Adventure Instructor

Job Title: Adventure Instructor

Dates of Employment: May 12, 2025 or May 19, 2025 - August 16, 2025

Reports To: Adventure Programs Manager

Housing Available: Yes

Compensation: $800 per week base rate, 10% increase for Spanish speakers, 3% increase for returning staff.  

*$30 dollars a week differential if hired as a rock climbing site manager, site manager training is attended from May 12-16th, and the rock climbing site manager check-off is successfully completed.*

About Keystone Science School 

With the outdoors as a backdrop for learning, Keystone Science School inspires curiosity and critical thinking through the lens of science to change lives and strengthen communities. KSS offers a variety of adventure and traditional camp activities within a structured environment designed to allow each camper and participant to understand their potential. In all programs, campers and participants will create lifelong friendships, explore and learn about the natural world, and gain leadership and wilderness skills.  For more information go to keystonescienceschool.org 

With a staff that cares deeply about social justice and racial justice, we believe that diverse perspectives and backgrounds create a rich work environment and enhance our ability to pursue our mission. We are committed to building an organization with raised consciousness in order to impact how we work with clients, as well as how we work together as a team. 

Position Overview

Keystone Science School’s Adventures are designed to build a novice’s skill and excitement to explore the outdoors. Adventures are either 6-day to 12-day programs designed to build competency in outdoor living and leadership skills. Our adventure programs are each their own unique combination of front and back country camping/activities ranging car camping to backpacking. The unique locations for our Adventures cater well to place-based environmental education as students explore beautiful landscapes and ecosystems. We believe that students can utilize lessons learned on an Adventure in their future including: relationships with friends, projects at school, and future work opportunities.  

Adventure Instructors are responsible for planning and facilitating curriculum and activities during field-based programs. Adventure Instructors are familiar with the daily schedule, risk management practices, emergency action plans, and the overall energy of Adventure programs. They are responsible for guiding students in their personal growth and daily living skills. Adventure Instructors also manage logistics and packing for off-site programs on a rotating basis.  

The job duties of this position are performed personally, in cooperation with your supervisor, and/or in coordination with other staff. Additional work functions and duties may be assigned.

Main Areas of Focus:

• 65% Teaching and facilitating programming/activities;  
• 10% Lesson planning and curriculum development;  
• 25% Support duties (e.g. facilitation of meals, set up/clean up, transportation, student free time). 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Supervise up to 13 students in the front and backcountry on 6-12 day programs with other instructors;  
• You can expect to work 6-7 days per week with one to four days off in between trips. Expect regular 18-hour work days and responsibility to respond to student needs 24 hours a day while on a trip. 
• Teach students outdoor living skills such as packing, camp set-up/take-down, outdoor cooking, orienteering, and risk management;  
• Maintain organization of storage areas and upkeep, clean, repair, and inventory gear as needed.
• Teach students basic rock climbing safety and skills.
• Plan, prepare, and teach age appropriate curricula and leadership.
• Document course progression/student concerns, participate in self and peer feedback system, and engage in a post trip debrief.
• Able to carry pack weights of up to 60 pounds.
• Commitment to own professional growth as well as improving technical and interpersonal skills.
• Implement Adventure logistics including schedules, trip routes, emergency action plans, menus, etc.;  
• Supervise and maintain high standards of health and safety, and follow Risk Management policies by engaging with incident prevention and response;  
• Attend and help facilitate wilderness trainings for Instructors, and attend all staff meetings and trainings as assigned;  
• Administer client medications, perform student health screens, and utilize first aid skills;  
• Gather and submit pictures and videos to reflect the experience children have during KSS programs;  
• Provide an electronics-aware experience for all children;  
• Drive a 15-passenger van with a trailer and successfully complete Van Driver and Trailer Training;  
• Abide by and uphold the policies and procedures set forth by KSS;  

  Professional Performance  

• Adhere to all Personnel Policies and Procedures for the organization.
• Maintain professional standards of performance, demeanor, and appearance at all times; act as a “role model” both at and away from the organization.
• Maintain a creative, team-building approach to job performance and seek to bring a constructive, problem-solving orientation to all tasks.
• Perform all tasks and responsibilities with attention to detail and in a complete and timely manner, complying with organization policies and standards and conforming to the scheduling requirements of the job and program.
• Maintain an awareness of the organization’s mission and work to promote the positive individual and social change goals it embodies.
• Exercise discretion and professional judgment at all times keeping with the responsibilities carried personally and by the organization for the care and welfare of the clients; act with honesty and integrity in all aspects of organization business.
• Actively strive to upgrade professional skills through engaging in appropriate professional training and experience.
• Actively strive to create and maintain a culturally sensitive, justice-centered and appropriate environment through communication and interaction that demonstrates respect for diversity, socio-economic and cultural differences and that fosters a work environment where people from all backgrounds are welcomed and valued.

