OutdoorEd.com

3/4 Time Faculty Position

Company: Albuquerque Academy

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Job Type: Full Time

Job Description

Summary: The Experiential Education Department at Albuquerque Academy seeks a passionate and energetic Experiential Education faculty and wilderness trip leader for middle and high school students. We are looking for someone who is patient, engaging, and inspires a love of the outdoors and the natural world in all students, works well with colleagues, and enjoys thinking about the art of teaching outdoor and leadership education. In addition to co-teaching a class, candidates will also work as part of a team to prepare for and lead the department’s array of experiential education trips.  Diversity is a core value at Albuquerque Academy, and we seek candidates who demonstrate an abiding commitment to equity and belonging.

Faculty positions in the Experiential Education Department require a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and multi-day wilderness trip-leading experience.  A deep knowledge of outdoor living skills, outdoor travel and navigation, and judgment and decision-making is required.  Teaching-level competence with one or more technical skills, such as rock climbing, mountain biking, and whitewater kayaking is mandatory.  The experiential education curriculum progression includes two day hikes and an overnight for 6th graders, a three-day backpacking trip for 7th graders, technical day trips for 8th graders, and a four to five-day backpacking trip for 9th graders.  Faculty also support experiential co-curricular trips for other academic departments, design and lead three-week field-based senior seminars, and teach and support field components for high school elective classes.  Time off for the 3/4 faculty in November, and January into early February reflects the 3/4 time commitment of this position during the school year as a whole.  Programs are offered throughout New Mexico and the Four Corners region. Detailed information can be found at www.aa.edu.

Albuquerque Academy seeks to maintain a diverse and energetic faculty to work with 1182 highly capable students, including 56% students of color. We encourage applications from groups traditionally underrepresented in independent school communities.

The position is open until filled, and applicants are asked to submit a letter of interest and resume along with their online application.  Experiential education candidates are also requested to submit a personal and professional trip-leading resume with a sample of personal and professional trips to exemplify their experience: include the length of trip, type of travel/ skill taught, dates, locations, participant age, on/off trail specifics, your role in leadership, planning, logistics, etc., as well as any mountain biking, rock climbing, and kayaking experiences.  There is a potential for this position to extend into the summer and become full-time for the interested candidate.

Essential Functions:

  • Lead non-technical wilderness backpacking trips and lead or support technical single and multi-day trips.
  • Lead day hikes for grade 6; design and implement curriculum, including an introduction to natural history and outdoor living and travel skills.
  • Teach as part of an instructor team with a faculty or contract instructor for 3-5-day wilderness-based backpacking trips for grades 7 and 9; design and implement route, menu, and curricular progression for outdoor living and travel skills.
  • Teach as part of an instructor team with a faculty or contract instructor for  technical all-day 8th-grade trip; design and implement route and associated curriculum.
  • Co-teach a section of an experiential education elective 10-12 class.  Current class offerings focus on base camping, rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, the bike park and survival skills. Teaching assignments may vary from year to year.
  • Support field components of various 10-12 elective courses.
  • Co-lead and design a field-based three-week senior seminar.
  • Manage students and contract instructors in the field using risk management techniques; continue to evolve risk management through reflection and discussion.
  • Manage trip logistics such as equipment packing and repair, food planning and packing, trip administration, and parent communication.

Experience:

  • Personal and professional wilderness backpacking experience is required.

  • Wilderness First Responder is required.
  • Bachelor’s Degree required.
  • 2-5 years prior multi-day backcountry trip leading experience is required, with some of that time as the primary trip leader.

  • Prior experience with adolescents is preferred.

  • Personal and professional experience in one or more technical skills such as rock climbing, river kayaking, mountain biking is required.

  • Prior experience being a part of a leadership team and communicating around goals, decision- making and risk management is required.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

  • Interest in working within an independent school setting and investing in a career in outdoor education.
  • Deep knowledge of outdoor living skills, including tent use; stove use and repair; kitchen management; finding, purifying, and transporting water in desert and mountain environments; campsite selection and management; self-care including nutrition, first aid, and staying warm and dry; Leave No Trace ethics—the ability to convey that knowledge to students clearly and coherently.
    Experience and confidence with navigation, map and compass use, and route finding; experience with off-trail travel is preferred.
  • Competence at the teaching level in one or more technical skills, including rock climbing, whitewater kayaking, and mountain biking.  Ability to be a strong second instructor in one or more of these skill sets.
  • Judgment and decision-making; familiar with field-based risk management and student management in technical and non-technical settings.

For full job description and to apply, go to the Albuquerque Academy ADP website:

https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=1ec43b9a-fe5c-4691-9120-7c402eb75ac3&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_US&selectedMenuKey=CurrentOpenings

Availability:  August, 2024-May, 2025

How to Apply

Procedure: Qualified applicants should submit a cover letter, resume (including the contact information for three references), and a personal and professional trip-leading resume (Include length of trip, type of trip, dates, locations, participant age, on/off trail specifics, your role in leadership, planning, logistics, etc.  Please also include any mountain biking, rock climbing and kayaking experiences) to link on: https://workforcenow.adp.com/mascsr/default/mdf/recruitment/recruitment.html?cid=1ec43b9a-fe5c-4691-9120-7c402eb75ac3&ccId=19000101_000001&lang=en_US&selectedMenuKey=CurrentOpenings
Contact Person: Sarah Councell
Posted on: March 22, 2024
Location: Albuqueruqe, NM and Four Corners
Job Type: Full Time
Job Starting Date:
August 5, 2024
Application Closing Date:
March 29, 2024
Job Salary Range:
34-43 K DOE
Years of Experience: 3 – 5 years
Preferred/Required Degree Level: Bachelor’s degree
Job Activity(ies): Backpacking
Population(s) Served: Youth - Teen
Job Category(ies): Private School
Region(s): Southwest US