Description
Instructor – Canoe & Backpack

Field Staff · Ely, MN

Why work for the Voyageur Outward Bound School Ely Base?

Spend your summer on the edge of the Boundary Waters—America’s premier canoeing 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 (arriving in May and continuing through August) working primarily in the field. Candidates are required to attend a pre-employment training before the season begins that includes wilderness travel training, technical skills training, OB curriculum and educational philosophy.

On-the- job training continues when the Instructor (I) begins working in the field under the supervision of a Course Director and 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 wilderness expedition. 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. The majority of our students are youth and young adults between the ages of 14 and 25. We have “Classic” courses, our standard expedition format, ranging in length from 8 days to 22 days. Additionally, we have courses with specially designed curriculum such as our Pathfinder and Intercept programs. VOBS also works with intact groups, creating the opportunity to work a variety of programs throughout the summer.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Delivery & Implementation

Collaborate with VOBS staff to design and implement a nature based, experiential expedition that serves students and is in line with Outward Bound mission and educational philosophy.
Willingness to role model the values Outward Bound seeks to teach to students, including character, leadership and service.
Participate in course planning and logistics including: development of educational and technical curricula, route planning, and food and equipment planning and pack-out.
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.
Student Supervision & Safety

Assist in managing student behaviors, group dynamics, and facilitating group processes
Collaborate in identifying, assessing and managing environmental, physical, social and emotional risk during all course activities.
Adhere to local operating procedures, safety policies and emergency procedures as outlined in the field staff manual.
Collaborate in managing student emotional and physical safety in times of duress, such as field emergencies.
Participate as needed to support the basecamp’s on-call field response system. This could include paddling or hiking to evacuate an injured student from the wilderness, answering the emergency field line, and preparing food and gear for evacuation teams.
managing student emotional and physical safety in times of duress, such as field emergencies
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 opinions.
Conflict Management – Ability to manage and resolve conflict productively and with minimal negative impact by integrating a diversity of viewpoints, addressing harm, and fostering understanding and empathy.
Continual Learning -The ability to assess and recognize one’s own strengths and pursue opportunities for continuous improvement through formal and informal channels including feedback, training, and goal setting. An interest in and commitment to knowing oneself and others.
Cultural Competence -The ability to recognize and appreciate patterns of cultural differences and commonalities and to shift cultural perspective and change behavior in culturally appropriate and authentic ways.
Decision Making – The ability to make sound and timely decisions that accomplish goals, even in the face of uncertainty or high-pressure situations.
Instills Trust – The ability to gain the confidence and trust of people from varying backgrounds and lived experiences through honesty, integrity, authenticity, and consistency between words and actions.

SKILLS

Risk Management – Ability to lead self and others in anticipating, mitigating, and engaging in healthy risks to meet goals.
Demonstrated ability to assess students’ ability and backcountry hazards and use that information to mitigate the risk of participating in expeditions-style travel in a natural environment.
Self Management – The ability to set well-defined and realistic personal goals, take on and complete tasks in a timely manner, and complete work with an appropriate level of supervision.
Situational Adaptability – The ability to modify approach and demeanor in real time to align with the shifting demands of different situations. The ability to “read the room” and adjust accordingly.
Teaching Others – The ability to help others learn through formal and informal methods, identify training needs, provide constructive feedback, and coach others on how to successfully perform tasks.
Outdoor Technical Skills – Demonstrated competency in skills like canoeing, portaging, backpacking, campcraft, map and compass navigation, expedition logistics and risk management.
Demonstrated experience teaching the above skills to students.
Demonstrated experience leading others.

WORK CONDITIONS

Must be able to participate in all site and course activities and maintain ample energy, strength and focus to aid students and instructors, with or without reasonable accommodations.
On feet most days – sometimes for up to 16+ hours a day, or possibly more in the case of an emergency.
Constantly works in outdoor weather conditions, often during poor weather
Ability to lift, crawl, bend, carry and pull. Work is sometimes done in confined spaces and at height .
Ability to work a varied and flexible schedule including weekends.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Mental resilience sufficient to endure occasional physically and/or emotionally difficult situations, including but not limited to: working with staff, students, partners, chaperones or parents in emotionally charged circumstances.
Occasionally must carry equipment weighing up to 75 pounds.
Ability to participate in vigorous to moderate physical activity including but not limited to backpacking, paddling, portaging, running, carrying canoes overland, swimming, rock climbing and kayaking.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

21 years of age as of start date of employment.
Valid Driver’s License (held for 3 years) that passes Outward Bound USA screening criteria (Strongly Preferred).
The following certifications (or the ability to obtain them after hiring) are required:
Wilderness First Responder and CPR.
Wilderness Water Safety or Active Lifeguard Certification (Water Safety class provided to staff at a reduced cost during staff training cycle).
Preference for experiential education experience in a position of leadership; some of which should be on extended overnight expeditions.
Preference for team building experience and/or top-rope rock climbing, sea kayaking, and high ropes course facilitation experience.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

This is a seasonal, exempt position.
Instructors are paid starting at $100-$105 per day, depending on experience.
You may also be asked to do support work for the program when you are not instructing, which is paid at $95/day.
Housing and meals provided throughout the summer.
Pro deals (the opportunity to purchase outdoor gear at discounted rates).
Paid sick time (accrued at the rate of 1 hour for every 30 hours worked).
Eligible for a 403b retirement plan with an employer match up to 2% of total earnings.
Access to VOBS Employee Assistance Program.
Plus

A supportive, values-driven community where staff live the same principles we teach on course.
A chance to grow personally and professionally.
Opportunities to enjoy your downtime: swim at our dock, paddleboard on the lake, sauna next to the river, or head out with friends to run the rapids by our base.
Professional development opportunities in the form of wilderness staff travels.
A vibrant staff culture—many team members form lifelong friendships here.

DATES AND TIMELINE

This position will start May 11th, 2026.
Hiring happens on a rolling basis and positions will remain open until filled.
All field staff schedules are dependent on student enrollment. As a result, Instructors will receive their specific work assignments after training. Instructors must maintain flexibility during the peak season (May-August); some opportunities for year-round work may be available.