Outdoor Education Program Instructor

Outdoor Education Program Instructor       

Now hiring for the 2025-2026 school year, to begin September 2025. 

Overview: The OE Program Instructor’s primary role is to lead hikes, teach lessons based on the state science standards, and help students grow through a variety of program elements. 

Essential Functions

1. Instruct groups of students in various activities on 3, 4, or 5 day programs
2. Develop professional relationships with coworkers and guests (students, chaperones, teachers, and administrators)
3. Perform duties and/or participate in activities including:
   1. Teach the outdoor education curriculum, which includes standing, walking, and hiking, sometimes strenuous, over uneven terrain and in all weather conditions
   2. Lead various program elements including rock wall, archery, songs, games, chapels, worship, skits, dances, and team building exercises
   3. Enforce dining hall standards during meals
   4. Supervise a group of students overnight 
   5. Travel to multiple sites for the outdoor education programs

Additional Functions

1. Attend OE team meetings
2. Provide supportive leadership when necessary
3. Assist in cleaning and inventory management
4. Provide first aid and basic health care when necessary
5. Other duties as assigned by supervisor

Major Competency Areas

1. Ability to work effectively within a team or alone
2. Strong communication and teaching
   skills
3. Ability to model desired behaviors, including a positive attitude, on a consistent basis
4. Reliability, punctuality, and good time management

Qualifications

1. Minimum education of a bachelor’s degree or minimum of two years equivalent experience
2. Adaptability and Godly Christian character
3. Current Red Cross or American Heart Association CPR & First Aid certification which includes an in-person training element
4. Full agreement with TM Camping’s statement of faith, mission, vision, and values
5. Compliance with the employee handbook
6. Valid driver’s license

Physical Demands

1. Abilities sufficient to carry out the essential functions of the job, including the physical fitness and endurance needed to lead hikes and activities. Applicants and/or employees may be asked to take a Fitness-For-Duty test in regard to the physical nature of the job.
2. Must be able to lift a minimum of 50 lbs

Opening Letter

Thank you for your interest in American Outdoor Christian Education!

With a home base at Thousand Pines Christian Camp in Crestline, CA, at AOCE we travel across California and beyond to run programs at multiple partner camps. While we serve both public schools and private christian schools, we seek to serve, love, and live in ways that glorify God and represent our salvation in Jesus Christ.

Our outdoor education team serves in many ways - teaching lessons, running games, leading chapels, being overnight cabin leaders, and more - and in all of these we can point others toward the message of God's love. This applies not only to our guests but to each other: we desire to help facilitate your own spiritual growth in a community of believers, sharing in joys and difficulties together. 

We will be praying for you as we seek God's direction together.

Mission, Vision, Values

American Outdoor Christian Education is a member company of Trademark Camping (TM Camping). We desire to have a distinctly Christian atmosphere and influence. Though campers and attendees come from many Christian and non-Christian backgrounds, all are included in activities. Ministry team members participate in leading guests and other staff in chapel services, prayer, devotions, etc. 

In applying for a ministry role with us, you are subscribing to a high moral, ethical, and spiritual life style and give assurance that you will try to lead campers and staff, in both word and deed, to practical, real faith for themselves.  In addition, no matter where one works, all staff are expected to live exemplary Christian lives before campers and staff alike. 

We seek to be a group of people who care for our guests and work as a team. It is our desire that every employee and their entire family feel part of the ministry team here at TM Camping. It is important that all employees share our mission, vision, and values. We hope that all our employees adopt and advance them as their own. 

Our Mission:  American Outdoor Christian Education exists to help students learn, grow, and experience the outdoors.

Our Vision:  Every student experiences personal growth through hands-on learning, new challenges, and positive interactions.

Our values: 

• Integrity: “Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching.” 
• Safety; We will seek to protect the safety of our guests and staff. 
• Attitude: “Character is realized not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.” 
• Saying “YES!”: We will seek to say “yes” to our guests whenever possible. 
• Excellence: “Every job is a self-portrait of the person who did it. Autograph your work with excellence.” 
• Teamwork: “Together we can accomplish the extraordinary.” 
• Initiative/Follow Through: “What can I do to make it better?” 
• Out-of-the-box Thinking: “Can it be done better, more creatively, less expensively?” 
• Fun: “The most wasted of all days is one without laughter”- E.E. Cummings 
  
  

Statement of Faith

The Statement of Faith outlines the beliefs of Trademark Camping (TM Camping) and its companies. All beliefs are listed and founded in God's Word, the Bible. 

