Job Type: Temporary
Salary Details: $16.50/hr. Benefits include sick leave, holiday pay, and service days.

Summary
This position teaches, leads and supports youth, adult, and family programs at the Environmental Learning Center (ELC) for the summer and fall seasons through mid-December. A successful candidate may hail from a variety of professional backgrounds, but loves teaching and being outdoors. They are inspired to share different ways of knowing, engaging science, art, play, creativity, relationship and nature connection, with both children and adults. They are energetic, professional, motivated, and a cooperative team player willing to work hard, have fun, and make a difference. They possess a strong motivation to empower their career, learn and grow professionally as an instructor and as a key staff member of a mission-driven organization.

Position Location and Description
The work location for the Environmental Program Instructor is at the North Cascades Environmental Learning Center located in the heart of the North Cascades National Park on Diablo Lake. Mountain School, an overnight learning program for 5th graders, takes place from February to the end of May. Summer activities, which take a variety of guises for the public at large, proceed from June to late August. Mountain School resumes in September and continues to mid-December. There are two tracks in the summer, one engaged with a variety of programming at the Learning Center, and the other committed to remote backcountry leadership adventures with teens.

Qualifications
Required

  • Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and ages
  • Enthusiasm for learning and teaching about the natural world
  • Previous experience, professional or volunteer, in teaching roles, group leadership and facilitation
  • Successful applicants will be required to have a minimum of Wilderness First Aid (WFA) certification by the start of employment; valid through the entire term of employment.

Preferred

  • Experience teaching and/or leading elementary and middle school youth, as well as working with teachers and parent chaperones
  • Experience creating, leading and instructing programs for adult learners
  • Experience developing and delivering interpretive programs in park settings
  • Experience employing different teaching methods and styles to accommodate different audiences and learning styles
  • Experience managing risk in remote settings
  • Bachelor’s or Associate’s degree in related field
  • Knowledge of basic scientific principles and how to teach them
  • Knowledge of the North Cascades natural and cultural history
  • Generally being skillful at engaging groups of folks in activities, adventures and learning
  • Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification

Responsibilities
Program Instruction and Support (85%)

  • Design and Deliver lessons in natural and cultural history, the arts, mind mapping, interconnectedness, social emotional learning and natural science topics: climate change, fluvial/alluvial valleys, watersheds, decomposition, web of life, geology, stream ecology
  • Lead program participants on trail hikes with groups ranging from 8-16 participants. Hikes range from 0.25-7 miles across rugged North Cascades trails and terrain.
  • Facilitate program participant experiences, including arrival orientations, meal times, campfire programs, and post-program evaluations
  • Assist with maintenance and management of program inventory and materials
  • Help deliver interpretive, naturalist and natural history field programs for on and off-site guests
  • Lead and paddle canoe programs in both two-person and large canoes, from 2-18 participants. The Institute will provide training.
  • Assist with all operations for 4-5 weddings hosted at the ELC
  • Skagit Information Center – staff desk and Point of Sales system at information center to assist summer travelers and help with retail sales

Administration (10%)

  • Regularly report on programming activities and field issues/concerns to Program Coordinator
  • Participate in all scheduled program trainings
  • Participate in regular check-ins as a group and with your supervisor
  • Report any risk management incidents
  • Engage in self-guided research and learning into relevant natural history topics

General (5%)

  • Support and actively contribute to the Institute’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiatives
  • Participate in Learning Center staff meetings
  • Provide ELC facilities, housekeeping, and kitchen staff with occasional support as needed
  • Support marketing and registration to promote enrollment
  • Other duties as assigned

Compensation and Value
Pay rate is $16.50/hour. This is a temporary/seasonal, full-time, non-exempt position. Benefits include the following:

  • Paid Sick Leave – 8 hours per month (prorated for employees working less than 40 hours per week).
  • Holiday Pay – 6 holidays through December 14, 2023.
  • Service Days – 2 days total (16 hours).

The typical work week ranges from 32-40 hours. Some weeks overtime will be available, overtime pay is 1.5x base pay and could occasionally be required.

The Backcountry leadership adventure track positions will be a separate application that occurs in April. Compensation is similar but the details of time and rate are structured differently due to the nature of the position. When available, the full job description can be viewed here:  http://ncascades.org/epi.

Housing
Good quality housing is available through the Institute for $350/month, considerably below market rates. Private rooms in shared houses are sometimes available, but not guaranteed. In some cases, roommates in shared rooms may be required, at $175/month. The Institute has housing available in Marblemount or at the Learning Center on Diablo Lake. Smoking is not allowed in housing, during programs, or on the Institute’s campus. Pets are not allowed in the Institute’s campus housing, but a few rooms in one of our Marblemount houses allow for pets.

Final offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check that may include employment history, national criminal background check, national sex offender registry search and a driving history check. If a candidate will drive for the Institute they must have a valid driver’s license and driving record check with no more than one moving violation in the past three years, no DUI, reckless driving or serious moving violations.

Start Date
As soon as possible

Job Duration
Start date – December 14, 2023.

During Mountain School seasons, work schedules may be reduced for Thanksgiving (November) and the end of the season (December).

To Apply
Please apply online on our website at:www.ncascades.org/epi

Complete the online application and upload a resume and a cover letter.

When available, a complete, detailed Job Description with the details can be viewed here: http://ncascades.org/epi