Job Opportunities
Available positions, internships, and volunteer opportunities
SAMO Youth Crew Leader / Assistant Driver
The SAMO Youth Program provides paid work experience and mentorship for college students. The goals of the program are to create a developmental work experience for youth that promotes an ethic for conservation and stewardship as well as propels students towards careers in public service. The SAMO Youth Crew Leader Assistant-Driver must have experience and a strong desire to mentor a group of youth. They will be responsible for the safe operation of a work truck and a 12 Passenger Van. Crew Leader Assistant will help lead, mentor, and co-manage the day-to-day details of work projects.
QUALIFICATIONS:
Skills in performing and leading fieldwork such as trail work, fence building, habitat restoration, resource improvement projects, park beautification, etc.
Ability to use hand tools such as picks, rock bars, shovels, etc.
Ability to hike 1-5 miles to work site.
Ability to lift between 40 to 50 lbs.
Ability to maintain reports and records.
A serious attitude toward safety.
Professionalism – you will follow all Santa Monica Mountains Fund and partnering National Park Service policies and maintain professional boundaries with colleagues and program participants.
Substance Free – you will refrain from using any tobacco products, vaporizers, electronic cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs.
US work authorization.
Must have a clean driving record and a current CA Driver’s License. Desired: Commercial Driver’s License with passenger (P) endorsement.
Applications are open until filled or until Monday, March 31st, 2025, whichever comes first.
To Apply, email your cover letter, resume, and three references to samoyouth.nps@gmail.com with "SY Crew Leader Assistant 2025" in the subject line.
Please name your files including your FIRST and LAST name with the following guideline:
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_CoverLetter
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_Resume
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_ThreeReferences
SAMO Youth Crew Member
Here's your chance to be part of the crew this summer and contribute to Environmental Stewardship, Habitat Restoration, Trail Work, Community Engagement. Get hands on experience in various park career fields. From ecological restoration, trail maintenance, community engagement and more!
The SAMO Youth Program provides paid work experience and mentorship for college students. The goals of the program are to create a developmental work experience for youth that promotes an ethic for conservation and stewardship as well as propels students towards careers in public service.
QUALIFICATIONS:
For College Students & Recent Graduates, Ages 18 - 25 (Must be currently enrolled in college or recently graduated.
Have reliable transportation.
Be able to hike 5 miles.
Be able to lift 40 to 50 lbs.
Have a safety mindset.
Have US work authorization.
This is a full time position Monday-Friday 7:00 - 3:30 pm. It starts June 9th and ends August 1st. Applications are due Sunday, April 13th, 2025.
To Apply, email your cover letter, resume, three references, and transcripts to samoyouth.nps@gmail.com with "SY APP 2025" in the subject line.
Please name your files including your FIRST and LAST name with the following guideline:
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_CoverLetter
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_Resume
FIRST_LAST_SY25_LeadAssist_ThreeReferences
FIRST_LAST_SY25_Transcripts
SAMO Trails Crew Member
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is seeking skilled and motivated individuals to help repair and rehabilitate damaged unpaved roads and trails caused by severe storms in recent years. Approximately 20 miles are in need of extensive maintenance. This field-based position also includes fuels reduction work for the wildland fire management program.
Position Details:
Wage range: $25.16–$27.69/hour
Estimated season: May 5–August 23, 2025 (start date negotiable; potential for extension based on funding)
Full-time: 40 hours per week, Monday-Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with a 30-minute lunch.
Duty Station: Calabasas, CA. Applicant MUST have reliable transportation.
This role requires physical endurance, as you’ll hike several miles daily over park trails to job sites, carrying up to 50 lbs. of tools and equipment. Ideal candidates are hard-working, self-motivated, and eager to learn road and trail construction techniques.
How to Apply:
Submit your resume, including two references with phone numbers, via email to contact@samofund.org with “FC App 2025” in the subject line. Applications are open to the first 25 applicants or until May 1, 2025.
