Ecology Youth Corps

Requirements

To be hired by EYC, you must:

• Be 14-17 years old on the first day of employment. Proof of age is required.
• Be eligible to work in the United States.
• Have a Social Security card and photo identification.
• Submit one complete application and two teacher references by the required deadline.
• Certify you are able to meet the conditions and requirements of the job (see below).
• Be available to work every day the entire session with no unexcused absences. Camp or a family vacation is not an acceptable excuse.

If hired, you must certify you are able to:

• Work outdoors all day doing physical labor
• Wear furnished EYC T-shirt, safety vest, hard hat, cotton/rubber gloves, eyewear, etc.
• Provide your own hard-soled, leather type, over-the-ankle work boots
• Ride long distances
• Bend over frequently while working
• Walk 3-10 miles a day
• Work in hot sun, rain, wind, and cold, etc.
• Work alongside fast moving traffic, including convoys of trucks
• Be exposed to noise, fumes, road dust, etc.
• Work where you may encounter bugs, spiders, mice, snakes, etc.
• Gather and carry bags of trash all day
• Work safely, avoiding horseplay and other behavior that could be dangerous
• Work around pollen, dust, scotch broom, and other substances that can cause allergic reactions
• Recycle as much as possible
• Pick up all kinds of litter, including discarded diapers
• Behave professionally at all times

Safety

Safety is our number one priority. All EYC employees receive extensive safety training before working on the road.

• Supervisors receive extensive training in first aid and CPR, hazardous materials recognition, highway safety procedures, defensive driving, and emergency preparedness.
• Crews are trained in safety procedures before and during their time on the road. Their first day on the job is an all-day safety and team training. Additional safety training continues on the second day and routine safety meetings are held weekly thereafter throughout duration of the season.
• Regional supervisors regularly visit each crew to ensure they are operating safely.

Other information

• Those hired will not receive medical benefits, paid holiday, sick, or vacation time.
• Those hired will be insured by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries for work-related injuries.
• If hired, you will be responsible for daily transportation to and from the crew meeting location, which will be chosen at a hiring meeting. The supervisor will transport the crew to and from this meeting point to and from the job site.

Environmental education

Depending on the region, summer youth crews may participate in several environmental education activities.  

They may learn about sustainable living, global warming and climate change, salmon issues, water quality/quantity awareness, native flora and fauna, waste reduction and recycling, protecting Puget Sound, and other environmental issues.  

Ecology hires young adults 18+ years of age to staff median crews. Median crew members must:

• Be 18 years old by the time they apply. Proof of age required. 
• Be eligible to work in the United States. 
• Demonstrate good safety awareness. 
• Be willing to work outside all day doing physical labor, sometimes in uncomfortable weather conditions. 
• Have a Social Security card and photo identification. 

If hired, you must certify you are able to:

• Work outdoors all day doing physical labor. 
• Wear furnished EYC T-shirt, safety vest, hard hat, cotton/rubber gloves, eyewear, etc. 
• Provide your own hard-soled, leather type, over-the-ankle work boots.
• Ride long distances.
• Bend over frequently while working. 
• Walk 3-10 miles a day. 
• Work in hot sun, rain, wind, and cold, etc. 
• Work alongside fast moving traffic, including convoys of trucks.
• Be exposed to noise, fumes, road dust, etc. 
• Work where you may encounter bugs, spiders, mice, snakes, etc. 
• Gather and carry bags of trash all day. 
• Work safely, avoiding horseplay and other behavior that could be dangerous. 
• Work around pollen, dust, scotch broom, and other substances that can cause allergic reactions. 
• Recycle as much as possible. 
• Pick up all kinds of litter, including discarded diapers.
• Behave professionally at all times. 

