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As a High Sierra Alpine Backpacking Instructor, you will facilitate transformative backpacking and/or rock climbing courses with students (ages 12+). Instructors work on a seasonal basis under the mentorship of Lead Instructors or Course Directors. Instructors in the High Sierra program deliver a variety of programs, ranging from 5-30+ days. These programs and expeditions focus on leadership, service, and character development, and take students into new and challenging outdoor environments.

Compensation & Schedule

• Starting per diem wage is $128/day. All required trainings are also paid at this rate.
• Training begins early May. Work availability through mid to late August, with potential to extend into September. This is a seasonal, exempt position.

Benefits

• Room and board provided while on contract
• Pro deals (the opportunity to purchase outdoor gear at discounted rates)
• Professional development funds
• Access to our free Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for you and family members
• 56 hours (7 days) of paid sick time upon hire or at the beginning of each calendar year

Location

This position is located at our High Sierra base in Midpines, California, 30 miles east of Yosemite National Park. The basecamp has a main building with an office, program gear sheds, a commercial kitchen and weather port living quarters (durable fabric structures).

Qualifications

• WFR/CPR/AED & CA Epi
• 21+ yrs of age
• Experience on extended backcountry trips minimum of 50-100 nights, which can be a combination of personal and professional
• Have a deep understanding and personal commitment to equity and inclusion in the outdoors
• Can attend training in early May and available through the end of August
• Meet onboarding & physical requirements (see full job description)

Who We Are

Outward Bound California (OBCA) is a non-profit that uses challenging experiences in outdoor settings to create social-emotional learning opportunities for our students. We are a part of the Outward Bound USA network of outdoor education programs, with a 50-year history in the US, serving over 40,000 students annually.

We offer a wide range of programs, from 1-day experiences on our San Francisco Challenge Course to multi-day rock climbing and backpacking courses in the High Sierra and Joshua Tree. We work with students aged 12+ (including adults & veterans). OBCA is committed to increasing access for those who have traditionally been excluded from outdoor spaces. We do this, in part, through our 40+ community partnerships and by offering partial or full scholarships to over 2/3 of our students.

Check out what our staff and students have to say about our High Sierra programs in this video.

Equity and Inclusion Statement

We believe that all people should have safe access to the outdoors and culturally relevant and responsive educational programming. OBCA is also striving to create an equitable and inclusive internal culture where all staff members feel represented and honored for their identities and lived experiences. We examine how power, bias, race and other aspects of identity impact our organization. We work to build a culture where we are always learning and improving toward a vision for equity and belonging for all staff. We are looking for team members who can actively join us in this process. We are also committed to reflecting the diverse communities with whom we work and strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ identifying folks, and women to apply.

Outward Bound California is an equal opportunity employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. Outward Bound California also promotes respect for all people, and will not tolerate harassment based on any of these characteristics.