Join one of the most innovative & action-packed outdoor education teams.
Come teach in Trackers Earth's award-winning outdoor and folk craft camps where capable educators share real skills and serious fun. Kids earn confidence through outdoor adventure, team leadership, and nature badassery. If you want meaningful work helping kids develop independence, community service, and connection—come work for Trackers and level up together.
Join the team families trust for real skills and adventure.
Experts in outdoor and craft education since 2004.
We help children feel like a group of kids wandering country backyards 100 years ago: independent, tired, muddy, and happy from the woods and wild. Kids grow through real skills, real responsibility, and a community that holds clear standards. They need to cultivate competence to find true independence in nature and contribute to families, future generations, and the land.
The experience of high-level Trackers Guides is diverse and not what you might always expect. It can include restaurant managers from fast-paced environments, search and rescue who’ve led complex outdoor operations., and middle school or high school teachers who’ve been through the classroom crucible. It also includes skilled outdoor guides in kayaking, bushcraft, rafting, climbing, and more. We want you!
Have Command Presence: Guide with clear boundaries, steady presence, and serious fun—like Captain Picard.
Teach by Doing: Demonstrate skills and lead training, helping kids do it safely and well.
Maintain Safety & Standards: Keep expectations, activities, and group culture disciplined and consistent.
Make Good Field Calls: Adjust plans for weather, behavior, and conditions while keeping the goal intact.
Communicate Well: Work with kids, parents, and staff using professional, warm, direct communication.
Recent Youth Leadership: You have led kids in camps, classrooms, coaching, or youth programs.
Situational Awareness: You notice what is changing and adjust before small problems grow.
Outdoor Readiness: You can work outside all day in diverse weather while teaching a group.
Real Skill Base: You have strong outdoor skills, crafts, or teaching experience, and you keep leveling up.
All-Ages Communication: You can teach and hold boundaries with clarity and care across Grades K–12.
Apply for any roles that match your interest. You can apply for multiple roles. Please list your availability and role preferences in your application.
Now hiring for 2026 Summer Season.
Guide kids to be competent and capable in real outdoor skills and hands-on crafts.
Program Guide – Part-Time (Summer Seasonal)
Real skills. Real standards. Real imagination.
You’re not looking for a “camp job.” You’re looking for a place where real skills, real standards, and real imagination come together—a workplace where a Guide is trusted to run the field with calm authority. At Trackers, you lead youth in grades K–12 through outdoor adventures in forests, rivers, ranges, and farms—teaching wilderness survival, tracking, archery, fishing, shelter building, fire craft, and folk craft—often through story immersion worlds of secret agents, ninjas, wizards, elves, and more..
We hire seasoned guides who can operate independently, read conditions and kids, and also work inside Trackers safety systems, procedures, and lore to create the kind of team culture kids remember for life.
We don’t hire “activity supervisors.” We hire guides: practitioners who teach real skills, build team culture, and hold standards with thoughtfulness.
If you come from scouting, camps, outdoor ed, environmental ed, micro-schools, expedition leadership, SAR, forest school, teaching, climbing gyms, maker spaces, theater, or role-playing games—good. Trackers shares DNA with many worlds, but our focus is simple: kids build independence through competence, community, and time outdoors.
This role may include one or more Trackers Earth programs: part-time School-Year (Homeschool, Weekend Apprenticeships, After School), Seasonal Breaks (Winter/Spring), and/or Summer Camps. While this description outlines shared responsibilities and expectations, exact schedules and duties vary by season and role.
Because we invest significant time and resources in staff training, we prioritize applicants who are available for the full summer season or frequently in the school year. Final schedules are based on program enrollment, performance, and overall staff availability.
Effective June 2026
Hourly Pay: $22–$24/hour
Apply early for best consideration and indicate your availability and interests: school-year, seasonal break, and summer roles. Qualified applicants may be added to an on-deck list. Employment is at-will and this posting is not a contract.
Mutual Fit Period All new roles—including seasonal transitions—begin with a 90-day mutual fit period. This time supports onboarding, training, feedback, and shared expectations.
