Instructor - Dog Sled & Cross Ski

Instructor - Dog Sled & Cross Country Ski

Field Staff
· Ely, MN

Why work for the Voyageur Outward Bound School Ely Base?

Spend your winter on the edge of the Boundary Waters—America's most visited wilderness area and one of the few places like it in the world. As a member of our team, you'll help deliver wilderness courses that challenge and inspire students to:

• Work and communicate effectively with their peers
• Build resilience through shared challenges and successes
• Develop self-awareness, honing their strengths and leadership roles
• Reflect and apply learning from their course to life back home
• Have fun while creating lifelong connections

This is more than a job; it's a chance to grow personally and professionally while making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. If you're passionate about the outdoors, eager to create unforgettable experiences, and ready to be part of something bigger, we'd love to have you on our team.

Position Summary

This is a seasonal position running from November to Mid March, working primarily in the field. Candidates are required to attend a pre-employment training before the season begins that includes a portion of fall dog training, wilderness travel training, winter staff orientation, technical skills training, musher training, and all staff travel training. These trainings are intended to provide familiarity with VOBS policies, procedures, educational approach, as well as knowledge of the local course area (the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness).

On-the-job training continues when the Instructor (IN) begins working in the field under the supervision of the Winter Program Director/Winter Program Manager and a Lead Instructor (LI). Working as part of an instructional team, Instructors are expected to observe, learn, and practice the art of facilitating educationally effective programs and teaching students the skills necessary to thrive on a winter wilderness expedition with sled dogs.

They are also expected to learn and follow VOBS safety policies and procedures meant to mitigate the risks inherent to remote travel.

VOBS serves a wide range of student populations. During the winter season, the majority of work will be with older teenagers (16-18) and adults (18-65+). We have "classic" 8 day courses in our standard expedition format, as well as courses with specially designed curriculum such as our 30 day Pathfinder program. VOBS also works with intact groups, creating the opportunity to work a variety of programs throughout the winter.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Delivery & Implementation

• Under supervision of the Winter Program Director/Winter Program Manager and Lead Instructor, collaborate to design and implement experiential wilderness expeditions that are in line with Outward Bound mission and educational philosophy and are tailored to the particular student population they are working with.
• Willingness to role model the values Outward Bound seeks to teach to students, including compassion, courage, inclusion and integrity.
• Work with the Lead Instructor to plan the expedition including development of educational and technical curricula, route planning, and food/equipment planning and pack-out.

Supervision & Safety

• Assist in managing student behaviors, group dynamics, and facilitating group processes
• Cooperate in identifying, assessing and managing environmental, physical, social and emotional risk during all course activities for students, staff, and dogs.
• Adhere to local operating procedures, safety policies and emergency procedures as outlined in the field staff manual and winter manual.
• Manage student emotional and physical safety in times of duress, such as field emergencies.
• Manage the emotional and physical safety of dogs in times of duress, such as field emergencies.
• Participate as needed to support the basecamp's on-call field response system. This could include driving, skiing, or mushing to evacuate an injured student or dog from the wilderness, answering the emergency field line, and preparing food and gear for evacuation teams.

Community Development

• Committed to actively participating in building a community where all students and staff feel a sense of belonging.
• Provides clear, effective and timely communication with co-instructor, Course Director and other staff.
• Able to give and receive timely, effective oral and written feedback.
• Contributes to living in a small community in a wilderness base camp. Participating in the daily upkeep and maintenance of public space. (daily and weekly chores, dog care, shoveling, firewood, cleaning etc.)

Other Duties as Assigned

Requirements

Knowledge & Abilities

• Collaboration
  - Ability to work with people from diverse backgrounds to effectively meet shared objectives, while encouraging the open expression of a diversity of ideas and opinions.
• Communication
  - Ability to clearly convey ideas, facts and information in a variety of settings using different mediums, while encouraging the open expression of a diversity of ideas and…