Wilderness Ranger - Virginia
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Position Title:Wilderness Ranger
Positions Open: 1
Position Duration: May- November
Status:Temporary/Seasonal
Compensation: $20/hour
Position Supervisor:Wilderness Program Manager
Location: Glenwood-Pedlar Ranger District
The 2025 SAWS Wilderness Ranger is based in the Glenwood Pedlar Ranger District in the George Washingto and Jefferson National Forest. The Ranger will conduct basic trail maintenance, collect wilderness data, and engage with visitors. Wilderness trail maintenance will include clearing downed trees, corridor brushing, and removing trash from the trails to ensure trails conform to Forest Service standards. Wilderness Rangers regularly engage with visitors on topics that include wilderness ethics and Leave No Trace education, bear safety and canister use, landscape orientation, safety awareness, and information about the natural environment such as local plants, animals, and geology. Throughout the season, the Ranger will develop and maintain a strong, positive relationship with the U.S. Forest Service, nearby partner organizations, and local businesses on behalf of SAWS.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Collaborate with US Forest Service staff and partners on project work.
Craft and curate media (blogs, photography, video, etc.) to share for reporting and documentation.
Practice and teach Leave No Trace principles in the field.
Follow SAWS policies and procedures in the field.
Maintain high standards for project completion.
Training and support provided:
Crosscut Saw Certification
Wilderness 101 course
Job Resources Include
Personal protective gear (gloves, hardhat, basic eye protection, first aid kit)
Tools and equipment
SAWS uniforms
Training and Work
Benefits
Opportunities for professional networking
Sick time]
Mileage reimbursement for work-related travel
Qualifications
Requirements
· Enthusiasm for the SAWS mission and values.
· Strong desire to learn about federally designated wilderness, wilderness character, and natural resource management.
· Ability to learn quickly.
· Strong verbal and written communication skills.
· Ability to complete deliverables with minimal supervision.
· Proficient with Microsoft Word and Excel.
· Comfortable navigating and hiking independently in the backcountry with a pack over rough terrain in areas with no or limited cell coverage.
· Ability and desire to work and camp in a remote and primitive setting.
· Personable and comfortable talking to the public.
· Excellent interpersonal communication skills.
· Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and backpacking/camping gear.
· Current First aid and CPR Certification or ability to obtain certification within 30 days of hire.
· Ability to travel and camp to attend training May 12- 30.
· Additional Helpful Qualifications
· Knowledge of Leave No Trace principles including backcountry camp and travel practices.
· Knowledge or experience with trail maintenance and/or traditional tool use.
· Experience with the ESRI Field Maps, Survey123, and ArcGIS software.
· College degree or professional experience in environmental studies, natural resources, outdoor recreation, or a related field.
· Knowledge of natural resources of the region.
About Us
Founded in 2010, the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) is a conservation non-profit organization with expertise in federally designated Wilderness. We are dedicated to educating, cultivating, and empowering an engaged public and the next generation in the stewardship of public lands in the Southeast. At SAWS, we believe that taking care of our public lands and connecting them to the next generation matters. We also believe that it is our shared responsibility to care for these lands; to advance justice, equity, diversity and inclusivity in the outdoors; and to educate, train, and develop a skilled workforce to be the next conservation stewards and conservation leaders.
Headquartered in Asheville, NC and with an office in Roanoke, VA, we focus our efforts on wilderness areas in National Forests throughout the southern Appalachian region. We regularly work in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, Virginia, and West Virginia, and respond on a case-by-case basis to requests for assistance in other locations.
To Apply
Please submit a cover letter and resume together as one combined document using the following naming format: Lastname_VA_2025.