Summer Educator

The Summer Educator at Walking Mountains has the unique opportunity to be part of a close-knit community of graduate students, naturalists, and sustainability interns, who all live together in Walking Mountain’s net-zero housing, which is provided as part of this position. The Summer Educator co-teaches our week-long day camps, overnight hut trips, and two-day Earth Explorers camps, which aim to create positive outdoor experiences and connect youth to nature while learning about fun natural science themes! 

The Summer Educator completes two weeks of summer staff training prior to the start of camp (May 29th-June 7th).

The Summer Educator reports to the Summer Programs Manager and is part of the Youth Programs Department.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Field Instruction:

• Work collaboratively with other Walking Mountains staff, including supervisors, co-instructors, and summer camp interns.
• Co-lead outdoor summer camps for campers entering K-9th grade in variable weather conditions.
• Be comfortable working with youth of all ages. The majority of our summer camps are for campers entering K-4th grade.
• Plan and prepare daily summer camp activities from an existing camp curriculum.
• Co-lead one or more overnight hut trips, and provide overnight supervision to campers.
• Co-manage a group of up to 13 campers at a variety of outdoor field sites, in camp vehicles, and on Walking Mountain’s campus.
• Create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all campers.

Program Logistics:

• Help with camp pick up and drop off during assigned office weeks.
• Maintain positive relationships with camp families by representing multiple Walking Mountains programs through the summer camp experience.
• Drive hut trip food and gear to 10th Mountain Division Huts, sometimes on backcountry roads, to assist camps during office weeks.
• Call camper parents/guardians prior to camp.
• Assist Summer Programs Manager with program logistics and coordination as needed.
• Provide feedback to the Summer Programs Manager and co-teachers through weekly camp debrief forms.
• Provide support to summer camps during office weeks.
• Take program photos to be used for website updates and end of camp emails.
• Participate in regular summer camp team meetings.

Operations & Risk Management:

• Assist with upkeep and maintenance of vehicles and program resources including first aid supplies, teaching supplies/equipment, field gear, specimens, and books.
• Maintain a clean shared workspace and fulfill facility cleaning and upkeep responsibilities.
• Safely transport campers in 15-passenger vans.
• Maintain required medical certifications.
• Evaluate environmental conditions and make safety decisions for yourself and your camp group based on Walking Mountains’ emergency protocol and current wilderness emergency medical procedures.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

Additional Duties and Responsibilities:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, activities, and responsibilities may change at any time with or without notice. 

Required:

• Must be 21 years of age or older.
• Must have a valid US driver’s license.
• Current First Aid and CPR certifications; Wilderness First Responder or First Aid preferred.
• Enthusiasm for educating youth about the natural environment and expanding personal knowledge of Rocky Mountain ecology.
• Ability to work outdoors in all weather conditions while exploring outside with campers for up to 6 hours of the camp day.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Responsible, self-motivated, organized, and creative.
• Demonstrated desire to learn and grow.
• Can work effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Preferred:

• Experience with formal or informal education of youth in a school or camp setting.
• Demonstrated interest in science, education, recreation, or an environmental science-related field.
• Experience working in a public-facing role and/or ability to positively interact with people of all ages and backgrounds.
• Conversational or fluent in Spanish.

Work Environment:

This position includes both office and field work, with the primary duties requiring summer educators to be outdoors teaching a group of up to 13 youth in variable weather conditions.

Position Duration: May 29-August 15, 2025

Start date is mandatory for training. Preference in hiring will be given to people who are available for the entire duration of the summer season.  

Compensation and Benefits

$600/week plus housing at the Pete and Pat Frechette Educator Community housing at Walking Mountains in Avon, CO for the duration of the position.

The living accommodations come with one parking space, communal gear storage, your own bedroom and bathroom, plus a shared kitchen and living room area.