COMBA’s vision is world-class mountain bike experiences in Colorado’s central Front Range. Trail Conservation Services (TCS) is our small and focused trail building, stewardship and restoration crew targeting a variety of multi-use trail projects on federal, state, county, and city lands. The TCS Crew Member will work and lead in pursuit of natural surface trail restoration and optimization to provide the best possible trails in our area.

Utilizing hand tools and machinery, TCS employs skills in trail design, layout, construction and maintenance to create and maintain community outdoor recreation resources. The team is specifically focused on optimizing trails for sustainability, visitor experience, and habitat protection. TCS crews are focused on low impact, excellent work with maximum efficiency.

We are passionate about trail excellence. We are deployed to create more and better trails for the community. With a massive backlog of non-motorized trail maintenance, COMBA’s TCS team is on a mission to refine, restore, and recreate our trails.

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PRIMARY POSITION DUTIES AND GOALS

The TCS Crew Member must be self-directed and self-motivated to perform the following ongoing tasks in contributing to the daily efforts of the TCS team:

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TYPICAL WORK DAY

• The TCS Crew will oftentimes be camping in the work zone. The early morning work day begins with a ~15 minutes Stand Up meeting with stretch exercises, education, safety talk and today's project plan. Trail maintenance includes possibly a brisk, long hike with up to 40lbs., carrying in tools needed for the day's tasks and setting a goal and process for the morning and afternoon based on the scope of work and the project at hand.

• The team is working alongside each other with hand tools in a safe, thoughtful, and efficient way. The team may have a team meeting at the site with their Crew Leader to define the work scope of the project at hand. There may be communication on technique, improving teamwork, collaborating on project methods, needed changes, tool organization, and watching for safety concerns.

• Crew will perform cleaning and restoration of drains, corridor maintenance and clearing debris, blazing trail, finish work behind machines, and installing signage. Work would involve heavy lifting, digging, sawing, chopping, carrying, brush cutting, and operation of or around power equipment in the construction and maintenance of natural surface trails. Technical trail work like carpentry, rockwork, installing bridges, stone walls and stairs, berms, rolling grade dips, and other natural and unnatural features.

• Crew may work around heavy equipment, trailers, vehicles, gas powered and electric tools, and chainsaws or grip hoists/come-alongs.

• Not only can the project process change throughout the day, weather conditions can change rapidly from cold to hot, sunny to wet and require good preparations with personal gear, food, and water.

• Team may break up into smaller groups or solo to maximize efficiency.

• There will be no smoking, drugs, or alcohol on the worksite.

• The team may work in isolated or exposed areas, crowded trails, with volunteers, with land agencies or alongside heavy equipment.

• Teams will always have personal protection equipment (PPE). See list below.

• The team will work with their crew leader to decide when it is best to take a 15-minute break. morning and afternoon, when to take their 1⁄2 hour lunch and when to end the day. The team will decide on if, how and where to store which tools and equipment on site.

• Music personal or group may be based on the situational awareness and Crew Leader’s desire for the project.

• Talking while working will be encouraged as long as work is efficiently progressing.

• The Crew Leader will be keeping an eye on safety, open to ideas, actively listen to the crew or individuals, encourage membership of appropriate projects, drive the pace, cheering progress, sometimes making the final decisions, maximizing efficiency and educating the crew.

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TYPICAL WORK WEEK

• The TCS team will have daily and weekly goals in mind and work 4 full 10-hour days for the week.

• Weather is rarely a deterrent and oftentimes the team will work strategically through changing weather patterns. The Crew Leader will discuss with the team if work conditions seem unsafe, impossible, or inefficient due to weather and determine when and how to make up lost time.

• The team will often hike many miles in a week, carrying loads on uneven terrain and be required to hike off trail in rough often steep environmental conditions.

• Transportation to and from the job site is on each member's own and carpool arrangements are encouraged. Parking may be limited at some work sites.

• Personal camping equipment in a group setting is to be expected and extreme care will be taken to keep hands sanitized, camp area tidy, camp zone free of open food and obey camp area rules. Crew will have a camp Method of Operation they will set together and strictly adhere to.

• Meals are determined by each crew member or could be coordinated within the crew.

• Specific accomplishments and goals achieved will be recorded.

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SUMMER WORK SEASON

• TCS Crews will work hitches based on land manager needs. Hitches could change weekly or last an entire summer.

• COMBA staff will visit periodically to direct, help, encourage, communicate and instruct.

• Land managers will visit to observe project progress and provide feedback.

• Crew Leader will guide the schedule in coordination with COMBA staff.

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PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT REQUIRED (PPE)

• Backpack (30L or more)

• Work gloves

• Work Boots

• Durable pants

• Rain Suit

• Eye protection

• Ear plugs

• Sunscreen/protection

• Insect repellent

• Toilet paper/hand sanitizer

• Hat

• Cold weather layers

• 3 quarts of water minimum

• Personal med kit

• Extra clothing

• Backup snack

• Personal dispersed camping equipment (highly recommended)

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REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Contribute to a safe learning environment.

• Effectively follow directions and ask questions for clarification.

• Able to focus on tasks at hand without distraction.

• Able to keep an eye out for potential risky situations.

• Desire to work as a team.

• Willingness to address conflict or receive constructive feedback.

• Live in a physically demanding and potentially remote environment.

• Able to cope positively in a harsh climate or severe weather patterns.

• Flexibility, adaptability, and capacity to work in a fluid, changing work environment.

• Desire to learn and be a part of a dynamic community of peer members.

• Must be adaptive, patient and able to maintain a positive perspective throughout.

• Physically fit, able to work efficiently for long days, lift often up to 50lbs, withstand adverse weather, and hike up to 5-miles with a 40lb. pack.

• High school diploma or GED and valid driver’s license.

• Desire to work on a variety of conservation-based projects.

• Background in hard driving, goal oriented, or accomplishment focused positive mindset.

• Minimum of in person or online first aid course and CPR (provided upon hiring).

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PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience working for a professional trail building crew or conservation corps.

• Trail Building experience and mountain bike-oriented trail building experience.

• Endurance sports, outdoor sports or work background - cross fit, mountain biking, trail running, hiking, backpacking, cross country skiing, climbing, mountaineering, hunting, construction, landscaping, surveying, excavation, farming, etc.

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Pay:

Starting pay $20-25 per hour based on experience

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Benefits:

Uniform shirt and all tools provided. On-the-job training and needed certifications.

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Position reports to:

COMBA Trails Program Director

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Website:

www.comba.org/jobs

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Contact Name:

Gil McCormick

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Organization:

Colorado Mountain Bike Association

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Address:

PO Box 280415

Lakewood, CO 80228

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Job Title:

TCS Crew Member

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Job time frame:

Summer seasonal/full-time Mid-May to Mid-August. Based on Grant funding, employee could be invited to extend FT or PT into fall.

Location of work:

Central Front Range of Colorado land agencies

within a 2-hour drive of Denver

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Required:

Cover letter, resume and recommendations

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Submit to:

apply@comba.org

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Subject line:

TCS Crew Member Position

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