Congratulations on making it into the Student Conservation Association’s highly competitive Internship program. We’re thrilled to have you!

Before you can start with the SCA, you will need to complete the steps outlined below. If you do not complete all onboarding requirements prior to your start date, you will not be able to start your position. Please call or email your SCA advisor if you have any questions. Note: Please check your SPAM folders daily if the documents below do not appear in your inbox. All documents are due at least 5 days before your position starts.

SCA AmeriCorps

For positions at the SCA that are AmeriCorps-eligible, members are offered the option to enroll in the AmeriCorps program as part of their internship. Go to the AmeriCorps for Members page for more information and assistance with this part of the process. Note that SCA AmeriCorps members will follow BOTH this page and the AmeriCorps page.

Required Paperwork and Verification

Please contact HRDocs@thesca.org or call (603) 504-3201 for questions about any of the paperwork items below. Due to high volumes, email is the best way of reaching an HR representative.

Background Check (non-AmeriCorps): A separate SCA background check is required in addition to any checks your site may require. The SCA uses background checks solely to evaluate a candidates’ eligibility to be engaged in any work or service capacity by the SCA and will not be used to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, religious creed, gender, disability or handicap, age, genetic information, veteran’s status, gender identity or sexual orientation. Participation in an SCA program is contingent upon a satisfactory background check reviewed by the SCA’s Human Resources Department. Look for an email from the SCA’s HR Department that includes an Easybackgrounds link to begin the background check process. If issues arise outside of your control, you will need to be onboard through an agency volunteer agreement or postpone travel plans.

Electronic I-9: Form I-9 is used to verify your identity and employment authorization for work in the U.S. You will receive email instructions from the SCA’s HR Department which includes directions and access links to complete Section 1 & Section 2. A link will also appear in your MySCA Member Portal Home Page under the “Alerts” Please note: Section 2 can be completed by any non-family member (ex: a neighbor, a teacher, or a family friend). 

E-sign Onboarding Forms: All onboarding forms can be found in your MySCA Member Portal, on the homepage under the “Alerts” box, or under the “Prepare for Service” tab.
These forms include;
– Conditions of Acceptance (COA)
– SCA Participant Agreement

ADP Login. You will receive an email to register your account in ADP. Please expect an email from noreply@adp.com concerning this and complete your information, including setting up direct deposit, updating tax withholdings, and ensuring your primary address and contact information are correct, as soon as possible after receiving the registration email. Detailed instructions on how to sign up for direct deposit will be available in ADP.

Please note that it is crucial to have your primary address updated correctly in ADP to ensure the timely receipt of any paper checks and other communications. If you have not received your ADP setup email within 14 days of your start date, please reach out for assistance by emailing ADPhelp@thesca.org.

The subject of the ADP registration email is “Welcome to ADP” Instructions for Tax Setup and Direct Deposit: Once you receive your ADP setup and complete your onboarding, you will access the ADP App Home Screen.

To update your Direct Deposit, click Pay > Direct Deposit > Manager Direct Deposit

To update your Tax Withholdings, click Pay > Tax Withholding > Federal and State as Applicable.

Should you have questions or are unable to edit these sections email ADPhelp@thesca.org

Travel: You are responsible for booking and paying for your travel to and from your site. SCA will issue you a Travel Allowance (in most cases) that covers your travel on the first pay date following the start of your position.

Required Reading and Trainings

Online trainings need to be completed within 14 days of accepting your offer in order to remain eligible for your position.

  • Intern Handbook: Your intern handbook provides answers to a lot of questions about your internship including information about SCA, member benefits, expectations, policies and procedures.
  • An Introduction to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Online Training
  • SCA Intern Academy: Please complete all 10 modules before your start date. You will be sent a registration link. Click here to log back in. It will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, or less if PLC and AmeriCorps don’t apply to you. You will have access to these trainings even after your completion of service.
    • Welcome to the SCA – 3 minutes
    • Managing Risk – 4 minutes
    • Conflict Resolution – 5 minutes
    • Responding to Sensitive Issues – 5 minutes
    • Stages of Community Building – 4 minutes
    • Public Lands Corps Hiring Authority (PLC) for interns in federal lands- 11 minutes
    • FAQ: Allowances, Uniforms, and Housing – 3 pages
    • SCA Orientation for AmeriCorps members- 20 minutes
    • Tracking Accomplishments – 18 minutes

Site Preparation

Please reach out to your site supervisor after receiving the offer letter from your SCA advisor. If applicable, make sure to ask about pick up assistance from the airport, housing instructions, work schedule, site background checks, items to bring for extreme weather conditions, emergency response plan, and other questions you might have.

You are expected to work averaging ~40 hours per week, unless noted otherwise in the agreement. Sometimes your schedule might include working on weekends and/or outside normal business hours due to the nature of the position (example: wildlife monitoring). Your uniform will be sent to your working site prior to your arrival. If you receive a wrong sized uniform, please contact the vendor first before reaching out to your SCA advisor. Please keep your SCA advisor updated if anything changes (email, supervisor, duties, working hours, etc.) and if any issues arise. The SCA is here to provide you with a positive learning and memorable experience.

For questions regarding background checks, I-9, and agreement forms, please contact your Human Resources representative.
Bree Conley – bconley@thesca.org – 312-239-1667
Greta Klim – gklim@thesca.org – 312-239-1663
Lisa Conde – lconde@thesca.org – 571-895-1724
Lisette Dalere – ldalere@thesca.org – 571-895-1747

Congratulations! After completing the steps above, please continue to your resources page.

Updated 5/28/24