Summer Trail Staff

The Middlebury Area Land Trust (MALT) is an Addison County based non-profit. We are a small, local land trust with over 30 years of conservation success. MALT has built strong connections with the community by creating and protecting unparalleled access to recreation opportunities on over 3,500 acres of conserved lands. MALT has grown to provide nature education and connection to nearly 300 annual youth program participants and an estimated 10,000 unique users of our 30-mile trail network.

This position is good for those with an interest in natural resource management, forestry and recreation management, conservation, and/or trails design and stewardship. The chosen candidate will focus on MALT’s Trail Around Middlebury (TAM), a 19-mile trail circumnavigating the town of Middlebury, VT. The intern will work closely with MALT’s Trails and Volunteer Manager, MALT trail staff, volunteers, and trail industry professionals. The chosen candidate will gain practical experience in trail stewardship, forestry and recreation management, and volunteer coordination. The intern will also gain valuable experience working in a small, environmental non-profit.

Duties cover the following areas of MALT’s mission and work:

• Stewardship of the Trail Around Middlebury (TAM):
• Brushing/routine trail maintenance
• Designing and implementing erosion control on various sections of the TAM and other MALT trails
• Plan and coordinate trail work with MALT’s Trails and Volunteer Manager, MALT Trail Staff and Volunteers
• Repairing and maintaining boardwalks and bridges with basic hand tools and power tools.
• Volunteer Coordination: Work with MALT’s Trails and Volunteer Manager to plan, recruit, and coordinate volunteer work parties throughout the summer season
• Identify and implement ways MALT can improve volunteer trails program;

Schedule Position will begin on or around June 9, 2025 and will end on or around August 15, 2025. Daily work hours will be Monday through Friday, 9 am – 1 pm. Hours are flexible depending on weather and personal preferences. Compensation will be $15.00/hour.

Required Qualifications 

• Ability to work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills to communicate with people of all ages and backgrounds
• Ability to spend a full 8 hours actively moving over rough terrain and in all weather conditions, carrying loads of up to 30 lbs.
• Ability to use hand tool and power tools
• A valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle is preferred, although not required.

Preferred Qualifications (not required) 

• One or more seasons (~3 months) conducting trail improvement activities, or comparable experience in an outdoor setting
• Interest in and/or knowledge of trail building techniques and standards
• Interest in and/or knowledge of local invasives and management techniques
• Familiarity with common hand and power tools used in trail maintenance
• Intuitive, determined, and quick learner who thrives in a team setting
• Familiarity with the ecology and natural resources of Vermont and the Champlain Valley
• A deep, personal value of land conservation, outdoor recreation, and a passion for coordinating and working alongside trail volunteers

Compensation $15/hr, First Aid Certification paid for by MALT

To Apply: Send resume and contact info for two professional references to:
Trails & Volunteer Manager Liam Hickey (liam@maltvt.org). A cover letter is not required.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, with review beginning immediately – the position is open until filled.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY