Naturalist Guide

Job Overview

How to Apply: Please review the requirements and expectations below. You will want to reflect on the job description and address why you think this job is a good fit for you. Send your resume and a cover letter to: [email protected]

POSITION

Evergreen Escapes guides lead all-inclusive, small-group (generally 10 travelers or fewer) public & private National Park tours and nature adventures that depart from Seattle, WA. We seek guides for the 2023 peak season with the possibility of long-term positions in our growing tour program. We operate tours year-round. Our tour volume is highest April through October, during which time we need Full-Time, Part-Time Hourly, and On-Call/Flex nature guides to join our team. Our guides work varied schedules that are tailored to their lives & schedules. While most of our trips are single day trips, experienced and willing guides regularly lead private day trips and multi-day adventures.

ORGANIZATION

Evergreen Escapes is an award-winning, 14-year-old travel company that specializes in guided tours and meaningful experiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Our guide team is comprised of professionals from across many disciplines including naturalists, biologists, environmental educators and teachers who all have one important thing in common: we have an infectious passion for the outdoors and seeking to inspire a sense of connection to the places we visit. Our guides don’t run cookie cutter itineraries, rather we curate meaningful experiences for our guests within the national parks and outdoor spaces around the Pacific Northwest. We are lifelong learners, always seeking to deepen our understanding of the world around us. We are fully collaborative and care deeply for each other and the Evergreen Escapes brand. We are passionate about what we do, the places we go, and we are excited to share our knowledge with our guests

If you are excited about sharing Washington’s wild spaces with travelers from around the world, please reach out to our team!

What you need to become a Naturalist Tour Guide:

• An innate love of the outdoors and sharing experiences with fellow travelers
• Resident of greater Seattle or willingness to relocate (a must).
• Experience in environmental, outdoor, and/or adventure education (semi-confident naturalists required).
• Demonstrated knowledge of and passion for ecology, natural history, and environmental systems
• Responsible, independent, creative-thinking, self-starting, charismatic individual.
• Clean driving record and ability to pass a DOT medical exam.
• Comfortable driving 15-passenger vans in all conditions (city streets under heavy traffic through winter mountain roads requiring chains to be installed/removed).
• Within first two weeks of hire, must have completed CPR and 1st Aid (WFR is preferred), DOT medical examiner’s certificate (minor physical), In-House Driver training, and WA Food Handlers permit
• Ability to lift 40 lbs/18 kg.
• Pass a Washington State Patrol background check.
• Exemplary customer service with guests, fellow guides, and other tour partners
• Passionate about the outdoors
• Prioritizes safety

Desired – Not Required

• 4-year degree or higher
• Experience in Leadership development, team building, and/or group facilitation
• Minimum 1 year or experience as an educator and/or interpretive guide
• Knowledge of naturalist specialties which may include anthropology, birding, botany, geology, glaciology, or volcanology.
• Pertinent adventure certifications, including: WFR, Leave No Trace, and/or avalanche Level 1.
• Innate desire to be a more kind, more curious, and more-frequently outdoors human being.

Although it is preferred, you do not need to have all of these skills or qualifications in order to apply. If there are any missing, we expect that you will be eager to bridge the gap if you are hired

Roles/Responsibilities

Pre-Trip

• Before your trip you are responsible for looking up weather conditions, traffic alerts and possible road closures, checking your manifest and getting familiar with guest’s names and any relevant medical information. With this information you’ll come up with your itinerary for the day.

Day Of

• Meet at the Hub, pick up the vehicle and equipment from our warehouse. Most gear will be packed, and you’ll have to load the vehicle with your drink cooler, food cooler, lunch kit, breakfast kit, extra clothing, sunscreen, etc
• Pick up all guests from their downtown hotels at a predetermine location and time
• Fulfill your itinerary for the day providing interpretation and sharing your knowledge of the flora, fauna, and park history, and stop for a picnic lunch along the way
• Drop off guests at their hotel and head back to the Hub

Post Trip

• After the trip you will head to the office and fill up the tank on the way.
• Once at the hub; unload the van, load the dishwasher and washing machine, and clear out any trash in the van.
• Fill out some administrative paperwork for your tour and then clock out!

Expectations throughout the day

• Promotes safety on all aspects of the tour
• Facilitates a worry-free experience for guests
• The ability to provide 5-star guest service for individuals from various backgrounds, beliefs, and cultures
• Maintain high energy levels throughout a 12–14-hour workday
• Responsive to and anticipates guests’ needs, strives to exceed expectations
• Completes tour administration tasks in a timely manner
• Drives smoothly and incredibly safely

This position is flexible and requires a unique knowledge of the National Parks and Outdoor areas you are working in. We give guides a lot of autonomy to alter the itinerary based on client interests and ability level as we may not know these beforehand!

Compensation

• Hourly Rate of $16.50 with opportunities for advancement and raises as a first-year guide. You can expect to make about approximately $2000 – $4000/month with tips during busy season, depending on time commitment. All guides are paid hourly – this is just an average based on a 13-hour day. Guides are allowed to accept gratuities on tour.
• Bi-monthly pay as W2 employee during hire period
• Reimbursements for Certifications
• Guide Bonuses based on performance

For more information on the position check out our recruiting package:

https://www.evergreenescapes.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-recruiting-package_EGE.pdf

________________________________________

Additional Information About Evergreen Escapes

We are an outdoor tour operator based out of Seattle, WA. We lead small groups on single- and multi-day hiking tours in the Pacific Northwest. We are passionate about the outdoors and use the method of Storytelling to connect our guests to our region and focus heavily on Thematic Interpretation.

We are a company that strives to engage with diversity and inclusion in the outdoors. We welcome BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ guides to apply and join our team. If there are any barriers to stop you from applying, please reach out to us at [email protected]!