2026 Summer Specialist - Full-time / Part-time

What You’ll Do

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.

Specialty Areas – What We’re Hiring For

We are only seeking Specialist Guides in the following fields, where Trackers already has curriculum, infrastructure, and community need:

• Ceramics & Pottery
• Woodworking & Sloyd
• Forestry, Farming, and/or Ranching
• Bushcraft and Primitive Skills
• Wildlife Tracking and/or Hunter Safety
• Fishing and Shoreline Foraging
• Rock Climbing and/or Paddlesports & Waterfront Safety

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:

• Long-term, demonstrable mastery in their field
• A proven history of outcomes-based instruction (ideally with youth)
• Recognition as a subject-matter expert, either externally or within Trackers Earth
• Capacity to combine technical instruction with youth mentorship in a safe, developmental environment

Trackers subject-matter evaluators may request a skills demonstration, portfolio, teaching sample, or references to assess experience and fit.

Schedule & Commitment

• Season: School-Year and Summer Options
• Schedule: Most Specialist shifts are under 5 hours/day
• Location: Portland & Sandy, OR (must report to assigned worksite; remote work not available)
• Trainings: Required before each season
• Required Training - First Year: Choose June 6-7 or 8-9, 2026
• Required Training - All Staff: June 10-12, 2026

Key Responsibilities

Lead with Mastery

• Deliver focused, progression-based instruction in your area of specialization
• Ensure safe use of all tools, equipment, and techniques in a youth setting
• Maintain a clean, prepared, and professional work environment in the field

Mentor Youth

• Balance developmental mentoring with serious skill progression
• Tailor instruction to multiple ages while maintaining outcomes
• Model your discipline as a craft rooted in care, ethics, and personal growth

Support the Trackers Ecology

• Communicate clearly with families about curriculum and outcomes
• Collaborate with fellow educators to integrate Trackers core values and culture
• Actively contribute to a positive field culture that reflects our commitment to nature connection and skill stewardship

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years professional or instructional experience in at least one approved specialty
• Demonstrable outcomes in teaching or field leadership
• Strong alignment with Trackers pedagogy and hands-on mentoring
• CPR/First Aid & Oregon Food Handler’s Certificate (or obtained before start)
• Mandated Reporter certification (required for adults in Oregon)

Preferred

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field (or mentorship-based equivalent)
• OR in-depth experience in outdoor or experiential education
• Certification in a related field (e.g. WFA, lifeguarding, WFR, paddling, climbing)

Specialty Track: Bushcraft & Primitive Skills

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:

• Bushcraft & Wilderness Living Skills: Long-term self-sufficiency.
• Animal Tracking & Nature Awareness: Trailing animals & knowing track & sign.
• Flintknapping & Stone Tools: Crafting cutting tools with traditional techniques.
• Primitive Technology: Hide tanning, natural fiber processing, bow-making.
• Wildcrafting & Foraging: Knowledge of sustainable harvesting of edible plants.
• Naturalist Skills: Classic naturalist training in wildlife, botanical & ecological studies.
• Shelter Building: Debris huts, lodges & other land-based survival shelters.
• Fire Making: Bow drill, hand drill, tool-based & fire-building in wet conditions.
• Bird Language & Stealth: Reading alarm calls as sign & moving invisibly.
• Fishing, Hunting & Trapping: Ethical harvest using modern and traditional methods.
• Field Archery & Bowmaking: Bowmaking & practical field archery for hunting.
• Navigation & Boating: Orienteering & traversing with watercraft.
• Forestry & Homesteading: Food production & regenerative caretaking for the land.
• Traditional Mentorship: Direct, long-term learning from experienced practitioners.

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.

• Outdoor Recreation: Activities such as hiking, camping, and guiding that offer outdoor sports. While we integrate these skills, our curriculum goes beyond them to include forest craft, folk craft, and deep nature connection.
• Wilderness Therapy: Programs that use nature as a healing venue rather than for deep connection and community skill-building. These programs are invaluable and led by practitioners we deeply respect, but they are not our focus.
• Outdoor Education: General environmental science, ropes courses, team-building, and leadership training. While we share many components, our emphasis is on in-depth survival and foraging skills.
• Environmental Education: We value the impact of programs that emphasize advocacy or activism. However, Trackers teaches hands-on skills—hunting, fishing, and foraging—to help kids develop a deep care for the more-than-human world.
• STEAM Education: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math programs often approach nature through an academic lens. While we incorporate these elements, we prioritize experiential learning through outdoor skills and nature immersion.
• Forest Schools: Programs for young children centered on outdoor free play. This early nature connection is crucial, but our curriculum emphasizes skill development to foster broader outdoor independence for all ages.
• Summer Camps: We offer camps and deeply respect camp professionals who create incredible programs. While we share many structural and social aspects, our focus is on skills-driven, immersive learning through nature connection.

For a better understanding of our philosophy, explore the work of Tom Brown Jr., Ray Mears, and Jon Young.

Pay & Compensation

Hourly Pay: $22.50–$28.50/hour

Final pay is determined based on the following factors:

• Demonstrated expertise and real-world instructional experience
• Relevant certifications required or valued for the specialty
• The program need and staffing priority of the specific specialty
• Familiarity and intrinsic understanding of Trackers quality programming.
• The scale and complexity of instruction, including group size, safety responsibilities, and equipment use

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.

Gear Transport & Storage Compensation

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.

How to Apply

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:

• A summary of your relevant experience
• Any certifications or licensure
• A portfolio or demo of your work (upon request)

Apply early. Qualified applicants may be invited for an interview and/or skills demonstration.

Mutual Fit Period

All new roles—including seasonal transitions—begin with a 90-day mutual fit period. This time supports onboarding, training, and shared expectations, especially as school-year programs require greater independence and long-term student mentorship.

Physical Requirements & Certifications

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.

Physical Requirements – Outdoor Programs

(Examples: Bushcraft, Tracking, Forestry, Paddlesports, Rock Climbing)

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs
• Hike 5–20 miles per day, including off-trail and uneven terrain
• Remain on feet for extended periods in variable weather conditions
• Move safely across natural landscapes such as forests, hills, and rivers

Physical Requirements – Classroom-Based Programs

(Examples: Ceramics, Woodworking)

• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs (e.g., clay, lumber, tools)
• Stand or move between workstations for extended periods (3–5 hours)
• Use hand tools and equipment with fine motor coordination and precision
• Maintain awareness of shop safety protocols in active teaching environments
• Occasionally transport materials or equipment between locations

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Required Certifications

• CPR, First Aid, and Anaphylaxis/Epinephrine Auto-Injector (or ability to obtain before start)
• Oregon Food Handler’s Permit (or ability to obtain before start)
• Mandated Reporter Training (required for adults 18+ in Oregon)

Additional Requirements

• State Fishing License (if assisting with fishing-based programs)
• Background check and professional references
• Valid U.S. driver’s license held for 2+ years (required for driving responsibilities)

About Trackers

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.