Program Guide

Aloha! Pacific Quest  provides licensed and accredited residential mental healthcare on Hawaii Island. We integrate evidence based clinical modalities, psychiatry, nature based interventions, and whole person wellness. We serve Adolescents (13-17) and Young Adults (18-24).

Pacific Quest is hiring for the Program Guide position in Hilo, Hawaii  🌈

Who We Are: Pacific Quest is an outdoor behavioral health program for adolescents and young adults, located on the East side of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Our Mission: Pacific Quest cultivates change within our residents, families, and our community.

Primary Purpose: Program Guide positions are responsible for the direct supervision, safety, health, and wellbeing of the residents while implementing the program curriculum and facilitating therapeutic weekly treatment plans. The Guide role's primary purpose is to learn the program and the necessary hard and soft skills while providing support to other members of the Program Guide team and following the direction of Program Leadership. 

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Uphold safety, supervision, and monitoring of residents in accordance with Program Policy 
• Learn and articulate the Pacific Quest mission, guiding principles, and curriculum. 
• Effectively communicate with residents in a group setting and direct resident groups toward common goals, demonstrate flexibility with camp placement, program, location, and resident supervision assignments, observe and identify the needs of individual residents and the group to create a physically and emotionally safe and supportive environment 
• Role model program expectations at all times, which includes upholding our diet and wellness standards while at work 
• Build and maintain rapport with residents while holding boundaries that further therapeutic outcomes 
• Maintain client confidentiality 
• Keep appropriate boundaries related to self-disclosure, avoid teaching or speaking about controversial beliefs while at work including but not limited to political, religious, medication, diet, or lifestyle choices 
• Maintain professional appearance and attitude in accordance with Program Policy 
• Ensure all work locations & common areas are clean and organized, as well as following all health and safety protocols 
• Participate in professional development through mandatory and voluntary monthly in-service training 
• Able to cover for medication passes as needed
• Additional duties as assigned


• The Program Guide positions have the following roles that require additional expectations and job responsibilities. Movement between roles will be based on the discretion of the Program Leadership Team and will account for seniority, performance assessment, participation in training, and operational needs.


• Guide 
• Gain knowledge and experience of Pacific Quest's curriculum and operating procedures 
• Share responsibility for facilitation of the daily activities including meal preparation, exercise, group meals and activities 


• Lead Guide
• Hold the schedule for the shift and ensure completion of daily tasks 
• Collaborate with clinicians and program management to ensure completion of therapeutic objectives 
• Delegate appropriate tasks to guide team members 
• Participate in and co-facilitate  on-site trainings and role-modeling for program guides 
• Able to cover for medication passes as needed
• Special projects as assigned

Required Skills/Qualifications

• Ability to be a team player and form mutually respectful relationships with all employees Ability to maintain physical alertness and activity over the course of designated work hours 
• Must provide and maintain current CPR/First Aid certification. CPR certifications must be from in-person classroom training. Wilderness First Aid & Wilderness First Responder are acceptable for the first aid requirement if the certification specifies that first aid was included in the training. CPR certs taken as part of a Wilderness First Responder training must specify that CPR was included.
• Maintain a current NVCI (Non-Violent Crisis Intervention Training) certification provided by Pacific Quest Ability to treat all residents, families, and coworkers with dignity and respect 
• Must pass thorough background checks 
• Able to pass onboarding and ongoing drug screens
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner 
• Maintain current physical and TB clearance 
• Must demonstrate alignment with Pacific Quest Core Values:  (1)  Professionalism; (2) Health; (3) Connection; (4) Resilience
• Reliable transportation and personal auto insurance is needed in order to travel to assigned work location(s)
• Minimum age is 21 in order to meet Company auto insurance requirements
• Must be able to legally work in the United States

Desired Skills/Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferable OR a minimum of two years of relevant experience working with youth in a structured setting
• Experience is preferred in Rites of Passage, Education, Outdoor Education, Health and Wellness, 12 Step Recovery, and/or experience in therapeutic settings
• Valid driver's license required to operate Company vehicles in compliance with Company  insurance standards, including:  (1) clean driving record as defined by Company auto insurance; and (2) if under age 25, valid license must have been in effect for a period of at least 3 years

$18 - $21 an hour

Work week schedules and various shifts are available and will be determined based on operational needs.

7am-8:30pm and are an average of 10-12 hours per day on a 4-day shift

Work hours may be adjusted due to operational needs

Employees will clock in 10 minutes before their scheduled shift and be prepared to enter direct care at the start of their shift

Overtime may be required until relief staff is on-site, or if extra staffing is needed

The role of a Program Guide is physically demanding, please communicate in writing any accommodations you may need related to the following parameters: With or without reasonable accommodation, the physical and mental requirements of this job may include the following: seeing, hearing, speaking, and writing clearly. Reaching with hands and arms, stooping, kneeling, crouching, crawling, frequent sitting, standing and walking, climbing stairs, walking up inclines and on uneven terrain may be required for long periods of time. Additional physical requirements may include lifting and or moving up to 50 pounds. Program Guides are on their feet for long amounts of time during the course of their 10-12 hour shift. Emergencies may require sprinting and energy intensive movements to ensure resident safety

Interested in a future Summer position?  Summer hires typically start in May and end in September. Please note your interest on the application.

Pacific Quest is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Pacific Quest is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, contact Human Resources at hr@pacificquest.org.