Hi everyone, I was contacted earlier this month by a recruiter to fill out some screening questions and they sent my responses to 2-5 partners same day. Right after, Helene hit parts of Georgia and I was contacted saying there may be some delays. It has been almost three weeks and I have not heard from any partners. I reached out to HR and they said the partners would reach out *if* they wanted to interview. How long should I expect this process to take? I have to terminate my lease, quit my current customer service job and get things in order to relocate before starting this position. Any insight would be much appreciated!! Thanks in advance:)

Hey all, I was wondering about the amount of time it takes to hear back. I know it varies based on agency and who's actually doing the hiring, but I've applied to over 20 internship and crew positions, and it's been weeks. I was wondering if it's normal that I haven't heard back. I have a B.S. in natural resources and a variety of experiences in plant/farm work, environmental education, writing, and customer service, if that matters.

Can anyone advise on opting in/out of the ai screening on sca applications? I recently had an issue where my application was not sent to the hiring managers and they had to change filters to see it. I was only able to get that application sent through because the hiring managers work for my current agency and I could email them. But for other jobs I’ve applied for I don’t know the hiring managers and have no idea if my application will be sent through or not. This is my first time applying for jobs for the sca so I don’t really know how their program works. Thanks!

I asked SCA HR if I'd be able to apply for unemployment/SNAP benefits for the duration of the program, and they said: "HR response: We can’t advise you on benefits provided outside of SCA."

For more context, I'm from Illinois but flying out to California for the duration of the program (about 2.5 months)

Any advice?

I'm looking forward to this day since weeks ago. I have done every onboarding task expect by w-4 (hopefully that isn't going too concerning). I'm going on the Seattle sca btw.

I’m a recent undergrad graduate who got a bachelors degree in Environmental Science. I was wondering as it’s the Student Conservation Association, does applying as a graduate hurt my chances at getting an internship? I’ve done one as my time as a student but it looks like it wasn’t enough experience to help with the job search so I’m hoping to get more experience. But am I going to be able to? Any help or thoughts would be appreciated.

I'm looking for a replacement on the sub. I haven't done much on the sub in years and decided now was as good as ever to offload some clutter. If you're interested, please comment your modding experience and history in the sub.

Tasks are . . . minimal. Just keep an eye on things.

Hi does anyone like the new setup for the timesheets? I think they took a few steps back when they changed the system. You can’t put in what you done that day! New system takes a few more steps to get into rather than just clicking on your PO numbers.

I had an interview with an SCA recruiter several weeks ago, they hinted at moving me forward in the process and told me they would contact me early last week with more information. I reached out several days ago since I hadn't heard anything and still no response. Does anyone know what I should do? I'm very frustrated because this position is a perfect fit for what I want to do in the future.

Hi, I’m having an impossible time getting in touch with a human at SCA to ask a few recruiting questions! I have left multiple voicemails and sent several emails. Nothing. The phones aren’t answered. Does anyone have suggestions? Thank you!

The SCA has now changed their application for applying to position. I don't really like the change. I had filled out the old application before the switch over to the new application. I feel like while the old one was a lot more work to fill out it gave them a better idea of who your are and what you experience is. How do you feel about the change?

Hi all. I did my first season of SCA in 2022 for the salmon Idaho trail crew. It was hands down the best experience of my life. I was in a weird place with no direction and felt like a loser but my trail season was transformative. I am now in college studying fishery sciences and will be working in Yellowstone through SCA in summer 2024. I still talk to some of my trail friends every single day. We live all over the country but we’ve made a habit of trying to see each other when possible. I will always be proud of the work I did, the things I learned, connections I made, and path of life SCA put me on. Does anyone else feel like their SCA position was life changing? Anyone else here get to experience the wonder that is Indianola Ranger Station? Anyone going to be working with me in Yellowstone and want to chat?

