Job Opportunities
Rio Grande Return is hiring seasonals for our Restoration Crew for the 2025 season!
Assistant Crew Lead
Rio Grande Return is seeking an experienced, responsible individual for a seasonal Assistant Crew Lead role. This person will work closely with our Field Crew Leads and Restoration Director to support the field crew in a variety of watershed restoration activities.
The position will run from the end of April until the late fall, with potential opportunities extending into the winter. Start and end dates are flexible. Crews perform a variety of jobs, including construction of upland and in-stream restoration structures, fence construction, willow planting. Project locations range across watersheds in Northern New Mexico.
Crews mostly work four, 10 hour days a week, camping on the project site Mon-Thurs. We may also have several 8 on, 6 off hitches scheduled this season. Seasonal housing is not provided and applicant will need reliable transportation. Compensation is $26-$27 per hour depending on experience.
Desired qualifications include:
- Past leadership experience
- Chainsaw experience
- Familiarity with Northern New Mexico
- Bachelor’s degree in natural resources field or relevant prior experience
- Competent problem solving skills
- Past experience on field crews
Please contact Reid Whittlesey at reid@riograndereturn.org with a resume and cover letter to apply.
Crew Member
This is an exciting opportunity to participate in our low tech, process-based restoration work in the Upper Rio Grande Watershed and beyond. The position will run from the beginning of May until the late fall, with potential opportunities extending into the winter. Start and end dates are flexible. Crews perform a variety of jobs, including construction of upland and in-stream restoration structures, fence construction, willow planting. Project locations range across watersheds in Northern New Mexico.
Crews mostly work four, 10 hour days a week, camping on the project site Mon-Thurs. We also may have several 8 on, 6 off hitches scheduled this season. Seasonal housing is not provided and crew members will need reliable transportation. Compensation is $22 – $26 per hour depending on experience. We are seeking individuals who find their purpose in working hard to improve our land and water resources. The ideal applicant will be eager to learn and comfortable camping and working in remote field locations. Other desired qualifications include:
- Experience working in the outdoors
- Experience with hand tools, chainsaws, and/or heavy equipment
- Education or past work experience in a natural resource field, particularly low-tech, process-based restoration.
- Knowledge of botany, hydrology, geomorphology
Please contact Reid Whittlesey at reid@riograndereturn.org and include a resume or summary of relevant experience and a brief statement explaining why you are interested in this position!