We are seeking enthusiastic and qualified outdoor educators to join our team for the upcoming 2026 seasons! Our Field Staff are the driving force behind the variety of wilderness and experiential programs that Deer Hill offers.

A Field Staff’s primary responsibility is to facilitate successful and safe programs with our participants. Our programs range from seven-to-twenty-one days in length and offer a multitude of different elements. Most commonly, we do whitewater/flatwater rafting, flatwater canoeing, alpine and desert backpacking, and cross-cultural Reciprocal Service Learning experiences with indigenous communities in the Four Corners area. Certain programs may also include some rappelling and day-hiking components. Field Staff usually start out as Instructors. Instructors will be part of Instructor Teams (I-Teams) that lead and manage our outdoor programs. We work with a variety of youth between the ages of 13-18 years old. During the Spring and Fall seasons, we mostly run custom group and school programs. Our Summer season focuses on open enrollment programs. Most programs will have 1-2 of the different elements mentioned above and most will involve a service element. As an Instructor, you would be responsible for three main components: safety of your participants and co-workers, creating a fun and inclusive environment for all, and being able to utilize a wide variety of experiential education practices and tools to facilitate learning outcomes.

Overview: 

1. Field-based position, employed on a contract basis. We operate for Spring (March to May), Summer (June to August), and Fall (September and October). Depending on program availability and your availability, single or multiple consecutive seasons can be contracted. Most of our programs operate on a 5:1 staff:participant ratio.
2. All new Field Staff must participate in a Deer Hill Staff Training. Staff are not currently compensated for Staff Training. We train staff for a variety of different skills and concepts needed to lead our programs. Field Staff will become more skilled, confident, and empowered outdoor educators following our training. Current Spring Training dates are set for 3/20/26 – 4/2/26. Summer Training dates are not set and will depend on enrollment and staffing.
3. Responsibilities include (but are not limited to): assisting with equipment and food packing, instructing participants in safe expedition behaviors, assessing and managing risks in a variety of backcountry settings, ensuring high-quality educational outcomes with students, working with a team of dynamic and passionate outdoor educators, providing constructive and professional feedback, and leading students in a variety of different outdoor travel (river and backpacking) and living skills.
4. 2026 compensation begins at $115/contract day for new Instructors. Our Program Leaders start at $145/contract day. External professional experience (commercial guiding, outdoor education experience, youth development experience, etc.) and certifications (SPI, Swiftwater, WEMT, etc.) may qualify for increases in pay.
5. A Wilderness First Responder (WFR) is required for the Field Staff position. We do not offer a WFR course to Field Staff at this time. You must have a WFR and active CPR certification prior to first day of employment.
6. We do offer room and board, free of charge, between your contracts. Our Staff Housing is a rustic bunkhouse style with a shared wash house and communal lounge/kitchen area. When meals are being provided to students at our Basecamp, staff can sign up to join those meals, free of charge.
7. If you do not have professional multi-day guiding or trip-leading experience, but are interested in building skills in this industry – we encourage you to look at our Spring and Summer Intern position! 

Qualifications: 

• 21 years of age minimum
• Able to work legally in the United States
• Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
• Current CPR and WFR certification, minimum.
• Able to pass a background check with CBI and FBI
• Able to manage participant and program needs 24/7 for duration of contract.
• Successful professional experience guiding and teaching groups in wilderness settings.

Desired Skills:

• Motivated to create impactful, meaningful experiences for youth in the backcountry.
• Desire to be of service to others.
• Experience leading wilderness Expeditions for 4+ days in a row.
• Experience working with youth ages 13-18.
• Experience teaching facilitating or facilitating experiences.
• River experience rowing oar frames.
• Ability to adapt changing conditions, logistics, and circumstances.
• Strong communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to work well with others.Grounded, fun, and hard working!

Benefits:

• Field Staff salary starts at $115/day. Salary increases by accruing internal Deer Hill and external professional experience.
• Room and board provided between contracts. Meals provided as available.
• Access to pro purchase programs.
• A two-week comprehensive Staff Training session that will help bolster your skills as an outdoor educator.
• We are located about five minutes from Mancos, thirty minutes from Durango, 30 minutes from the La Plata Mountains, 1 hour from the southern terminus of the legendary Colorado Trail, and 2 hours from Moab!
• 130-acre Basecamp that has a variety of amenities such as laundry, internet, a pond, and a handful of trails and game areas.

How to Apply:

Visit the Employment section of our website in and you will find postings for the 2026 season. Please review the job description thoroughly and if interested, fill out an application, making sure to address any pertinent experience, including professional and personal experience, that you feel is relevant.  You will need to submit at least 3 professional references who can vouch for your experience. We do not contact applicants until references have been submitted. Feel free to email [email protected] with any questions!

Hiring Timeline:

We review applications on a rolling basis. You can expect to hear from us within 1-2 weeks of submitting your completed application. Interviews on Google Meets typically occur within the following week. Following the interview, we reach out to candidates with a final decision a maximum of 2 weeks later.