I have a few ‘top choices’ for where I want to work this summer, but honestly I want to apply any and everywhere. Is it ok/against the rules to apply to multiple places? I don’t want to get in trouble, but I’ve applied for 3 so far (all different jobs and different places). Will they get upset if I apply for multiple jobs?

Hi, so I was trying to apply for a position that I had accidentally applied for early before I had finished my resume. I immediately withdrew the application but now when I try to apply again it says I have already applied but nothing in shown in the manage my application about it. Thanks to any help in advance

I have a misdemeanor on my record from 2 years ago and I was wondering how thorough the background checks are with the SCA or if anyone has experience getting a job despite a misdemeanor on their record?

Hi everyone, I just applied for an SCA climate change internship with NEON that I found on Indeed but it looks like I’m applying for just the SCA in general on the application and not for the specific job with neon? Do I need to get accepted into the SCA first and then apply for a specific job?

A friend of mine was dismissed from his SCA position after having a vehicular incident. The way he tells it was fairly minor and they were more concerned about him not reporting it right away.

Is there any chance for him to get another SCA position? What are some alternatives to the SCA he can look into if not?

I am interested in a summer internship this year with the sca and am working on my application. When should the application be finished with references completed. Do I need it done by January, or is February or early March fine?

I was just wondering how long it usually takes to hear back after your application has been sent to the partner agency? I emailed the partner expressing interest in an interview right after my application got sent. It's been about a week now but I haven't heard back yet. Is this typical? How long does it usually to hear back from the partner agency ? The position is with NAVFAC Northwest.

How many SCA internships am I allowed to do? I'm nearly complete with my Second SCA internship? Should I keep doing more?

When I signed up it said they would send me a temporary password. That hasn't happened. I have resubmitted the "lost password, we'll send you a link to set one up" 4 times and I still haven't received the email. Has anyone had trouble with applying?

I had an experience where I was stationed with the SCA. A program manager would literally look at me and say racist comments including thoughts of me stealing, making “you people” comments, and refuse to actually give me assistance with the task I was supposed to be doing claiming “I wasn’t asking for help”. His first resort would be to argue with everyone he came into contact with (even doing so on a phone call where a separate employee was asking questions; oddly enough away from his supervisors) and when I brought it to HR they seemingly swept it under the rug likely to avoid any drama. Hopefully this was just my experience but has anyone else dealt with problems arising from there time working with this organization?

Hello!

I have been applying for SCA positions however occasionally one will say "Not Eligible" by the fit check and I can't seem to figure out why. I've checked to make sure my working time frame includes the job time frame but I'm not sure why it still deems me Not Eligible even though there are no job requirements (that I can find). Can anyone help?

The SCA mentions that the application process is still competitive even after your application gets sent to partner.

Just out of curiosity though, has anyone gotten rejected after an interview? If so I’m also curious if you have any thoughts as to why?

Thanks

What is going on?

Although it may not receive as much media attention as other types of environmental deterioration, light pollution has significant effects on both human health and the ecosystems of Earth.

Light pollution levels are thought to be rising by 10% a year, according to astronomers at the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab (National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory). In a city where there has historically been 250 stars visible at night, children born today will only be able to see 100 stars by the time they are 18.

Why is this important?

Connie Walker, a scientist at NOIRLab, explained to Capital News Service that increasing light pollution represents a lost cultural heritage.

“Just think about (Gustav) Holst in creating the musical composition, ‘The Planets’, or (Vincent) Van Gogh, who did ‘The Starry Night.’ I mean, this is not just astronomy, it’s art. It’s if we basically cut ourselves off from access to the night sky, we’re really damaging the opportunities for future generations and the inspiration that provides,” Walker said. “And so it’s like cutting off an appendage or something, we’re losing part of ourselves. So it’s really a kind of imperative for us to take action and try to protect the night sky.”

Light pollution, however, poses a major threat that goes beyond cultural heritage. According to Harvard University researchers, it can increase the chance of getting a variety of cancers by interfering with our circadian rhythms and sleep cycles, for example.

