Location: Circleville, WV
Length of Employment: 2 June – 17 November 2017
Deadline: Open Until Filled
Supervisor: Course Director
Overview:
The ideal Resident Field Instructor is a Jack or Jill-of-all-Trades with a strong work ethic and keen judgment. Their primary responsibility is to lead high quality education and adventure based experiential education courses in remote and challenging settings. They will also assist with program and rental support in an “on-call” role and with the upkeep of a 400 acre facility that includes multiple buildings, a fleet of vehicles, farm animals, fields, and woodlands.
Organizational Background:
Experience Learning, formerly The Mountain Institute’s Appalachian Program, has a forty-year record of delivering practical and tangible solutions for mountain regions in the Himalayas, the Andes, and the Appalachians. Seasonal Field Instructors are based at the Spruce Knob Mountain Center in West Virginia. Their primary responsibility will be faciliatating beyond the classroom wilderness learning programs including four-eight day long field courses in the national forest, single and multi-day onsite residential courses, and off-site field-based courses at various wild locations in the Mid-Atlantic States. The mission of these courses is to help people become confident, competent individuals with a clear vision of their responsibilities and potential for improving the human condition and the natural world. For more information about our programs, visit www.experience-learning.org.
Responsibilities:
Education (75%)
- Teach and lead groups in the outdoors, in varying weather conditions, and on uneven terrain
- Lead 1-8 day residential and field based programs in challenging settings that include hiking, canoeing, stewardship activities, orienteering, caving, backpacking, and climbing components
- Maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment for students and guests
- Prepare and deliver hands-on, experiential, and inquiry-based lessons in a remote outdoor setting for both day and evening programs
- Facilitate team and community building activities within groups
- Implement and model excellent risk management strategies and administer first aid
as needed - Prepare facilities and gear before trips and clean facilities and gear at the end of trips
Program/Rental Support (25%)
- Prepare and cook meals for visiting schools and rental groups under the supervision of the Kitchen Manager.
- Be on the rotating “on-call” schedule (during on-call weeks, Resident Instructors serve as the primary liaison for schools, events, and other facility guests)
- Maintain a professional demeanor while interacting with groups and guests
- Assist with facility upkeep as needed, including basic carpentry, repairs, road and vehicle maintenance, animal husbandry, landscaping, and general troubleshooting
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience
- Current Wilderness First Responder (preferred)
- Wilderness First Aid and CPR certifications required
- (WFR certification is available on-site 18 August – 27 August 2017)
- Effective communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to change gears between varied tasks
- Teaching experience, either formal or informal
- Ability to confidently lead groups in a remote outdoor setting
- Desire to teach and work with young people from varying social and economic backgrounds
- Working knowledge of the natural sciences
- Experience working in the outdoors, especially in inclement weather
- Desire to be an ambassador for Experience Learning and mountain ecosystems in general
- Valid driver’s license
- Ability to work flexible hours including evenings and some weekends
- Positive attitude and unassailable work ethic
- Desire to live in a remote place with an outstanding community of outdoor professionals and to work hard to make positive change in our world
Benefits provided:
- Starting compensation rate: $65.00/day + room and board
- Room and Board during length of employment (valued at $15.00/day)
- Social Security match (7.65% of gross salary)
- Workers’ Compensation Coverage
- 1 day of health leave per month worked
- Temporary or seasonal employees with a contract of more than 130 days will accrue 1 day per month and up to a maximum of 5 days of paid time off.
- Access to company pro deals
- Opportunities for rapid organizational advancement
To apply, send a cover letter, resume, and three references to:
Melinda Brooks
mbrooks@experience-learning.org (preferred)
Spruce Knob Mountain Center
18 Woodlands Way
Circleville, WV 26804
Experience Learning is an Equal Opportunity Employer