Seasonal Outdoor Instructor Position Winter/Spring 2025

Slide Ranch Seasonal Instructor Position, with Ranch Caretaker Work

Term of work January 21 - May 23, 2025, option to extend to summer season and subsequent school year season.

Slide Ranch is a non-profit educational farm located in a spectacular coastal location and can be found on Highway 1 (Shoreline Highway), just 25 minutes north of San Francisco.

Mission Statement

We connect children and people of all ages to the outdoors and partner with community groups, families and educators to provide transformative learning experiences on our organic farm and national park land along the California coast.

We envision a world in which:

Everyone feels a sense of belonging and wonder in the outdoors. Life-changing experiences in nature are an important part of every child’s education. All people understand and value the connections between their own health, food and the environment. All people are inspired and empowered to actively protect the environment and live in ways that sustain it.

Core Values

We believe that:

• Nature Immersion: Spending time and learning in the outdoors supports mental and physical well-being and fosters respect, love and understanding of nature.
• Inclusion: An equitable, just approach to inclusion must address the systemic barriers that exist in our society. People of all races, backgrounds and abilities have a right to access nature, feel welcome and safe outdoors, and be able to learn in programs that are relevant to their cultures and their lives.
• Community: Gathering together outdoors creates meaningful connections among people, facilitates mutual respect and understanding, enhances learning, and promotes a shared joy in nature. Building community through nature with inclusion promotes equity and justice.
• Stewardship: Protecting and giving back to the land is our collective responsibility, recognizes indigenous culture and knowledge, and promotes healthy ecosystems in which people, animals and nature thrive together.
• Sustainability: Sustainable farming and organizational practices honor our interconnection with nature, promote the health of our food systems and environment, and mitigate climate change.

Seasonal Instructor Position Description

The Slide Ranch Instructor position (residential or non-residential) is suited for people with experience in outdoor education and/or who enjoy working with people from all ages and backgrounds. The experiential education programs focus on exploring the farm (pasture with sheep and goats, chicken coops, ducks, beehives, and our organic garden), trails and tidepools, and cooking from the garden. Slide Ranch’s agricultural systems and wild, coastal ecosystem provide the context for hands-on learning, illustrating concepts of ecology, stewardship, and sustainability.

We are looking for someone with a passion for nature (who doesn’t mind getting dirty), an enthusiasm for outdoor education, and who enjoys working with children and adults of all ages. The position is best suited for a driven, positive, and independent worker. The position requires a collaborative and positive spirit to work with a team of instructors and organization staff.

The central focus of the position is on guiding school and community groups and families around the farm, incorporating specific learning objectives depending on age of participants and the program scheduled. Slide Ranch programs serve preschool through adult visitors, with the majority being elementary school-aged children from all backgrounds. The work week (Tuesday-Saturday) typically involves 4-5 instruction days and some time each day supporting garden and ranch projects.

The position begins with a just under 2 weeks of orientation and training in mid-January. Training includes ranch caretaking, basic animal care (feeding our goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks, and milking our goats) and instructor program training. School and family program Spring season begins in late January and runs through late May. In early June, the ranch prepares for the upcoming 10 weeks of summer camp. An option to continue on through Summer and extend to subsequent school year season may be an option if it seems a good fit.

A typical work day includes rotational, 30-minute farm chores, preparation for the program, leading a program, and program clean-up. For overnight groups, there is an evening program that may include a night hike, campfire, or other evening activities. Several instructional observations, professional development opportunities, and coaching by program staff complement the position.

This position can be residential or non-residential. Rent for residential staff is heavily subsidized. Residential living at Slide Ranch is very communal, with shared food coordination and shared kitchen space.

Requirements

Qualifications of a Strong Applicant

• Committed to the mission and vision of the organization, embody the Slide Ranch values at work (see above)
• Experience in outdoor education and/or working with kids
• Great communication skills, organized, high level of integrity, and positive attitude
• Desire to engage in personal and organization-wide DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) work
• Strong individual and group management skills
• Desire to work and live (if residential) on an educational farm
• Comfortable living in rustic accommodations
• Strong comfort level leading people in the outdoors in all types of weather
• Desire to work in a small, nonprofit organization
• Comfort and composure when dealing with adversity and conflict
• Interact positively and professionally with donors and site visitors
• Be willing to take on responsibility to unexpected challenges and opportunities that arise

Bonus Qualifications

• Bilingual (Spanish and English)

Physical Requirements

Duties are performed in a hilly and rural outdoor setting and can be physically demanding, including outdoor teaching in all weather, manual labor such as shoveling, pulling weeds, or carrying large grain bags, lifting up to 40 lbs., and farm chores.

Application Procedure/Timeline

Include a cover letter with your application. Apply via the jobs link at www.slideranch.org. We will be reviewing applications on a rolling basis and will begin interviews within a few weeks of this job posting until all positions are filled. Applicants must be at least 18 years old to apply and upon hire be current in First Aid/CPR certification.

Please note Slide Ranch aims to increase diversity in our staff and support an instructor team that reflects the demographics of our San Francisco Bay Area community. People of all colors, cultures, class, age, genders, and sexual orientations are encouraged to apply.

More information about our organization and programs can be found on our website: www.slideranch.org

Benefits

Compensation

• An hourly wage with significantly subsidized housing provided (for those interested in a residential position), plus paid vacation and sick time. New Outdoor Instructors start at a rate of $18/hr. OIs that are fluent in Spanish start at a rate of $19/hr. A bump in the hourly rate is offered for OIs who have already worked at least one previous season.