This is a hands-on, active, and at times field-based role. Your physical requirements will vary depending on your assigned program. Outdoor roles may require stamina in rugged environments, while classroom-based roles focus more on tool handling, shop safety, and materials management.
(Examples: Bushcraft, Tracking, Forestry, Paddlesports, Rock Climbing)
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
CDL Class B with Passenger Endorsement: If you already have a CDL or are interested in earning one, that’s a big plus.
To operate Trackers Earth vehicles requiring a CDL, candidates must:
Effective June 2026
At Trackers Earth, we reward Guides for field experience, specialized skills, and professional certifications.
All initial and ongoing training hours, regardless of tenure or certification, are paid at the applicable local minimum wage based on location and do not include pay increases. Base pay and applicable pay bumps begin only once staff begin working in active program assignments. Certification-based pay bumps do not apply to training hours.
Guides can earn additional pay for relevant certifications. Total hourly pay is capped at $24/hour.
| Certification | Pay Bump |
|---|---|
| Returning Bonus (per 8 summer weeks worked [training not included], max 1 credit per season) | +$0.25/hr |
| Wilderness First Aid (WFA)* | +$0.25/hr |
| USA Archery or NASP Level 1 Instructor* | +$0.25/hr |
| CyberTracker Track & Sign (Level II or higher) | +$0.25/hr |
| 9-Month Wilderness Immersion Program | +$0.25/hr |
| FEMA ICS 100 & 200* | +$0.25/hr |
| Trackers Van & Trailer Driver Certification (21 years +)* | +$0.25/hr |
| ACA Instructor – Level 1 or 2 (Canoe or Kayak) | +$0.25/hr |
| Hunter’s Safety Instructor Certification | +$0.25/hr |
| AMGA Single Pitch Instructor (SPI) | +$0.25/hr |
| Lifeguard Certification with Waterfront Module | +$0.25/hr |
| First Responder (Past 8 Years) or U.S. Armed Forces Veteran | +$0.25/hr |
| State Teaching Certification (K–12, current or expired within 5 years) | +$0.50/hr |
| Wilderness First Responder (WFR)* | +$0.50/hr |
| First Aid/CPR Instructor | +$0.50/hr |
| Archery Instructor Trainer (USA Archery or NASP)* | +$0.50/hr |
| Swiftwater Rescue Technician | +$0.50/hr |
| Incident Qualification Certification (Red Card)* | +$0.50/hr |
| CDL with Passenger Endorsement (large school bus-size vehicles)* | +$2.50/hr |
Not all certification pay bumps can be combined. Some credentials cover the same or higher-level training, so only the larger bump applies.
Other certifications listed above may stack if they are in distinct skill areas (e.g., Lifeguard + Swiftwater, Teaching Certification + WFR).
See the Certification Pay Bump Addendum below for criteria of accepted certifications.
Trackers reviews and updates certification-based pay rates on a quarterly basis. At the end of each quarter, eligible staff will receive a form to report any new certifications they have acquired. To be considered for a pay bump, certifications must be submitted before the end of the quarter, include proper documentation, and are subject to HR approval. Approved certifications will be reflected in payroll starting with the first pay period of the following quarter. Pay increases are not retroactive and will only apply moving forward from the scheduled update. For short-term or seasonal-only roles, increases may not take effect unless returning for a future program.
Documentation must include:
Coordinate and guide teams of staff and kids to connect with nature.
Coordinator Guide – Summer Seasonal (Bay Area)
Real skills. Real standards. Real leadership.
Trackers Earth is built for people who want real responsibility and real meaning in their work. We run high-output outdoor programs with real standards—because kids rise when adults lead well. We teach skills that matter. We build culture on purpose. And we don’t fake “leadership” with titles—we build it through competence, calm judgment, and service.
The Coordinator Guide is the field operator: you set the tone, keep the plan moving, and make the calls that protect safety and build healthy culture. You coach staff in real time, keep gear and logistics tight, and earn family trust by delivering a day that feels steady, action-packed, and intentional. You manage a team—but you’re not above the work. You’re in the field teaching, troubleshooting, covering gaps, and modeling what great programming looks like.
