Field Instructor

Cal-Wood History and Mission: Cal-Wood has provided residential environmental and outdoor education programs to hundreds of thousands of Coloradans since 1982 at our 1,200-acre classroom located west of Boulder, Colorado. Cal-Wood's mission is to offer unique outdoor educational experiences to all ages, including those who would not otherwise experience nature, through our Residential Science School Program, Summer Camps, Family Camps, and High School Students Research Programs. Cal-Wood has received several national and local awards because of our quality programs and our service to linguistically diverse audiences. 

Position Overview: Cal-Wood Education Center is seeking cheerful and adaptable applicants for an exciting and rewarding field instructor position. Instructors are responsible for providing a fun and educational experience for a learning group made up of 10-15 students, leading outdoor recreation and teaching environmental science lessons. We offer programs ranging from one day to 4-day, overnight trips for local students of all ages, most often 4th-6th graders. Position starts August 5, 2024 and goes through May 23, 2025, with the possibility to extend for summer programming. Summer and winter responsibilities may include serving as a counselor for summer camps or family camps, facilitating outdoor recreation such as fishing, archery, snowshoeing, and hiking with diverse groups, and helping to maintain trails, facilities, educational materials and gear room. There may be the opportunity to take unpaid time off in the winter (January) depending on program schedules. 

Our field instructors enjoy working in our beautiful 1,200-acre outdoor classroom with a team of other motivated individuals passionate about the outdoors, natural science, and education. We provide access to dynamic, hands-on science education in the field to students from all different backgrounds. 

Responsibilities:

• Lead a learning group made up of 10-15 students during each school’s visit. Typical programs run 2-4 days with 4th – 6th graders.
• Spend 4-8 hours/day, 3-5 days/week, leading programs outside in all seasons in the mountains of Colorado. 
• Design, teach, and evaluate environmental education programs in accordance with local curriculum standards. 
• Incorporate science, math, history, creative writing, art, and team building into programs as requested by school. 
• Lead large group games, songs, skits, storytelling, and campfires to ensure a positive, fun atmosphere for kids. 
• Facilitate 1-2 meals (breakfasts and/or dinners) and 1-2 night programs (typically a night hike or campfire) each week. 
• Assist with cleaning and maintenance of program staff commons area, educational materials, gear room, and staff office/lounge. 
• Help the team keep Cal-Wood safe, comfortable, and welcoming by setting up shade canopies, delivering water to groups in the field, building fires in the lodge and warming huts, shoveling snow, etc. 
• Occasional projects in the field to help with forest fire mitigation, forest restoration, and trail maintenance. 
• Note: Instructors do not sleep in cabins with students during school programs. 

Qualities and Qualifications:

• Bilingual (Spanish-English) required.
• High level of personal motivation for continued learning, personal responsibility for positive attitude, and flexibility are necessary to meet the demands of a dynamic residential work schedule.
• Bachelor’s Degree in science, natural resources management, education, outdoor education, or other related field.
• One or more years of teaching experience.
• Work and live with a small team of other motivated and passionate staff to support operations of a small non-profit organization. Instructional staff is about 10-15 people. 
• Happy to live in a small mountain town, 20 minutes from Boulder, CO. You will thrive here if you have independent hobbies and love the outdoors. *It is not required to live on site if you already have housing. 
• Ability to pass background checks.
• Ability to hike 2-6 miles daily, lift heavy objects, and maintain a positive attitude outdoors in all weather conditions. 
• Current First Aid/CPR certification or willingness to get certified required. Wilderness First Aid or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certifications a plus.

Compensation: 

$2802/monthly plus housing. 

$2000 hiring bonus for functional Spanish proficiency (able to speak with and write to students if necessary)

We provide shared housing with a private room onsite or nearby in Jamestown, CO (no pets allowed). *It is not required to live on site if you already have housing. 

Benefits: Paid holidays, paid vacation (after 3 months), 75% of employee's health insurance premium covered by Cal-Wood, 100% of vision insurance, 100% of life insurance with accidental death and dismemberment, and a retirement savings plan with a 3% employer match contribution.