Who We Are

THE ORGANIZATION: 

At Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC), local young people with barriers to success improve their own lives while gaining job skills on projects that improve the community. HOC is a large regional non-profit that operates 6 youth training programs. At Heart of Oregon Corps, 16-24-year-old local young people with barriers to success improve their own lives while gaining job skills on projects that improve the community. You can learn more about our work by visiting www.heartoforegon.org. 

POSITION AND PROGRAM INFO: 

Heart of Oregon Corps is hiring Summer Crew Leaders who have a passion for empowering and inspiring positive change in the lives of young people, and are able to work outdoors on national forests for 4 ten-hour days each week. Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC) is a large regional non-profit that operates 6 youth training programs. At Heart of Oregon Corps, 16-24-year-old local young people with barriers to success improve their own lives while gaining job skills on projects that improve the community. You can learn more about our work by visiting www.heartoforegon.org. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

We’re looking for staff Summer Crew Leaders who can supervise, mentor, and direct teens during conservation projects on public lands. This is also a great opportunity for experience with Forest Service work during the summer! Crew leaders work an additional week of training at the beginning of the season (9 weeks, dates below). 

This position runs a crew of 5 local youth (ages 16-18), working alongside US Forest Service each day on projects like fire fuels reduction, habitat restoration, trail work, developed recreation, and more. Crew Leaders are responsible for driving youth to and from work sites in HOC or USFS vehicles, identifying potential job hazards, implementing proper safety practices, completing job logs, and managing crew cohesion and culture. Forest Service specialists help direct and train crews on the technical aspects of conservation projects and provide on the job training for crew leaders. Crew Leaders are expected to direct crews without USFS assistance once they are proficient/familiar with job tasks. 

Location: 

Summer Crew Leaders are assigned a crew and based out of one of the following USFS workstations in Central Oregon: Redmond, La Pine, Bend, Madras, Prineville, Sisters, Warm Springs, or Crescent. The position is supervised by HOC’s Summer Program Manager and supported by USFS staff daily.  

The program schedule is: 

6/12/2025, 6/15/2025 - 6/19/2025: Crew Leader orientation/and training (special schedule) 

6/22/2025 – 8/13/2025: COYCC Program- Conservation Project work with the USFS 

o   Schedule: Monday through Thursday.  

§  4 - 10-hour days. 

§  Occasional Fridays may be scheduled with overtime approved as necessary. 

Required Qualifications: 

The ideal candidate will have: 

·       Minimum of 1 year of experience working with youth in a supervision setting.  

·       Minimum of 1 year of experience in outdoor work 

·       Several years (e.g. 3-5 years) of demonstrated safe driving experience  

Basic comfortability with manual labor and hand tools required.  

·       Dedication to equal opportunity and safety outdoors is required 

·       A valid driver’s license is required. 

·       Clean background check is required, with safe driving history 

·       Current CPR/first aid certification is required. 

Physical Requirements:  

• Physical lifting over 50 pounds 
• Bending, Reaching, and Climbing is constant 
• Pushing/Pulling is constant 
• Walking and Prolonged standing is constant 
• Extended periods of outdoor exposure is constant. 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• High School Diploma/GED or comparable relevant experience.  

 BENEFITS: 

Starting wage range for the position is $21.00/hour (firm), with an additional retention bonus of $2.00 for every hour worked if you complete the entire season. This would be a total of $23.00/hour. This is a full-time, seasonal (temporary), hourly staff position. Crew Leaders will be trained to use chainsaws and will receive their S-212 certification though the USFS. 

PROCESS: 

Please submit a cover letter and resume to HR via one of the following methods: 

Email: hr@heartoforegon.org  with Attn: Summer Crew Leader in the subject line 

Find out more on our website at: http://heartoforegon.org/who-we-are/careers.html  

Final candidates will need to complete an interview, additional paperwork, provide references, and complete a post-offer background check.  A current First-Aid/CPR certification is required before employment.  Valid driving license and good driving record required and several years of demonstrated driving experience. Must complete a DMV check. 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. 

Position open until filled. If this post is still up, then we're still hiring! Interviews will take place starting beginning of February on a rolling basis. All applicants will be contacted by phone or email regarding your application results by the end of the process. We strive to respect the time and effort required to apply. 

Heart of Oregon Corps is an equal opportunity employer; auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Alternative formats are available upon request by contacting hr@heartoforegon.org. As a recipient of Federal financial assistance, Heart of Oregon Corps is prohibited from discriminating on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against any beneficiary of programs on the basis of the beneficiary’s citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States. 

Thank you for your interest! 

Careers : Who We Are : Heart of Oregon Corps 

THE ORGANIZATION: 

At Heart of Oregon Corps (HOC), local young people with barriers to success improve their own lives while gaining job skills on projects that improve the community. HOC is a large regional non-profit that operates 6 youth training programs. At Heart of Oregon Corps, 16-24-year-old local young people with barriers to success improve their own lives while gaining job skills on projects that improve the community. You can learn more about our work by visiting www.heartoforegon.org. 

POSITION AND PROGRAM INFO: 

Heart of Oregon Corps is hiring Camp LEAD Counselors who have a passion for empowering and inspiring positive change in the lives of young people, and are able to work outdoors overnight through the month of July. Camp LEAD (Leadership, Empowerment, Advocacy, Development) is a week-long, immersive leadership camp that helps youth with disabilities develop self-advocacy and social skills while giving them paid work experience and career exposure in the natural resources and conservation fields.  

