Youth Conservation Corps Fall Crew Member

What is the Youth Conservation Corps?

In 2018, CGE created a residential summer YCC program funded by the U.S. Forest Service for young adults to participate in conservation work in a similarly immersive environment to CGE’s summer treks for youth ages 9-18. In 2025, CGE received funds from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department (EMNRD) to create a brand-new fall YCC program for New Mexico residents to get involved in this meaningful work here in Albuquerque.

Our fall YCC empowers and inspires New Mexican young adults ages 18-25 to become leaders, conservationists, and educators over the course of 15 weeks. We seek impassioned young people who want to grow together as a cohort, spend time outdoors, engage in hands‑on conservation work with community partners, learn how to engage students in environmental stewardship, and develop skills for their careers and their lives.

In 2026, we will hire up to 12 crew members (ages 18-25, no experience required) and up to 2 crew leads (ages 21-25, experience required) for our fall crew.

Generally, crews have classroom days on Mondays 9am‑3pm at Bachechi Open Space, project work days Tuesdays‑Thursdays at various public lands 8am‑4pm, and field trip Fridays 8am‑2pm.

• Crew Lead Training: 8/24 – 8/28 @ CGE Office
• All Crew Training: 8/31 – 9/4 @ Bachechi Open Space
• Camping Trip: 9/28 – 10/1 (10/2 off) @ TBD!
• Culminating Week: 12/7 – 12/11 @ Bachechi Open Space

• Risk management, with a certification in Wilderness First Aid via Red Cross
• Conservation principles; land ethics; natural resource management
• Collaborating with peers and community partners; group development
• Conflict resolution; decision‑making; giving and receiving feedback
• Project planning and implementation; project leadership and delegation
• Native habitat and watershed restoration; trail construction; agricultural systems
• Financial literacy; resume and cover letter writing; searching for and applying to jobs
• Environmental education principles; lesson planning; facilitating educational programs
• Career paths in the outdoors

• This is a seasonal, full‑time position from August 31, 2026 to December 11, 2026
• $15/hour, 30-40 hours per week
• Wilderness First Aid certification and professional development opportunities

Our YCC program is specifically designed for impassioned young people who are interested in learning more about southwest ecosystems, doing hard work to apply conservation principles to the land, and educating and engaging young people in the outdoors.

Eligibility:

• At least 18 and up to 25 years of age at point of hire
• New Mexico residents, see list of accepted documents to verify residency below
• Have a valid U.S. Social Security number or have applied for a valid Social Security number
• Available to work up to 40 hours per week from August 24 (crew lead) or August 31 (crew member) to December 11, 2026
• Have reliable transportation to CGE office (crew leads), Bachechi Open Space (crew members), or project sites within 15 minutes of Bachechi Open Space; CGE will provide van transport for further projects
• Able to lift up to 50 pounds and walk at least 5 consecutive miles
• Able to fulfill the essential functions of the assigned work with or without reasonable accommodations

From EMNRD

Please note passports, birth certificates, and baptism certificates are not proof of New Mexico residency.