Team Leader, Teen Urban Tree Corps – Summer 2026
Speak for the Trees is seeking 4-5 Team Leaders to work with a group of approximately 25 Boston teens in its Teen Urban Tree Corps (TUTC), a youth summer employment program for approximately 25 Boston teens aged 14-18. Through this program, teens learn about the importance of trees in their communities, engage in hands-on learning activities, and receive invaluable skills and connections in the world of urban forestry. Through workshops and field trips, teens receive basic job training in issues related to urban forestry and arboriculture, such as assessing tree health, identifying species, considering site characteristics, logging data, assisting with outreach campaigns, and using technology.
Team Leader Responsibilities
Working under the direction of the SFTT’s education staff, the TUTC Team Leader will supervise TUTC youth participants. For approximately 25 hours per week, the Team Leader will work with and assist in overseeing a group of 20 – 25 teens. This group will be divided into five groups, each focusing on a specific area/potential career field (Tree Care, Outreach, and Research). Team Leaders will be assigned to lead a crew that best fits their interests/skills.
The Team Leader will also co-lead indoor lessons for the entire group and chaperone the group on field trips and outings. An additional 5-10 hours per week will be spent assisting the Program Coordinator with planning curriculum and preparing materials. The Team Leader will be required to complete 2 weeks of training in late June, prior to the start of the program.
Date: June 2026 to August 2026 (Exact dates TBD)
Hours per week: ~ 30 hours/week, Monday-Friday
Salary: ~ $20 per hour
Essential Functions:
- Supervise a group of 4-5 TUTC youth in the field 5 hours per day, Monday – Friday
- Attend 2 weeks of onboarding in June
- Assist with the orientation of youth participants
- Assist in leading daily youth meetings
- Assist in leading teens on field trips
- Mobilize, monitor, and track the TUTC team’s progress
- Participate in weekly staff meetings
- Assist in developing educational activities, workshops, & networking events as needed
- Collaborate with the SFTT staff on program evaluation
Requirements:
- Experience working with diverse communities
- Experience working with or leading groups of high school youth
- Ability to work and solve problems independently
- Willingness to engage with residents and neighborhood representatives
- Commitment to issues of public health, environmental justice, and racial equity
- Ability to walk 2-3 miles per day
- Ability to lift 50 lbs
Helpful Skills/Experience:
- Fluency in a language(s) spoken by local immigrant groups is preferred. These include Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Haitian Creole, and Mandarin, among other languages common in Boston
- Background or interest in environmental or sustainability issues and education
- Experience in development of social media content
- Experience in environmental research or GIS
- Experience in tree care, arboriculture, or landscaping would be an asset
Please Note: To be eligible for a program that involves potential unsupervised contact with children, applicants will be required to undergo a Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) check and a Sex Offender Registry Information (SORI) check.
How to Apply
Submit a cover letter and resume in PDF format to joshua@treeboston.org. Please include your full name and “TUTC Team Leader” in the subject line.
The application will remain open until the positions are filled.