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:  

This position supervises and mentors youth ages 16-21 of diverse abilities for week-long overnight camp sessions during July. Counselors will work alongside youth and project partners on light conservation and maintenance projects like invasive species removal, trail restoration, painting, etc. Counselors are responsible for driving youth to and from worksites and campsites in HOC vehicles, identifying potential job hazards, implementing proper safety practices, teaching camp curriculum, and overnight camp supervision. 

Camp LEAD Counselors teach youth with disabilities leadership and self-advocacy skills and supervise youth completing conservation work on public lands. This program runs for 6 weeks (3 weeks of camp) with counselor training for 3 days before the season starts. We are hiring multiple counselor positions that will be employed for lengths of either three or six weeks. The three week positions will work the three weeks of camp and those hired for the 6 week positions will stay on after camp to help lead a crew of camp youth on conservation projects with the Forest Service. There is some flexibility in terms of the requirements to work all days of the three week Camp Lead Program, applicant availability and program needs can be discussed in the hiring process. 

Each year, the team of incredible, interesting, and diverse counselors is a big part of why Camp LEAD is a life-changing summer experience for youth participants – we want you to be part of that legacy! This is a great opportunity for teachers and other specialists who would like to be outside this summer!  

DATES, SCHEDULES, LOCATIONS:  June 30th- August 14th, 2026  

Camp Dates  

• 6/30/2025 -7/2/2025 – Counselor Orientation and Training (Mandatory): Overnight optional   
• At Caldera, Oregon (15 miles west of Sisters, Oregon) 
• 7/6/2025 -7/10/2025- Week One: 5-day overnight trip (at Caldera) 
• 7/13/2025 -7/17/2025 – Week Two: 5-day overnight trip (at Caldera) 
• 7/20/2025 – 7/24/2025 – Week Three: 5-day overnight trip (at Caldera) 

Conservation Crew Dates 

• 7/27/2025 - 8/13/2025- Weekly Crew Schedule: 7am-5pm, Monday-Thursday (four 10’s schedule) 
• Locations in Central Oregon as scheduled, likely Bend/Redmond or Prineville/Madras. USFS bunkhouse housing may be available, please inquire. 

Required Qualifications:  

The ideal candidate will have: 

• Minimum of 1 year of experience working with youth and/or working with young people experiencing disabilities is preferred 
• General understanding of youth development practices, trauma informed care, career development, and leadership is required. 
• A strong commitment to respecting the ideas and intelligence of young people and the ability to relate to and support a multicultural and differently-abled group of people is required. 
• Dedication to equal opportunity and safety outdoors is required 
• A valid driver’s license is required, with several years (e.g. 3-5 years) of demonstrated safe driving experience.  
• Clean background check is required. 
• Current CPR/First Aid certification is required. 
• General knowledge of tool use and conservation/trail work, and summer camp experience is preferred.  

Physical Qualifications: 

• Physical lifting over 50 pounds 
• Bending, Reaching, and Climbing is constant 
• Pushing/Pulling is constant 
• Walking and Prolonged standing is constant 
• Extended periods of outdoor exposure is constant. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• High School Diploma/GED or comparable relevant experience.  

A successful candidate will be open to learning, be able to adapt to the needs of campers, and be flexible in adapting programming each day. The position is supervised and supported by the Head Counselor and the Summer Programs Manager.  

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: 

The starting hourly wage for this position is $21.00 /hour (firm), with an additional $2.00 for every hour worked if you complete the entire season as scheduled. This would be a total of $23.00/hour with increased rates for returning counselors. This hourly wage is used for trainings, day trip crew leading, and administrative or logistics planning work outside of Camp LEAD trip weeks.  

• Camp LEAD camp weeks (5-day trips) are paid $1,275 per 5-day trip, for first year counselors with an additional $110 per 5-day trip if you complete the entire season as scheduled. This equates to $1,385 per 5-day camping trip. 

Meals during camp are provided. HOC provides loaned camping gear for the season, hard hats, work gloves, and safety goggles. HOC does not provide boots or clothing beyond a uniform shirt but does provide pro-deals with outdoor companies that are available after the first paycheck. This is a full-time, seasonal (temporary) position. Counselors are able to camp at the site (Camp Tamarack) over the weekends and utilize camp showers free of charge. 

TO APPLY: 

Please submit a cover letter, resume and HOC employment Application to HR, via one of the following methods: 

Email: hr@heartoforegon.org with Attn: Camp Counselor in the subject line  

Website: Fill out via the form submittal prompts- https://heartoforegon.org/who-we-are/employment-application.html  

Find out more on our website at: http://heartoforegon.org/who-we-are/careers.html 

Final candidates will need to complete an interview, additional paperwork, provide references, and complete a post-offer background check. A current First-Aid/CPR certification is required before employment.  Valid driving license and good driving record required. Must complete a DMV check.  

Position open until filled. If this position is still up, then we're still hiring! Interviews will take place starting February 2026 and continue on a rolling basis. We strive to respect the time and effort required to apply. 

Heart of Oregon Corps is an equal opportunity employer; auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Alternative formats are available upon request by contacting hr@heartoforegon.org. As a recipient of Federal financial assistance, Heart of Oregon Corps is prohibited from discriminating on the grounds of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, disability, political affiliation or belief, and against any beneficiary of programs on the basis of the beneficiary’s citizenship/status as a lawfully admitted immigrant authorized to work in the United States.  

Thank you for your interest!