PREAMBLE

TM Camping, in accordance with the historic Baptist tradition, hold to Believers Baptism by Immersion, Liberty of Conscience, the Separation of Church and state, and the Priesthood of the Believer. We also affirm the following distinctive which need emphasis at the present time:

I.  THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE

The Bible is the inspired, authoritative and infallible Word of God and is our sole rule of faith and practice. It is the standard by which all human conduct and creeds should be tried.

II.  THE TRINITY

There is only one true and living God who is manifested in three eternal and coequal person; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  God possesses holiness, omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, love, mercy, and all other perfections.  All humankind owed to Him supreme faith and obedience.

III.  HUMANKIND

Humankind has been created in the image of God but through Adam’s fall is now sinful, lost and condemned. By deliberate choice all participate in sin which is open rebellion to God’s law. Notwithstanding the fall, all human life through creation has value and dignity.

IV.  JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH

Human beings can be forgiven of sin and justified solely through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ who died for sinners and rose again from the dead.  Only by repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ the Lord can acceptance with God be attained.

V.  REGENERATION

Regeneration is the work of the Holy Spirit by which the believer receives a new nature from God. Christian growth or sanctification is the continuation of the new life principle which begins in the new birth.

VI.  THE CHURCH

The church in its widest sense includes all believers of all ages. The church is manifested visibly in the local body of baptized believers who covenant together to worship, observe the ordinances, and evangelize.

VII.  HUMAN DESTINY

Jesus Christ will eventually return visibly at which time He will raise the dead and judge all people. Believers will enjoy an eternal state of blessedness in heaven while unbelievers will experience eternal separation from God in hell.

VIII.  EVANGELISM AND SOCIAL CONCERN

The church has been called to preach the gospel so that individual people can receive salvation. Also the church is to become involved in the improvement of society by advocating biblical principles which militate against poverty, racism, violence, and all forms of injustice against humankind.

IX.  HUMAN SEXUALITY

God’s design is that man and woman either be joined together in a perpetual monogamous relationship or live in a single state. Extra-marital sex, adultery and homosexuality are inconsistent with biblical teaching.

Applicant Statement 

I certify that all information provided in order to apply for and secure work with the employer is true, complete and correct. 

I understand that any information provided by me that is found to be false, incomplete or misrepresented in any respect, will be sufficient cause to (i) cancel further consideration of this application, or (ii) immediately discharge me from service, whenever it is discovered. 

I expressly authorize, without reservation, the employer, its representatives, employees or agents to contact and obtain information from all references (personal and professional), employers, public agencies, licensing authorities and educational institutions and to otherwise verify the accuracy of all information provided by me in this application, resume, or job interview. I hereby waive any and all rights and claims I may have regarding the employer, its agents, employees or representatives, for seeking, gathering, and using such information in the employment process and all other persons, corporations or organizations for furnishing such information about me. 

I understand that the employer does not unlawfully discriminate in employment and no question on this application is used for the purpose of limiting or excusing any applicant from consideration for employment on a basis prohibited by applicable local, state or federal law. 

It is my understanding that TM Camping is an at-will employer and by understanding this is has been explained to me that if I am hired, I understand that I am free to resign at any time, with or without cause and without prior notice, and the employer reserves the same right to terminate my employment at any time, with or without cause and without prior notice, except as may be required by law. This application does not constitute an agreement or contract for employment for any specified period or definite duration. I understand that no supervisor or representative of the employer is authorized to make any assurances to the contrary and that no implied oral or written agreements contrary to the foregoing express language are valid unless they are in writing and signed by myself and TM Camping’s Executive Director. 

I also understand that if I am hired, I will be required to provide proof of identity and legal authority to work in the United States and that federal immigration laws require me to complete an I-9 Form in this regard. I agree to a background check, fingerprinting and on-going drug testing.  

Closing Letter

Thank you for applying to be a part of the American Outdoor Christian Education Team!

The work done here influences eternity! We are excited about how God is using our ministry to impact people and other ministries throughout the world. If you are hired, we hope that as you get to know us and experience God’s work here, and you will love this ministry as much as we do! 

Sincerely, 

Gregory Lewis

Outdoor Education Director

Salary : $175