Seasonal Outdoor Instructor Position, School-Year 2026-27

Slide Ranch Seasonal Outdoor Instructor Position

Term of work September 2, 2026 - May 22, 2027.

Slide Ranch is a non-profit educational farm located in a spectacular coastal location and can be found on Highway 1 (Shoreline Highway), just 25 minutes north of San Francisco.

Mission Statement

We connect children and people of all ages to the outdoors and partner with community groups, families and educators to provide transformative learning experiences on our organic farm and national park land along the California coast.

We envision a world in which:

Everyone feels a sense of belonging and wonder in the outdoors. Life-changing experiences in nature are an important part of every child’s education. All people understand and value the connections between their own health, food and the environment. All people are inspired and empowered to actively protect the environment and live in ways that sustain it.

Core Values

We believe that:

Nature Immersion: Spending time and learning in the outdoors supports mental and physical well-being and fosters respect, love and understanding of nature.

Inclusion: An equitable, just approach to inclusion must address the systemic barriers that exist in our society. People of all races, backgrounds and abilities have a right to access nature, feel welcome and safe outdoors, and be able to learn in programs that are relevant to their cultures and their lives.

Community: Gathering together outdoors creates meaningful connections among people, facilitates mutual respect and understanding, enhances learning, and promotes a shared joy in nature. Building community through nature with inclusion promotes equity and justice.

Stewardship: Protecting and giving back to the land is our collective responsibility, recognizes indigenous culture and knowledge, and promotes healthy ecosystems in which people, animals and nature thrive together.

Sustainability: Sustainable farming and organizational practices honor our interconnection with nature, promote the health of our food systems and environment, and mitigate climate change.

Seasonal Instructor Position Description

The Slide Ranch Instructor position (residential or non-residential) is suited for people with experience in outdoor education and/or who enjoy working with people from all ages and backgrounds. The experiential education programs focus on exploring the farm (pasture with sheep and goats, chicken coops, ducks, beehives, and our organic garden), trails and tidepools, and cooking from the garden. Slide Ranch’s agricultural systems and wild, coastal ecosystem provide the context for hands-on learning, illustrating concepts of ecology, stewardship, and sustainability in an agricultural and wild landscape.

We are looking for someone with a passion for nature (who doesn’t mind getting dirty), an enthusiasm for outdoor education, and who enjoys working with children and people of all ages. The position is best suited for a driven, positive, and independent worker. The position requires a collaborative and positive spirit to work with a team of instructors and organization staff.

The central focus of the position is on guiding school and community groups and families around the farm, incorporating specific learning objectives depending on the age of participants and the type of program scheduled. Slide Ranch programs serve preschool through adult visitors, with the majority being elementary school-aged children from all backgrounds. OIs will also lead focused workshops that celebrate the season and resources from the ranch. The work week (Tuesday-Saturday) typically involves 4-5 instruction days, evening night programs, and some time each day supporting garden and ranch projects. Outdoor Instructors are working outdoors in all weather on most days.

The position begins with approximately 2 weeks of orientation and training in September. Training includes ranch caretaking, basic animal care (feeding our goats, sheep, chickens, and ducks, and milking our goats) and instructor program training. School and family programs run September - May.

This position is full time September 2, 2026 - December 12, 2026 and January 12, 2027 - May 22, 2027. Outdoor Instructors have 4 weeks of unpaid time off December 15, 2026 - January 8, 2027. Residential staff that prefer to remain on-site during their time off can expect to provide one hour of support to the ranch or Programs (as needed) for every day on site in exchange for housing.

In early June, the ranch prepares for the upcoming 10 weeks of summer camp. An option to continue on through Summer and extend to subsequent school year season may be an option if it seems a good fit for all parties

A typical work day includes rotational, 30-minute farm chores, preparation for the program, leading a program, and program clean-up. For overnight groups, there is an evening program that may include a night hike, campfire, or other evening activities. Several instructional observations, professional developme…