Outdoor Education Instructor

For undergrads passionate about the environment and developing their best leadership voice, there is simply no more valuable, fun, and rewarding way to spend a summer or beyond than at the Sunset Bay Wharf, living, working and making connections with young people from around the country and the world. Summer at the Wharf - Beach Camp Program The Sunset Bay Wharf Beach Camp program consists of two staff training weeks and 8 one week long student sessions with pairs of Sunset Bay teaching assistants leading an age specific student group each week. Like any manager within an organization, our educators instruct, lead, and motivate their group to accomplish a wide variety of missions each week. And like any modern organization manager, leadership is accomplished through fun and encouragement. But what is unlike a typical management trainee job, our leaders live and work with young people like themselves from around the country and the world, and get a fresh start each week with a new group of students to try out new things and work toward finding their best leadership voice. Beach Camp Program educators leave with friends and connections across the globe, and with leadership experience equal to many years or many jobs in a typical organization. I'm not sure what I want to do after college, how can Sunset Bay help me? The mission of the Sunset Bay Wharf is two-fold. To educate and empower our students with marine science and outdoor education life skills. And, to educate and empower our staff by helping them develop the type of soft skills necessary for success here or within any organization or field they choose to pursue. It goes without saying that you can accomplish a lot more with an organization behind you. But it’s a lot harder to work within an organization because it requires special “soft skills” that take time and opportunity to develop. The three main soft skills for getting along and advancing within organizations are “managing up” (dealing with your boss or bosses), “managing down” (dealing with your subordinates), and “managing across” (dealing with your peers in the organization).  All three take real world practice to develop. There’s no book that can do it for you, and there is no one single way to be. Everyone needs to find their own voice, and the Sunset Bay summer program offers a unique opportunity for young people to practice these soft skills in a forgiving and low stress environment. The ability to start afresh each week leading an entirely new group, and being  able to work with different staff members each week, is experience that would take years to replicate in a typical job with the same co-workers and customers year after year. And the Sunset Bay Wharf is small enough that all educators have daily one on one interactions with the directors, giving them experience “managing up” which would take years to replicate elsewhere. At the end of each summer season, teaching staff in good standing have favorable odds for year around career positions. And for teaching staff where a career match is not in the cards, the skills you have developed here working within a complex organization will server you well wherever your passions may lead. I'm out of school or graduating now, what can the Sunset Bay Wharf do for me? The Sunset Bay Wharf is a fast growing organization with student enrollment increasing 20% a year. We have new career positions and resume building opportunities available every year for young people with a passion for the environment and empowering the next generation. For those considering grad school, our off season program makes it possible to pursue your higher education goals while working and incurring little additional student debt, and it also serves as an incubator for recent grads wanting to try out Seattle or build up their resume with teaching and non-profit experience prior to applying to grad school. Although it is never easy for young people to obtain meaningful career work and financial independence right out of school, the Sunset Bay Wharf offers a well trod path and supportive environment for young people to grow, learn, relax, and pursue their dreams.

Job Overview

The Sunset Bay Wharf Beach Camp program is a one of a kind ocean sports and marine science summer camp held at the Sunset Bay Wharf in the Seattle suburb of Edmonds. The program combines mission based marine science education with traditional ocean beach activities such as sea kayaking, sailing, paddle boarding, beach biking, skim boarding, and snorkeling. The program also includes a fleet of outboard powered Zodiacs for fun and exploring our marine habitats.

The Beach Camp program consists of two staff training weeks and 8 one week long student sessions with pairs of Sunset Bay teaching assistants leading an age specific student group for the week. Like any manager within an organization, our educators instruct, lead, and motivate their group to accomplish a wide variety of missions each week. And like any modern organization manager, leadership is accomplished through fun and encouragement.

The Sunset Bay Wharf resembles a mini city over the water with summer interns able to pursue interests in a range of operational and teaching areas, from marine science to water sports, photo-video, power boats, biking and sandcastle art.

The Beach Camp program’s mission is two-fold. To educate and challenge our K-8 summer students, and to empower our Environmental Outdoor Education summer staff with real life leadership skills, resume building marine science research, and lifelong friendships with other undergrads from around the country and the world.

Special Benefits

Summer interns live and work on the Sunset Bay Wharf and receive, round trip air fare, room and board plus a $3,500 stipend for the 10 week season. Summer staff in good standing are eligible for off year around employment and accommodations with favorable odds. Beach Camp is located only minutes from downtown Seattle, providing summer staff the opportunity to develop contacts and local knowledge in one of the most vibrant employment markets in the country for young people.

Minimum Requirements

Enthusiasm for teaching the next generation, and Experience/competency in at least one of the areas we teach: Marine science, sea kayaking, sailing, paddleboarding, beach biking, skimboarding, skateboarding, e-surfer/foilboards, snorkeling, outboard powered Zodiacs, sand castle art.