The Ecology Youth Corps operates two types of crews. If selected as a Youth Crew Supervisor, you will work with 14-17 year olds on the shoulders of public roadways during our summer programs. As a Median Crew Supervisor, you will work in spring and fall with adults over 18 on medians and shoulders of freeways, and in summer with teens 14-17 years old. All EYC Supervisor positions are temporary and/or seasonal. Supervisor applications are accepted throughout the year, but expire at the end of each calendar year.

Minimum qualifications are: graduation from high school or GED equivalent, and two years of supervisory or lead experience working with youth. Two years of college-level course work in social sciences, education, resource conservation or related field will substitute, year for year, for required experience. 

Note: A valid driver's license is required. For some positions an intermediate endorsement on the driver's license is required.

A good driving record, and a clean criminal history report, are also required. We look for people who communicate well and enjoy working with youth.

All EYC supervisors undergo extensive training, during a week-long orientation and safety program where they learn first aid and CPR, hazardous material recognition, highway safety procedures, defensive driving, and emergency preparedness. Once on the job, supervisors hold routine safety meetings with crew members. Experienced supervisors may become a region's 'crew checker,' the safety supervisor who visits each crew regularly to deliver supplies and verifies all crews are operating at optimum safety levels. Safety is our number one priority!

Crew supervisor duties:

• Supervises crew activities of up to seven EYC members as young as 14 years old in various work activities related to litter control and recycling. 

• Assumes responsibility for the health, safety, well-being, morale, productivity, and discipline of the crew by adhering to EYC safety setup procedures and guidelines. 

• Determines site appropriateness by evaluating site for safety prior to crew deployment. 

• Trains crew members in safety and emergency procedures, cellular phone use, vehicle care and maintenance, recycling, and litter pick-up efficiency. 

• Motivates and increases the efficiency and productivity of the crew. 

• Evaluates crew member performance. 

• Takes corrective action when necessary, using verbal and written reprimands, suspensions, and employment termination together with regional staff, as outlined in EYC disciplinary policies. 

• Makes regular verbal and written reports on crew output and time accounting to the regional office. Recycles all recyclable materials found during cleanup activities. 

• Renders first aid when necessary to crew members (and sometimes injured motorists at accident scenes) and determines the need to be taken to a medical facility. 

• Coordinates litter pick-up along roadsides, center medians, and in urban settings that could be potentially dangerous due to traffic and other hazards. 

• Cooperates with the Department of Transportation (DOT) in areas cleaned, bag placement, and mowing schedules. 

• Identifies hazardous substances (sharps, needles, weapons) and follows safety procedures in removing them from roadways. 

• Evaluates chemical hazards such as potential methamphetamine labs and reports to proper authorities. 

• Determines explosive hazards (hand grenades, pipe bombs, handguns) and takes appropriate actions. 

• Performs other crew activities.

• Leads crew on environmental tours and environmental education projects. 

• Encourages environmental awareness and discussions during appropriate times throughout the workday. 

• Assists program staff in the development and/or implementation of specific projects and activities designed to increase public awareness, reduce litter, and promote recycling. 

• Participates in crew member selection 

• Conducts interviews and assists in crew selection process. 

• Assists in evaluating eligibility for work and in completing hire paper work. 

• Conducts new employee/parent information meetings. 

• Transports self and crew to and from work locations in assigned crew vehicle. 

• Operates crew vehicle in a safe and responsible manner at all times. 

• Maintains good order and cleanliness in the crew vehicle with the crew's help. 

• Uses vehicle gas credit card appropriately. 

• Provides for emergency repairs and towing. 

• Attends formal and on-the-job survey training conducted by regional office. 

• Determines site appropriateness by evaluating site for feasibility and safety. 

• Maps and measures sites. 

• Provides quality control on work at sites. 

• Performs waste audits (i.e., collecting, sorting, categorization, weighing, and reporting), using advanced cleaning strategies specialized for the litter survey. 

• Completes all reporting and payroll paperwork in a neat, accurate, and timely fashion. 

• Maintains all equipment and supplies. 

• Performs other work as required.