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Westwater Canyon Ranger

The Student Conservation Association
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Position Summary 

The participants will live and work out of the Westwater Ranger Station which is located 70 miles from Moab, Utah and 40 miles from Grand Junction, Colorado. Work will be coordinated through the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Moab Field Office Recreation Program. Westwater Canyon is the first whitewater stretch on the Colorado River in Utah. The canyon is seventeen miles long and includes Class III and IV rapids. This section is challenging at all water levels and is only recommended for experience boaters. As with any remote river, floating through Westwater can be a very humbling and challenging experience which necessitates respect and skill. The ranger station can be a busy place as it is the put in for Westwater Canyon and the takeout for the Ruby Horsethief section. There is campground with twelve campsites, two toilets and a network of trails and roads including the Kokopelli’s trail. The participant may be the first contact with visitors and will provide them with education about the canyon and surrounding areas.

 

The participant will be responsible for conducing permit compliance and gear checks for commercial and private permittees as well as performing patrols of the wilderness study area and upland within the Utah Rims Special Recreation Management Area. This is a great opportunity to learn about outdoor recreation and federal land management. You will work closely with land management professionals to learn about allocated permit systems and travel management planning. The participant will interact with visitors and share educational information, tips for safely recreating on public lands and to protect the unique resources. The participant will be required to wear a uniform and to represent the SCA and the BLM in a positive and professional manner.

 

Schedule 

June 1, 2026 - January 22, 2027

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

  • Completing compliance checks of permits and required gear for commercial/private rivertrips through Westwater Canyon.
  • Assist in maintaining campsites and cleaning restroom facilities.
  • Assisting the BLM river ranger in river patrols by way of raft through class 3-4 rapids.
  • Educate the public on responsible recreation and environmental stewardship.
  • Helping clean equipment and the ranger station.
  • Interact with hundreds of people during the week and will help provide them in information about the Westwater Canyon and greater area.
  • Monitoring of Westwater Canyon Wilderness Study Area by 4-wheel drive vehicle, foot, utv, and bicycle/motorcycle.
  • Work in a fast-paced environment.
  • May be required to perform heavy lifting, arduous labor in a harsh high desert environment.

 

Marginal Duties 

  • Patrolling the greater Utah Rims and Dolores Triangle areas for resource damage via 4-wheel drive vehicle, foot, utv, and bicycle/motorcycle.
  • Perform “upland” travel plan implementation work in the field by marking designated routes and closed routes and maintain the signing of these routes.
  • Work with volunteer groups.
  • Perform light trail maintenance.

 

Required Qualifications 

Driver’s License

 

Preferred Qualifications 

Whitewater rafting/kayaking experience; manual labor experience i.e., digging, lifting; outdoor camping/living experience; public speaking; organizational skills; GIS experience

 

Hours 

40 per week

 

Living Accommodations 

The Westwater Ranger Station is an office attached to a 4 bedroom dorm style living quarters. Each individual worker there will have their own room and share the common living space i.e., kitchen, bathroom, living room. The ranger station is roughly 45 mins from Grand Junction Colorado where you can find all amenities and roughly 1.5 hours from Moab, UT.

 

Compensation  

  • Member living allowance of $450/week
  • Relocation expense $1,100/once

All allowances are subject to applicable federal, state, and local taxes. 

 

Personal Vehicle Information

Required

 

Additional Benefits 

Defensive Driving Training

AmeriCorps: Ineligible

 

Equal Opportunity Statement 

The Student Conservation Association, Inc., is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The SCA strives to cultivate a work environment that encourages fairness, teamwork, and respect among all staff members and is committed to maintaining a work atmosphere where lifestyles may grow personally and professionally.

 

 Physical requirements and working conditions specific to the position are available in the full job description.