What effect is this having now?

Millions of Americans are missing out on much-needed sleep. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that at least one in three Americans do not get enough sleep each night.

For animals, the consequences of light pollution can be even more dire.

Many animals have evolved to use the moon and stars to guide their way in the night. Sea turtle hatchlings use the moonlight to find their way to the ocean, but in light-polluted areas, the newborns become disoriented and may actually crawl inland. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission estimates that light pollution results in thousands of sea turtle deaths every year.

Many communities in the southeastern United States, from Florida to the Carolinas, have ordinances requiring people living on the coast to turn off lights during sea turtle nesting season.

Light pollution is also a likely culprit in what some scientists have called the “Insect Apocalypse.”

In recent years, global insect populations have plummeted, with as many as 40% of all species around the globe experiencing declines. For example, species that rely on bioluminescence, like fireflies, are unable to find mates among all of the competing lights.

Other species that rely on the moon and stars for guidance, like moths, can spend the entire night in disoriented wandering. Some species mistake light bouncing off pavement for the surface of a body of water and mistakenly lay their eggs in the street.

Why is this such a challenge to combat?

Assessing light pollution’s growth doesn’t show up well in satellite data.

It is difficult to do longitudinal studies because of the dramatic changes in satellite imaging quality over the years. Even the modern sensors are largely unable to pick up the blue light that is the most biologically disruptive component of light pollution.

This is why NOIRLab created the Globe at Night Program, which collects light data from ordinary people around the world. Participants rate their ability to see stars in the sky from wherever they find themselves.

How can Maryland make a difference?

One easy adaptation is making sure that lights are properly covered so that the light is aimed down and not shooting off towards the night sky.

The International Dark-Sky Association’s D.C. Chapter promotes general dimmer and warmer lighting in addition to better protected lights. Baltimore has been getting brighter with more electronic billboards, while some towns, like Pittsburgh, have been moving toward darker lights.

In Washington, D.C., last month, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History launched an exhibit titled “Lights Out: Recovering Our Night Sky.” The temporary exhibit features over 100 photographs, 250 objects and interactive experiences underscoring the importance of nighttime darkness.

If you’d like to stay in the loop with our coverage, you can see our content on https://cnsmaryland.org/. We are a student-run news organization at the University of Maryland, Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

Read through the full story Here ○ CNS | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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I have two offers from the SCA, both for western trail corps. I am confident in my learning abilities, but I have very limited camping and backpacking experience. When talking with others about the opportunities, they seemed concerned about my safety while being in the backcountry for over a week at a time. Is there generally any safety concerns anyone is aware of in this type of work for the SCA? I know there are risks, I’m primarily concerned about how well equipped the teams are to deal with incidents (I am mostly freaked out by a story I heard of someone doing similar work who passed away on the first day due to heat exhaustion). Any reassurance or warnings would be helpful!

dumb question but, I just got offered a job through the SCA website. It says the job was offered to me and my supervisor said I just have to accept it through mySCA. I have no idea how to do it. I looked at all the different links and even withdrew from jobs I applied to and nothing has changed.

Let's look back at some memorable moments and interesting insights from last year.

Your top 10 posts:

• "Hiring Authorities Reminder :)" by u/vaenire
• "How hard is it to get a position with the SCA?"
• "These young conservationists are a big part of Colorado’s latest wildfire mitigation efforts" by u/drak0bsidian
• "The City of Boulder is hiring trail crews!" by u/TrueOutlandishness95
• "Recruiter reached out. Not sure what to do next." by u/livvdanelle
• "Resume for Young Adult Internship - Help Please!" by u/KrisKratt1
• "Late application" by u/Dangerous_Wall_7058
• "Getting an internship with a lack of experience" by u/taxlir
• "Tips for contacting partner directly expressing interest?" by u/envurban
• "what are the steps to become a field crew leader?" by u/ElMop911