Santa Barbara Adventure Company (SBACo) is currently hiring outdoor education guides and kitchen support for the fall season. We place an emphasis on leadership, risk management, and customer service and have a preference for those who have been outdoor education guides or worked with children in the past.
We currently have 5–10 weeks of outdoor education trips running through November, with training beginning in September. Trips can be anywhere from 1 day to 5+ days. We have numerous outdoor education locations in/around Santa Barbara, including Channel Islands National Park and Big Bear. Additional work may be provided, and staff ending this season in good standing are invited back to work next season.
ABOUT OUR COMPANY
Santa Barbara Adventure Company is a dynamic and fun place to work for people who love to be outside and share our region’s natural beauty with others.
As the premier adventure travel outfitter on the Central Coast since 1998, we operate four companies under one roof:
Santa Barbara Adventure Company
Channel Islands Adventure Company
Santa Barbara Wine Country Tours
Coastal Team Building
We offer a vast variety of activities in and around Santa Barbara including sea cave kayaking at Channel Islands National Park, kayak tours in Santa Barbara, wine tours in Santa Ynez Valley, customized team building events for corporate groups, outdoor education programs for school children, and more!
SBACo company culture is second to none. We find strength in diversity and welcome professionals of all generations, genders, ethnicities, backgrounds, and lifestyles. We care about the environment and it’s our mission to help expose others to the great outdoors and the importance of conservation.
People who do well here:
Love being outside
Enjoy sharing beautiful places around Santa Barbara with others
Get along with a variety of personalities and ages
Can adapt their teaching style to different personalities and abilities
Enjoy a fast-paced work environment and have energy to sustain long days outdoors
Can think on their feet
Take having fun seriously
Enjoy a tight-knit workplace that celebrates success
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION GUIDES
Primary Responsibilities:
Lead and manage a group of 8–15 students for the duration of each outdoor education trip
Help maintain gear and equipment throughout the trip
Give effective safety and intro talks
Carry out program activities in the field, including teaching curriculum for school trips and facilitating team building initiatives for large groups
Adhere to trip itineraries to ensure activities stay on schedule
Be in good physical health and able to assist in guiding activities that may include hiking, kayaking, high ropes courses, rock climbing, surfing, and stand-up paddleboarding
Complete and maintain all necessary paperwork records for trips
Securely and safely rig all boats, gear, and vehicles for travel
Setup and breakdown camps; pack and load gear before a trip, and unpack and unload gear post-trip load at the warehouse; follow through with clean up
Be familiar with and maintain the contents of first aid kits, provide basic first aid assistance in the field and know SBACo emergency procedures
Assist with all components of an outdoor education trip to ensure success
Other duties as necessary
Friendly Customer Service:
Represent SBACo in a professional manner
Enjoy sharing beautiful places around Santa Barbara with others
Provide a positive role model for children and facilitate kid-friendly activities
Demonstrate empathy and professionalism with a wide variety of clientele
Ensure that everyone participating is aware of the difficulty involved in each activity and is physically and emotionally prepared
Knowledgeable Interpretation:
Share interpretive talks and knowledge about marine life as well as our region’s natural and human history
Adhere to the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace and be a steward of the natural areas in which we travel
Enhance guests’ awareness of local environmental issues
Continually strive to grow in interpretive skills
JOB DESCRIPTION FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION KITCHEN SUPPORT
Primary Responsibilities:
Responsible for working in our camp kitchens for the duration of programming
Purchase and organize all ingredients before a trip
Pay close attention to dietary requirements for varying groups
Help maintain gear and equipment throughout the trip
Complete and maintain all necessary paperwork records for trips
Give effective safety and intro talks to ensure a safe camp kitchen
Work with Field Managers to ensure meals are prepared in a timely fashion and adhere to the outdoor education schedule for the group
Work with kitchen team to cook delicious meals using SBACo recipes and ingredient lists
Setup and break down camps; load and unload trips at the warehouse; pack, unpack and clean-up
Adhere to the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace and be a steward of the natural areas in which we travel
Be familiar with and maintain the contents of first aid kits; provide basic first aid assistance in the field & know SBACo emergency procedures
Other duties as necessary
Friendly Customer Service:
Represent SBACo in a professional manner
Provide a positive role model for children and facilitate kid-friendly activities
Demonstrate empathy and professionalism with a wide variety of clientele
Ensure that guests’ needs are met throughout the duration of the programming
DESIRED SKILLS FOR OUTDOOR EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS
Outstanding customer service
Excellent communication and teaching skills
Leadership/group management and team building facilitation
Commercial guiding experience or experience working at a camp
Believe strongly in environmental stewardship
Interpretation skills and knowledge of local human and natural history
First Aid/CPR certification, WFR, and WFA preferred
Commercial driver's license preferred (may obtain after hiring)
ServSafe Food Handler Certification (may obtain after hiring)
EMPLOYMENT TYPE
Full-time, Seasonal
COMPENSATION
$16.50 – $20.25 per hour (payscale is provided in our interview process or as requested)
Hourly pay is based on certifications, education, and years of leading outdoor education trips or relatable experience. We encourage you to review our Employment FAQ document for further details.
We offer competitive pay, tour discounts for friends and family, end-of-season bonuses, career and training development opportunities for personal and industry growth, seasonal company-wide celebrations, and a fun work environment. Plus, our staff gets access to industry pro deals at many amazing outdoor outfitters!
SICK PAY
Per CA law, 3 days of accrued paid sick leave per year for qualifying reasons is provided for use after 90 days of employment.
401K
Eligible for enrollment in the company’s 401k plan with 4% match starting after 1 year of employment and 1,000 hours worked. Annual enrollment is July 1st and January 1st.
