The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps provides youth and young adults with paid opportunities to gain competitive job readiness skills to prepare them for careers in environmental conservation through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Program participants will give back to the land while learning lifelong skills that will make them ideal candidates to further their careers in conservation through nationally recognized training, conservation work skills and leadership development.
Pennsylvania’s expansive state park system is one of the largest in the country, consisting of 124 parks and forests across more than 300,000 acres. Program participants complete conservation projects related to preserving and protecting natural resources and infrastructure at various sites across the state.
Program participants emerge with increased environmental awareness, technical skills, social responsibility and leadership skills.
Get Paid: Earn while learning valuable conservation career skills.
Gain Experience: Explore career pathways in conservation.
Make a Difference: Help care for Pennsylvania’s expansive state park system.
Accepting Applications Starting October 2026.
The SCA is seeking crew members for its 2027 Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps Young Adult Program to engage in hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands.
The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps offers paid work experience, job training, and educational opportunities.
Corps members will join a team of young adults to complete conservation projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands.
Throughout the season, members will also participate in education and training activities related to resource management, environmental education, and recreation.
The SCA will be hiring for the 2027 season in Early October. Check back for future opportunities.
The SCA is seeking high-school aged students (age 15-18 at the program’s start) to engage in hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands.
Due to the popularity of the program, we always receive more interested applicants than there are available spots each season. Our team is dedicated to making selections in a fair, balanced, and equitable way. The process does not guarantee placements for alums or multi-year applicants.
The SCA will be hiring for the 2027 season in Early October. Check back for future opportunities.
The SCA is seeking field leaders (age 21+) to supervise and train high-school aged students through the completion of hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands.
The SCA will be hiring for the 2027 season in Early October. Check back for future opportunities.
The SCA is seeking crew members (age 15-18 at the program’s start) for its American Sign Language Conservation Crew. Crew members will participate in hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects throughout Pennsylvania’s public lands, including trail maintenance, habitat restoration, facility maintenance and more. The SCA’s Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps American Sign Language Crew engages those who are deaf and hard of hearing in meaningful work in the outdoors.
2027 Locations:
• PITTSBURGH
• PHILADELPHIA
The SCA will be hiring for the 2027 season in Early October. Check back for future opportunities.
The SCA is seeking field leaders who are deaf or hard-of-hearing (age 21+) to supervise and train high-school aged participants in its American Sign Language Conservation Crew. The crew will participate in hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects throughout Pennsylvania’s public lands, including trail maintenance, habitat restoration, facility maintenance and more. The SCA’s Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps American Sign Language Crew engages those who are deaf and hard of hearing in meaningful work in the outdoors.
2027 Locations:
• PITTSBURGH
• PHILADELPHIA
The SCA will be hiring for the 2027 season in Early October. Check back for future opportunities.
Conservation Begins Here - Learn More
For those eager to learn industry-ready skills alongside staff from the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, our nine-month Young Adult Program provides a strong foundation for working at state parks and forests.
Each crew consists of a maximum of five members under the supervision of a Project Leader. Crews meet each morning at a central location in their program city and then travel out to work locations within their region.
Crew members can expect to engage in a variety of conservation work projects, including trail maintenance, planting, invasive species control and infrastructure improvements.
The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps strongly emphasizes personal and professional growth. Members will engage in various professional development opportunities throughout the season, including trainings, certifications, networking, job shadowing, resume review, interviewing skills and environmental education activities.
Each year, the SCA invites high school students aged 15-18 (at the start of program) to participate in hands-on conservation and infrastructure projects on Pennsylvania’s public lands.
The current application period is closed. The 2027 application period is set to reopen in November 2026.
Given the program’s popularity, we encourage interested candidates to submit their applications promptly.
To increase your chances of success, we recommend preparing to apply early and staying vigilant for the application window, as each season we receive more applications than available spots.
Are you ready to lead, inspire and make a difference this summer? The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps is looking for dedicated Field Leaders to supervise, mentor and guide high school crews as they tackle conservation projects.
As a field leader, you will gain invaluable leadership and management experience, build professional networks, and positively impact the lives of young people while helping to protect and preserve public lands.
Summer Leaders serve for a total of nine weeks for the position. This includes paid in-person pre-season training and a post-season debrief requiring travel and overnight stays at a training site. Detailed information will be provided in advance of the start of the position. Leaders must be available and able to complete all in-person components of pre-season training and post-season debriefing periods.
The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps American Sign Language Crew engages those who are deaf and hard-of-hearing in meaningful conservation projects. The program is offered in partnership with CorpsTHAT and the Pennsylvania Office of Vocational Rehabilitation.
The Cultural Resource Crew is a specialty young adult crew that provides aspiring archaeologists and preservationists with the professional skills necessary to build successful careers in land and cultural resource management.
This crew consists of three members under the supervision of a Project Leader. The season is a combination of field work, lab work and research assignments at State Parks and Forests across Pennsylvania.
Typical projects include:
Crew members will also be provided multiple opportunities to attend and participate in training and educational activities related to cultural resource management.
The Roving Trail Crew is a specialty young adult crew that consists of eight total members and two project leaders. At times the crew will function as one unit, and other times the crew will be subdivided to work on separate projects.
The Trail Crew will focus on completing trail improvements projects across Pennsylvania. An anticipated major project in 2026 is the restoration of the Glen Onoko Falls Trail system in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania. Work at Glen Onoko could comprise at least 50% of the season and includes a large amount of technical stonework. The remaining projects will be spent at parks and forests throughout Pennsylvania.
Members complete a block of work schedule, also known as a hitch-based, of Wednesday-to-Wednesday (eight days on with six days off). All crew members and leaders are required to stay on site during hitches and will return home when not on hitch. Food and lodging are provided while on hitch.
The Summer 2026 State College Crew is a specialty young adult crew that provides an opportunity for college students to gain practical hands-on field experience while working on public lands in Pennsylvania.
The State College Crew is open to young adults ages 18-25 who are currently enrolled in an accredited college or university. This crew consists of five members and a project leader. The State College Crew will complete conservation and infrastructure projects at state parks in the region. Members will also participate in education and training activities related to resource management, environmental education, and recreation.
PA Outdoor Corps participants will learn valuable career readiness skills; increase their understanding of environmental and trail restoration techniques; learn the workings of State Parks and Forests; engage in professional development; and develop valuable professional skills through teambuilding and leadership activities.
CPR & First Aid
Environmental Education
Habitat Restoration
Leave No Trace
Outdoor Ethics
Resume Building
Infrastructure Maintenance
General Inquiries
Email: [email protected]
Ted Miller, Senior Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Stephen Luteran, Young Adult Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Vickery Lauro, Youth Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Join our community of supporters who care deeply about preserving parks, public lands and urban natural areas.
"*" indicates required fields
Protect What You Love widget on website
"*" indicates required fields