Field Instructor

About Cottonwood Institute

Cottonwood Institute (CI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit on a mission to connect middle and high school students to nature and inspire them to protect it. CI partners with local schools and youth organizations to break down barriers to the outdoors through environmental education programs and service learning projects. We lead classes and programs in Boulder, Lafayette, and Aurora and overnight trips throughout the Colorado Front Range. 

About this Position

Cottonwood Institute is looking for knowledgeable and passionate field instructors to lead inspiring outdoor programs throughout the year. Most programs operate in base camp settings throughout the Front Range. During the summer, field instructors lead a variety of programs for local youth organizations ranging from week long camping trips to urban day programs. Please see more information about out-of-school programs on our website. During the school year, field instructors work with our school-based instructors to take their classes on field days and overnight camping programs. Please read the CAP class section of our website to get a better sense for our flagship school based program. 

Time Commitment

We are looking to hire field instructors for field days and 1-night camping trips in the spring and longer programs in the summer. Although we hire seasonally, high performing instructors will be eligible to continue employment year round and receive pay increases for every 10 field days worked. This is a variable hour, part-time position, meaning that your contract will vary depending on the program schedule and your availability; you will receive contract dates for the upcoming season upon hiring. In addition to time on programs, your contract will include paid time before and after each trip for tasks like planning, packing out gear, picking up vehicles, unpacking gear, debriefing, and filling out paperwork. We compensate for all time spent working, including training. Please see application for specific upcoming program dates. 

What you will do

• Co-instruct 1-2 day outdoor experiences for middle and high school students
• Co-instruct multi-day outdoor experiences for youth
• Facilitate positive group dynamics with and among teens through community building activities
• Teach and model exemplary leadership, communication, and conflict resolution skills
• Teach and support outdoor skills such as camp cooking, fire building, and campsite setup
• Teach and support environmental awareness, including leading hikes, games, and nature connection activities
• Manage the safety of all participants and respond to incidents using CI’s risk management plan
• Drive students to and from sites in company and/or rental vehicles, including 15-passenger vans
• Document program experiences with pictures, videos, blog posts, and participant quotes
• Substitute for school-based instructors in the classroom as available

Minimum Qualifications

• Must be 21 years or older
• Must have a valid driver’s license by the start date of this position,
• Must pass a Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) check
• Must pass a background check and a registered sex offender check
• Must have current certification in Wilderness First Aid and CPR or willingness to obtain by the start of this position

Required Competencies

• Capacity to facilitate experiential education programming with groups of teens ages 12-18
• Ability to manage group camping and field logistics with youth, or significant personal outdoor experience
• Skills for managing social, emotional and environmental risks in dynamic outdoor conditions
• Ability to create inclusive and supportive spaces with students from a variety of cultural economic backgrounds
• Personal commitment to advancing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion, especially in the outdoors
• Enthusiasm for service-learning, environmental education, and outdoor education

Above-and-beyond Competencies 

• Spanish proficiency (eligible for pay incentive)
• 3+ years of experience with outdoor trip leading in an overnight camping context (eligible for pay incentive)
• Extensive experience teambuilding and facilitating teen leadership development in an outdoor setting
• Wilderness First Responder or W-EMT certification (eligible for pay incentive)
• Extensive knowledge of local environmental issues such as fire ecology, water issues, plant/animal identification

Compensation & Benefits

This is a variable hour, non-exempt position. We are committed to providing a thrive-able wage for our staff, and we reevaluate our compensation structure regularly; our base pay currently starts at $20/hour. Instructor compensation may range between $20-27 an hour depending on certifications and experience incentives. Read more about our industry-leading compensation structure here. 

CI pays for all time directly working with students during field programs, and employees are eligible for overtime at time and a half for more than 12 consecutive hours and for more than 40 hours in a work week.

Other perks:

• Access to industry pro deals
• Free access to CI gear during non-program hours
• Paid professional development opportunities and ongoing trainings
• Mileage reimbursement for personal vehicle trips over 50 miles per day
• Reimbursement for the cost of Wilderness First Aid after working at least 48 hours per year for 2 years
• Employees are eligible for Sick Leave in accordance with the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act of Colorado
• Employees are eligible for Worker’s Compensation if they are injured while leading a program

Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Commitment

We aim to have an organizational staff that reflects the communities we work in, and we know that qualified people who bring different insights and influences to our team increase our value as an organization. We highly encourage you to apply to our open positions, even if you don’t meet all of the qualifications. You can also learn more about our commitment to Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) here. If you need support navigating certifications or have questions about whether your work experience matches a particular requirement, please reach out to Maeve at maeve@cottonwoodinstitute.org