Native Seed Technician
SAMO Fund, the official partner of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, is seeking Biological Science Technicians to work with restoration-related projects with a focus on native seed restoration and implementation of a Native Seed Production Site. This project seeks to increase the availability of locally sourced native seed for restoration within the park and create a large seed bank for future restoration projects. Employment will consist of 40 hours of work per week, from August 2025 – July 2026. Much of the work will take place Wednesday through Saturday. The position will be paid at a rate of $17.56 - $22.05/hr., depending on experience and education.
Major Duties:
Work with the park’s Seed Program Manager to collect native seed from various sites in the Santa Monica Mountains
Assist in seed processing activities: seed cleaning, seed counting, and storing of seed collections
With guidance, implement outplanting and sowing of native plants at the Seed Production Site
Carry out maintenance of the Seed Production Site including weed control and supplemental watering
Identify populations of interest and collect data from the field and ongoing research projects
Participate in various community outreach events, including public seed cleaning workshops, outplanting, and weeding events
This position may also include some use of herbicides and mechanical equipment including mowers, augers, and brush cutters
Occasional seed collection trips to the Channel Island National Park and Cabrillo National Monument
Other nursery, restoration, and seed-related tasks as assigned, including but not limited to seed germination trials, herbarium duties, weed control and nursery maintenance
The position is open to US citizens, permanent residents, or people with valid work permits. Applicants must hold a valid driver’s license. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with interviews occurring in late spring and early
summer.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to Joseph_Algiers@nps.gov
Native Plant Nursery Technician
The SAMO Fund native plant nursery in Newbury Park is currently hiring a full-time Native Plant Nursery Technician to aid in native seed collections, propagation and growing of thousands of native plants, and connecting native nature to various volunteer groups and communities across Southern California.
We seek an individual with a strong desire to work with local native plants, both in the field and in a nursery/ horticultural setting, and who has a positive attitude and reliable work ethic. Pay is $22.05 per hour, with funding to continue employment for a minimum of 3 years. No other benefits are offered through this position.
Additional Duties:
Assist team members and volunteers with regular duties in the native plant nursery propagation and production process, including but not limited to, plant propagation (seed germination and cutting/clone preparation), soil preparation, transplanting, fertilizer applications, irrigating, weeding, pest and disease troubleshooting, etc.
With guidance from the Nursery Manager, develop and execute weekly and monthly plant propagation and production goals
Occasionally work in the field (Santa Monica Mountains) identifying various native plant populations, along with scouting for and collecting native seed
Work alongside and help manage groups of volunteers and community members, and assist with various workshops and outreach events around Southern California
Record keeping of various crops, fertilizer and pesticide applications, volunteer paperwork, etc.
Work 4 days a week/ 10 hours a day, or 5 days a week/ 8 hours a day (Wednesday - Saturday, Tuesday - Saturday)
Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with interviews occurring in late spring and early summer.
Interested applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to antoniosanchez@samofund.org
Native Plant Restoration Internship
Learn about native plant restoration and ecology while gaining valuable hands-on field experience by joining the native plant nursery team at Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area!
This internship is designed to allow participants to explore a variety of aspects within Southern California native plant restoration. Interns will gain experience working in a variety of plant communities including southern oak woodland, coastal sage scrub, grassland, riparian woodland, chaparral, and more. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of restoration duties.
The schedule will be 3 days a week (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday) from 7am – 3:30pm. The internship
will have two cohorts; the first running from May 29, 2025 through September 20, 2025 and the second from June 26, 2025 through October 25, 2025.
Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis, with interviews occurring as early as
February. A stipend may be available (pending funding).
To apply, submit a letter of intent (include how the position will benefit your career, your availability, which cohort you are applying to, your understanding that this internship is unpaid except for a
potential stipend and that you have a method of transportation to and from work), your resume, and 3 references to antoniosanchez@samofund.org
Santa Monica Mountains Fund is an Equal Opportunity Employer
We often post jobs for Youth under age 30 as we may be limited by restrictions from the funding source to support the project
No suitable job openings at the moment?
Please consider a volunteer position instead!