If you’ve led high-output teams in demanding environments (outdoor programs, schools, restaurants, or operations-heavy workplaces), you’ll recognize the job: keep standards high, keep everyone supported, solve problems early, and build a crew that gets better every day.
As a Coordinator Guide, you run the day and lead the crew. You manage a team of educators (typically 4–10), keep safety and logistics tight, and coach teaching quality in real time. You’re still in the field—teaching, troubleshooting, covering gaps, and modeling what “great” looks like—so kids feel the adventure, staff feel supported, and families feel trust.
You’re a seasoned operator who can run the day with calm precision. You see challenges early and solve them before they spread. You give clear feedback without drama, and you default to ownership—you don’t need praise to do the right thing. You’re not “above” the work—if gear needs fixing, a parent needs clarity, or a Guide needs coaching in the moment, you step in and handle it.
You don’t need mastery in every skill, but you must respect the depth of this work and be committed to growing. Trackers programs may include: shelter building, fire craft, knives and tool safety, tracking and nature awareness, stealth games, field navigation, foraging fundamentals, archery/waterfront elements (program dependent), and more.
This is a salaried, exempt seasonal leadership role requiring independent judgment, planning, and staff oversight. Compensation reflects leadership accountability rather than hourly timekeeping.
Stated hour averages reflect the seasonal rhythm of Trackers Earth programs. As a salaried exempt role, compensation is fixed per week and not adjusted based on time worked. Actual weekly scheduling may vary based on enrollment, weather, site logistics, and team needs.
Apply early for best consideration. Qualified applicants may be added to an on-deck list. Employment is at-will and this posting is not a contract.
Mutual Fit Period All new roles—including seasonal transitions—begin with a 90-day mutual fit period. This time supports onboarding, training, feedback, and shared expectations.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
Coordinators in summer transported programs are responsible for driving large school buses between sites. When Coordinators for these programs lack a CDL with Passenger Endorsement, it creates added costs and logistical challenges for Trackers. For this reason, a CDL with Passenger Endorsement—or active progress toward one on an approved timeline—is a core requirement for:
Trackers Earth provides training and certification support for qualified candidates. We are committed to equitable access and can assist with the licensing process, including test preparation and cost reimbursement, where appropriate.
At Trackers, we help children feel like that group of kids wandering country backyards 50 years ago: tired, muddy, wet, independent, and happy from being out in the woods and exploring creeks. We are acutely aware of the real hazards of the outdoors, so we work to keep kids safe but not encapsulated from, nor phobic of nature. We believe children need to develop independence and competency in the wild—not only for their own connection, but also to contribute to their families, future generations, and the more-than-human world. We believe it is okay to be thirsty at times, cold at times, and wet at times. This builds empathy and care for the gifts of life, fostering true adventure and genuine accomplishment. We also believe it is critical for children to feel supported and cared for as they explore their passion for service and responsibility. Through a healthy life found in nature, they can test their limits and discover the great potential of the often untapped physical grit and emotional resilience they possess.
Teach in fields you're deeply practiced—bushcraft, fishing, sloyd, ceramics & more.
Specialist Guide - Part-Time School Year
Specialist Guide - Summer Seasonal
At Trackers, we believe that kids need real skills—skills that connect them to nature, their community, and their own capacity for grit and greatness. As a Specialist Guide, you teach those skills. Not just by showing—but by doing, with depth, clarity, and care.
You work directly with youth ages 5–17, mentoring them in one of Trackers' focused skill tracks. Whether you’re leading pottery in the studio or carving spoons in the rain, running paddlesport safety drills or helping a young hunter pass their field test—you’re passing on hard-earned knowledge in a way that’s alive and real.
This is not a generalist role. Specialist Guides teach in fields where they are already deeply practiced. You’ll be supported by Lead Guides, Coordinators and Directors. But in the field, you lead the skill. You live the craft. And you make it matter.
We are only seeking Specialist Guides in the following fields, where Trackers already has curriculum, infrastructure, and community need:
If your expertise lies outside these categories, we are not currently hiring for other specialties.
