Overview
SUMMARY
North Cascades Institute seeks skilled backcountry educators to join our Youth Leadership Adventures (YLA) team. Youth Leadership Adventures are 5 and 8 day backcountry trips that connect local high school students to the natural world while engaging in conversation about leadership, identity, and climate solutions. Groups of 2 instructors and up to 10 participants canoe, backpack, camp, and complete stewardship projects in the North Cascades. YLA is designed for students who have no prior outdoor experience, and many of the trips are multilingual. YLA prioritizes accessibility with a sliding-scale tuition model for students. Students are also provided gear, food, and local transportation.
Youth Leadership Instructors plan and instruct these YLA trips, and are responsible for the physical and emotional safety of all trip participants, as well as engaging them with curriculum on topics such as community building, leadership, backcountry skills, natural history, and climate change. Instructors will participate in a few weeks of training, and then lead backcountry trips in late June through August. Dates of employment are June 3 – August 28, 2026.
If you do not meet all of our required qualifications but do meet many of the preferred qualifications, please still submit an application. We value a broad range of experiences on our team and will consider your application.
RESPONSIBILITIES – For full details please the job announcement on our website: https://ncascades.org/jobs
• Program Instruction
• Administration
COMPENSATION – This is a temporary/seasonal, full-time, exempt position.
• Pay while working in the field during trips is $189.80 per day
• Pay while working in the office preparing for trips is $151.84 per day
BENEFITS
• Sick leave – accrued at the rate of .04615 per hour
• Vacation leave – accrued at the rate of .01925 per hour
o Paid holidays: 2 days through August 28
o $110 per month health care stipend following successful completion of a 21-day probationary period
o Option to defer compensation as a pre-tax deferral in our retirement plan
o Ability to participate in Institute pro deals
o Employees are responsible for their own health insurance
o Scholarships are available if you need to complete a WFR course for the first time
This is a bargaining unit position represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, District Lodge 751. All terms and conditions of employment are subject to change in accordance with a collective bargaining agreement.
HOUSING – Good quality housing is available through the Institute at $397/month including utilities, considerably below market rates. Private rooms in shared houses are typically available, but not guaranteed. In some cases, roommates in shared rooms may be required, at $198.50/month.
JOB DURATION – June 3 – August 28, 2025
Qualifications:
• One or more seasons serving as an instructor on backcountry canoe-camping and/or backpacking trips for youth
• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, or ability to obtain by start date. Scholarships are available if you need to complete a WFR course for the first time
• Valid driver’s license and driving record check must have no more than one moving violation in the past three years, no DUI, reckless driving or serious moving violations, etc.
• Must be available for work on weekends
Required Skills:
• Experience mentoring, teaching, or leading teens
• Ability to evaluate group and individual needs and make appropriate risk management decisions in a backcountry setting
• Demonstrated commitment to increasing equitable access to outdoor engagement
• Ability to lift and carry 50 pound pack, perform physically demanding work for multiple days in a row, backpack, and hike over uneven terrain
• Willing and prepared to reside and sleep in a remote area
Preferred Skills:
• Spanish language proficiency strongly preferred
• Experience working with students from a diversity of backgrounds and identities, including Black, Indigenous and People of Color, LGBTQ+ individuals, multilingual students, students from low income backgrounds, students from both rural and urban communities, and recent immigrants
• Experience teaching lessons on stewardship, climate change, identity, natural and cultural history, and/or leadership
• Experience teaching canoeing and water safety skills
About North Cascades Institute
North Cascades Institute's mission is to inspire environmental stewardship through transformative learning experiences in nature. Since 1986, we have helped connect people, nature and community through science, art, literature and the hands-on study of natural and cultural history. Our goal is to help people of all ages and backgrounds experience and enjoy the mountains, rivers, forests, people and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest – so all will care for and protect this special place.
North Cascades Institute is a respected leader among U.S. environmental education organizations, and we believe that sustainable communities are built on healthy environments, vibrant economies and social equity. The Institute is in sound financial health with a $4 million budget and strong reserves, and 15 four-star ratings with Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management and commitment to accountability and transparency.
