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Dream Job for Conservation: Access Fund Seeks Van Life Trail Builders

access fund van life(Photo/Karson Leonard @karsonlleonard)
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Want to travel and work outdoors to foster climbing access across the United States? Apply to this posting.

The Access Fund posted a job listing that’s starting to make me wonder whether I should be typing this or polishing up my resumé. The climbing conservation group announced yesterday that it’s hiring for the Special Projects division of its Conservation Team.

Hired candidates will build trails and climbing infrastructure, directly manage operations and volunteers, work to support the nonprofit’s social media and blog content — and live la vida van life in a provided rig that looks pretty sweet.

All this while enjoying “generous” time off, including paid vacation, holidays, and sick time.

Interested yet? Yeah, we thought so.

Qualifications, Expectations, and Benefits

The job exists in the space somewhere between “dirtbagging it around for a season,” and a career in conservation. Other than stoke for trail work and rock climbing, the Access Fund lists qualifications for the position like competency in project planning, design, and implementation. You’ll also want to lead with “an ability to manage field resources in variable environments and locations” throughout the U.S.

The Access Fund will consider individuals or “pre-paired” teams for the job. It’s unclear how many candidates the nonprofit will hire.

Along with listed qualifications, it says it will base its hires on their ability to “promote the mission and values of Access Fund” while facilitating “critical improvements” to climbing resources.

The 2023 Conservation Team program runs from Feb. 13, 2023, through Dec. 8, 2023. The position pays $15.25 per hour, and you’ll get medical, dental, vision, and disability insurance, plus 403(b) retirement participation. Whether you and the Access Fund will go your separate ways in December is unclear.

The application window is tight — it closes on Nov. 4, 2022.

Send your resumé, references, and cover letter to employment@accessfund.org. The Access Fund requests that applicants write “2023 Conservation Team” in the email subject line. Best of luck to all applicants!

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