We need specialists who exceed beginner interest, hobby-level, or intermediate experience. We are seeking true specialists with:
Trackers subject-matter evaluators may request a skills demonstration, portfolio, teaching sample, or references to assess experience and fit.
This track includes a wide range of nature-based and traditional living skills that foster long-term self-sufficiency, ecological connection, and ancestral knowledge. Being a current or former student of a long-term Wilderness Immersion course may not be enough. We look for proven high-end practical competence and real world application in many of the following areas:
While modern outdoor education may introduce some of these skills, Trackers Earth operates differently—not better, just different. We have deep respect for the following fields, recognizing them as sister programs doing phenomenal work. While we share many aspects, don’t view Trackers solely through their lens.
For a better understanding of our philosophy, explore the work of Tom Brown Jr., Ray Mears, and Jon Young.
Hourly Pay: $22.50–$28.50/hour
Final pay is determined based on the following factors:
Because specialty areas vary in demand, and instructional depth, compensation is adjusted accordingly. Pay is reviewed quarterly and evaluated through a consistent internal process to support equity and transparency.
Training Pay: All required pre-season and ongoing training is paid at Oregon minimum wage. Standard field rate begins after training is complete.
Some Specialist roles may include voluntary, compensated tasks such as storing, loading, and transporting program gear (e.g., fishing poles, archery tackle). When applicable, Trackers provides additional pay for gear setup and breakdown, and stipends for off-site storage during active program months. All responsibilities and compensation are confirmed prior to each season.
This role is competitive and space is limited per discipline. If you believe you meet the criteria, submit your application at the link below, noting:
Apply early. Qualified applicants may be invited for an interview and/or skills demonstration. Employment is at-will and this posting is not a contract.
Mutual Fit Period All new roles—including seasonal transitions—begin with a 90-day mutual fit period. This time supports onboarding, training, feedback, and shared expectations.
This is a hands-on, active, and at times field-based role. As a Specialist Guide, your physical requirements will vary depending on your assigned program. Outdoor roles may require physical stamina in rugged environments, while classroom-based roles focus more on tool handling, shop safety, and materials management.
(Examples: Bushcraft, Tracking, Forestry, Paddlesports, Rock Climbing)
(Examples: Ceramics, Woodworking)
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.
At Trackers, we help children feel like that group of kids wandering country backyards 50 years ago: tired, muddy, wet, independent, and happy from being out in the woods and exploring creeks. We are acutely aware of the real hazards of the outdoors, so we work to keep kids safe but not encapsulated from, nor phobic of nature. We believe children need to develop independence and competency in the wild—not only for their own connection, but also to contribute to their families, future generations, and the more-than-human world. We believe it is okay to be thirsty at times, cold at times, and wet at times. This builds empathy and care for the gifts of life, fostering true adventure and genuine accomplishment. We also believe it is critical for children to feel supported and cared for as they explore their passion for service and responsibility. Through a healthy life found in nature, they can test their limits and discover the great potential of the often untapped physical grit and emotional resilience they possess.
Please review all job essentials before applying.
Because onboarding and training require significant resources, we prioritize applicants who can commit to an entire season, as needed. This means applicant availability for full-week assignments across the whole summer season and consistent availability on scheduled program days for the school year.
Commitment helps ensure continuity for kids. If you need flexible scheduling, consider applying for Flexible Substitute, a role designed for those who can support camp on an as-needed basis.
Pre-season and ongoing trainings are required and paid at local minimum wage. Final work schedules are based on enrollment, performance during training, and staff availability. Not all staff are scheduled every week. We prioritize candidates available for the full summer or school-year season.
Consistent presence helps maintain safety and program quality. Schedules may shift based on site needs, and staff are expected to adapt to changes aligned with program assignments.
Program staff must be able to report to any of our El Cerrito of North Oakland sites. You may be placed as a Program Guide (meeting at central check-in) or a Field Guide (reporting directly to a site). Assignments are based on program fit, location needs, and your availability and experience.
We aim for site consistency where possible but may shift staff between roles or sites to support program enrollment, group coverage, and camper safety throughout the season.
