Volunteer

We are looking for a few good volunteers! Would you like a job that matters? Would you like to work with rural mining communities in the Rocky Mountain West?

OSM/VISTA and volunteers participate in summer monitoring with Coal Creek Watershed Coalition.

Western Hardrock Watershed Team members live and work as OSM/VISTA volunteers in low-income communities dealing with contaminated streams, depressed economies and other issues prevalent in the Hardrock mining region of the West. Each serving with a local sponsoring organization, Watershed Team members strive to improve quality of life, create a healthier and safer environment, and build capacity in their host communities. Our OSM/VISTAs are flexible, multifaceted individuals who bring their skill sets to bear on a wide variety of activities, from water quality monitoring to event organizing, from environmental education to grant writing, from media work to volunteer management. OSM/VISTAs enjoy a unique opportunity to work with rural grassroots environmental leaders and to explore a wide range of future career paths and opportunities in the process.

Job requirements: Bachelors degree; good communication skills; familiarity with computers; ability to work in a challenging and changing environment; flexibility and adaptability; self-motivation; willingness to live in a rural Appalachian community. Environmental monitoring and community organizing experience are a plus!

Location: Currently, rural Colorado. We hope to expand into neighboring states in the near future.

Duration: 12 months.

Start Date: There are 10-11 dates annually. We recruit on a rolling basis, so apply now!

Hours: Full Time (no external employment is permitted)

Compensation: As an AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteer you receive a monthly living stipend of roughly $900 (before taxes), health insurance, child care if eligible, student loan forbearance (with interest paid), and the choice of a $4,725 education award or $1,200 cash stipend upon term completion. Click here for a fact sheet on the benefits available to VISTA volunteers.

Applications received by Team Office are sent onward to watersheds seeking OSM/VISTA applicants for that term. It is entirely up to the local OSM/VISTA Watershed sponsors to interview and select applicants. Final approval of applicants rests with the OSM/VISTA Team Director.

Got questions? Call (970) 872-3411 or email support@hardrockteam.org.

How to Apply

• Send your résumé and a brief, nonfiction writing sample (any subject) to support@hardrockteam.org.
• Go to https://my.americorps.gov and click on "Apply to Serve." In the Program Selections section, copy and paste the following Program Listing ID: 07VSWCO001. When you have completed your application, submit the finished product and your information will automatically be sent to our office.