyster reefs; planting native plants and trees; and performing water quality testing and monitoring. Crew Members may also engage in weatherization activities, including presenting energy efficiency workshops throughout the community
and developing work scopes.
Environmental Stewardship Work (95%):
● Freshwater and tidal saltwater quality monitoring
○ Work includes monthly monitoring of four designated sites and performing water sampling, testing, data collection, and reporting. Training is provided.
○ Main program partner: SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SC
DHEC) and Clemson University’s Adopt-A-Stream program
● Salt marsh and oyster restoration along the coast of South Carolina
○ In collaboration with the SC Department of Natural Resources SCORE (South Carolina
Oyster Recycling and Enhancement) program, we will be performing:
■ Oyster shell pickup, recycling, and trash sorting
■ Oyster shell bagging and manufactured wire reef building
■ Building oyster reefs and oyster castles in the marsh
■ Marsh grass seed collection
■ Marsh grass seed planting and cultivating
■ Planting marsh grass in the marsh
○ Other program partners may include but are not limited to: Coastal Conservation League, The Nature Conservancy South Carolina, Charleston Waterkeeper, ACE Basin National Estuarine Research Reserve, and South Carolina Aquarium.
Energy and Water Efficiency Work (5%): (year-round)
● Facilitate energy efficiency community outreach and workshops throughout local
counties.
General Responsibilities:
● Adhere to rules of conduct and service expectations as detailed in the Member Handbook
● Maintain familiarity with AmeriCorps operations and procedures (the Corps Network/CNCS)
● Follow and obey prohibited activities as listed in the Member Service Agreement
● Participate in all required trainings, days of service, and responsibilities toward projects and
functions as directed by SI Staff
● Report daily (on service days) to the Program Coordinator
● Be prepared to accept delegated tasks from SI Staff
● Maintain the ECC van, service trailer, and inventory of project equipment to ensure they remain “work-ready” and in good operation
● Assist with upkeep of office interior and equipment storage and supply areas
● Maintain a positive and encouraging work environment for fellow Crew Members
● Represent self and program well in front of partners, community members, etc.
● Participate in community outreach events
● Uphold self-accountability by coming into the office prepared for the day
REQUIREMENTS
AmeriCorps Qualifications:
Program Hours:
All Crew Members will be expected to participate during the program hours of 8:30am – 4:30pm
Monday through Thursday, 8:30am – 3pm Friday. A 30-minute lunch break every day does not count towards service hours required. Some weekend dates might be required; advanced notice will be given.
Background Check:
Program enrollment requires every member to successfully provide information to program staff
for the completion of the CNCS (Corporation for National and Community Service) three-part
criminal history check (NSOPW check, state of residence and/or state of service check, and FBI
fingerprint check). Members must sign the NCHSC (CNCS – National Criminal History Service Check) at the time of the interview. CNCS has established requirements that may not allow a member to serve due to the member’s previous criminal history.
Age:
Crew Members must be at least 18 years of age at the time of enrollment and between the ages
of 18-28 to qualify.
Education:
A high school diploma or GED is required to serve with AmeriCorps. If a recruit has not earned
his/her/their high school diploma, GED, or accredited equivalent prior to starting the ECC Program, they are required to obtain it within two years following their service term. In these instances, we require members to either attend or enroll in future GED training while in our
program. SI staff will assist the member in arranging class and testing needs through local
educational institutions.
Minimum Qualifications:
● All Crew Members, Leaders, and SI Staff must be fully vaccinated per SI’s COVID‐19 policy
Physical Requirements: Due to the conditions and scope of work performed by the Environmental
Conservation Corps, members must be physically able to perform all program work, fully and equally, as
other Corps Members. This includes, but is not limited to, climbing, heavy lifting, bending, working from one’s knees or back, working in hot or cold conditions and/ or other work components deemed necessary by SI staff.
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
Training Provided:
The Sustainability Institute is committed to strong member development and includes in its plan a comprehensive set of resources offered to Crew Members that are designed to ensure member retention, personal growth, and success. These include, but are not limited to, an assessment of skills and interests upon arrival, a strong orientation, soft skills training, team-building activities, and exposure to outside employment opportunities upon completion of service with the Program.
The ECC Program is dedicated to providing members with field-based certifications and
conservation-based trainings during their time of service:
1. Habitat Restoration
a. Adopt-A-Stream Freshwater and Tidal Saltwater monitoring
b. Living Shorelines
2. Worksite Safety
a. Jobsite and Tool
b. CPR/First Aid
3. Professional Development/Soft Skills
a. Financial Literacy
b. Resume/Cover Letter
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please direct any questions to Program Coordinator, Darby Reed, at [email protected]
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
For more information, please visit our website at Join AmeriCorps – The Sustainability Institute (sustainabilityinstitutesc.org)
Application can be found here: The Sustainability Institute’s Environmental Conservation Corps Application – 2024 (google.com). Resume required.
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