Other duties may be assigned

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Minimum Requirements

• Have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with children in a backcountry setting;  
• Have an interest in, respect for, and ability to work with people with diverse backgrounds, opinions, beliefs, abilities, and experience;  
• Proven ability to develop and facilitate science, diversity & inclusion, leadership, and risk management lessons;  
• Ability to adapt instruction and lessons to meet a wide variety of learners utilizing different educational philosophies;  
• Ability to be creative, adaptable, and flexible while managing children in a variety of situations;  
• Strong work ethic and will work until the job is complete;  
• Growth oriented mindset and willingness to give and receive feedback;  
• Motivation to contribute positively to the KSS at-large community;  
• Interpret a variety of instructions provided in written or verbal form;  
• Multi-task efficiently while managing a high-volume workload in a fast-paced, changing environment;  
• Superior customer service skills, with the ability to be creative and think 'outside the box';  
• Strong command of communication, writing, and organizational skills;  
• Ability to work in a busy environment with many distractions;  
• Write incident reports and lesson plans with attention to detail.  

Required Education, Experience, and Certifications

• Experience leading/guiding participants in a wilderness/backcountry setting (minimum of 5 overnight trips);  
• Prior experience working with school-age children: at least three (3) months (460 hours) of full-time or equivalent part-time satisfactory and verifiable experience with school-age children;  
• Experience with risk management practices of the outdoor education industry;   
• Current Wilderness First Responder (WFR) and CPR certifications, from an approved vendor, or the ability to obtain before the first day of employment;  
• Age 21+ with a minimum of 5 years driving experience, excellent driving record, and a valid driver's license;  
• Must be able to successfully pass a comprehensive background check; 

Preferred Skills

• Lifeguard certification from approved vendor
• Paddleboarding certifications from approved vendors
• Ability to lift 50 pounds and hike steep terrain with climbing equipment. 
• Ability to communicate verbally and teach in Spanish; 
• Previous experience driving with a trailer; 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, etc.) and Adobe;  
• Extensive experience on personal backcountry trips; 

Rock Climbing Minimum and Preferred Skills

KSS is looking for staff with a strong background in outdoor sport climbing. Our rock climbing program functions with scaffolded responsibilities based on training and demonstrated competencies. 

All adventure staff will be trained as rock climbing instructors and training will include group management, the knowledge to demonstrate, teach and supervise top rope belaying, ability to lead belay, and teach students fundamental climbing skills as well as fit, inspect, and maintain climbing gear. Applicants should have a demonstrated history of top rope climbing, and preferably sport climbing. Lack of extensive experience with rock climbing does not disqualify applicants from this position. 

Some adventure staff will be hired as rock climbing site managers. Please see the salary section of this job description. Rock climbing site managers will be required to attend the site manager training from May 12th-16th and successfully pass the KSS site manager check-off. Site managers will be the primary person responsible for sport climbing, setting up and cleaning top rope climbs, institutional rappels, managing the crag and, in collaboration with the co-instructor, holding high standards of safety and risk management. Applicants should have a demonstrated history of sport climbing and be confident and knowledgeable to guide outdoor climbing trips for participants ages 5-17. Professional experience and industry specific current certifications are a plus.  

Minimum:

• Teach students basic rock climbing safety and skills.
• Ability to properly inspect software and hardware used for outdoor sport climbing. 
• Familiarity with tying knots and hitches related to sport climbing. 
• Strong ability to manage groups of youth in climbing situations is a requirement for this position.  
• Attend in-house required rock climbing training and, after training, demonstrate the ability to safely teach students how to belay, manage a rock top rope climbing site, lead belay, and coach students on fundamentals of climbing. 
• Not having a strong background in climbing does not disqualify you from this position. All skills will be reviewed during training week prior to the start of programming.  

Preferred:

• Demonstrated awareness of safety practices associated with outdoor climbing crags. 
• Demonstrated background in working with youth in an outdoor climbing setting. 
• Equipment familiarity with all aspects of outdoor sport climbing 
  • This includes, but is not limited to: 
    •   i.  Harnesses 
    •  ii.  Helmets 
    • iii.  Dynamic and static rope 
    • iv.  Belay devices 
    • v.  Slings and webbing 
    • Quickdraws

• Prior experience sport and/or trad climbing 5.8+, ability to lead climb 5.10 and above is preferred
• Prior experience leading institutional rock climbing and setting up/cleaning top rope climbs
• Familiarity with safe rappel practices. 
• Familiarity, or ability to learn, basic rescue techniques such as belay transfers. 
• Familiarity with climbing crags associated with the KSS climbing program is a plus but not required. 
• Attend in-house required rock climbing training and, after training, demonstrate necessary skills
• Climbing certifications such as an SPI are a strong addition to any application. 

Work Schedule

You can expect to work 6-7 days per week with one to four days off in between trips. Expect regular 18-hour work days and responsibility to respond to student needs 24 hours a day while on a trip.

Work Environment

This position requires the employee to work in close contact with their teammates. On programming, staff and students may experience inclement weather, and face physical challenges in a high alpine environment. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate but varies seasonally due to programs and staffing on campus.  The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee while performing the essential functions of this job. 

This position may require traveling to off-site programming locations. In most situations, KSS will provide transportation to off-site programming locations. However, staff may be asked to use personal vehicles to travel within Summit County. Any travel mileage in personal vehicles outside Summit County may be reimbursed.

Salary

$800 per week base rate, 10% increase for Spanish speakers, 3% raise for returning staff. $30 dollars a week differential if hired as a rock climbing site manager, site manager training is attended from May 13-17th, and the rock climbing site manager check-off is successfully completed.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Keystone Science School is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a wide variety of backgrounds. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any type, without regard to race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, religion, disability, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.