Trackers Earth is a youth organization that inspires kids to navigate real challenges. We believe they can truly contribute, developing the grit and character they need to thrive! Kids learn old-school outdoor skills: wilderness survival, farm craft, wild foraging, fishing, martial arts, boating, and more. All this in immersive camps and programs filled with epic story and adventure.

Job Summary

As a Lead Guide, you help supervise and inspire teams of campers during incredible outdoor adventures, showing kids why we care for and preserve the places we explore. You may embark on a wilderness survival trek, fish, kayak, rock climb, or co-create a story adventure with secret agents, wizards, or elves.

Responsibilities

• Provide fun, engaging, and safe experiences for campers and co-workers
• Encourage independence in campers to align with Trackers Teams
• Help ensure activities for each age group are developmentally appropriate and engaging
• Implement Trackers schedules and programs
• Teach specialty programs based on skills and experience:
  • Bushcraft, Archery, & Wilderness Survival Skills
  • Farm, Wildcrafting & Sustainability
  • Fishing, Boating & Mariners Skills
  • Outdoor Adventure: Rock Climbing or Kayaking
  • Photography, Ceramics, Woodworking or Blacksmithing
• Be a mentor and remember what it’s like to be a kid
• Follow all risk management and Trackers policies
• Model and teach proper gear and tool usage, care, and organizational tidiness
• Be prepared to respond to and/or assist in an emergency situation
• Keep and safeguard confidential information
• Promote and model the Trackers Code and culture
• Report directly to a Trackers Coordinator
• Other responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications

• Completed Vaccinations for COVID-19 (verification required)

• Enthusiasm for Trackers and its programs. 16 years & up
• Can exercise discretion and independent judgment in remote locations
• Interest in developing and sharing outdoor skills with youth
• Can adapt to changing logistics and collaborate on solutions in a calm, positive way
• Capacity and enthusiasm to learn and teach wilderness skills and techniques
• Model professionalism while supporting youth, families, colleagues, and supervisors
• Can stand, bend, squat, climb, lift (up to 50 lbs), hike on and off trail (up to 5 miles) per day
• For Lead Guides ages 18+ Trackers will complete pre-employment criminal background & references checks
• Lead Guides need the following certifications (or able to complete before starting):
  • CPR/First Aid/Anaphylaxis & Epinephrine Auto-Injector
  • Food Handlers
  • (ages 18+) Recognizing & Reporting Child Abuse & Neglect (OR & WA)
  • (ages 18+) Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training - General (CA)
  • State fishing license if guiding a program that includes fishing

Locations: SE Portland, NE Portland, Cedar Hills and Lake Oswego

About Trackers

Since 2004, kids and extended families in all their forms have journeyed on adventures with Trackers Earth and our Guides. We share the Arts of Tracking through stewardship and enduring outdoor skills. We commit to developing opportunity by respecting the diverse cultures and values of every Guide, youth, and family serving with us. We endeavor to grow with families for the increased accessibility of these experiences. We define ourselves by an ever deeper kinship to the more than human world, multi-generational character, and the principles discovered and found in the quietest moments with the forest.