Outdoor Recreation And Alternative Sports Instructor

About Our Job

With competitive pay, great benefits, and endless opportunities, working for the City and County of Denver means seeing yourself working with purpose - for you, and those who benefit from your passion, skills, and expertise. Join our diverse, inclusive, and talented workforce of more than 11,000 team members who are at the heart of what makes Denver, Denver.

Application Deadline

Applications for this position are accepted on a rolling basis. Please submit your application as soon as possible to ensure consideration.

What We Offer

This is an on-call position, which means it is a part-time, hourly role. This position will work no more than 39 hours per week. The payrate for this position is $19.25/hour and is eligible to enroll in the City and County of Denver's 457b retirement plan. This position is not eligible for other additional benefits.

Location and Schedule

In this position you can expect to work on-site at various locations that offer Denver Parks and Recreation programming. These programs often take place at some of Colorado's most sought-after outdoor spaces including various Denver Mountain Parks, Denver Urban Parks, the Genesee Challenge Course, and various other parks and open spaces across the state. Programs are offered on weekdays and weekends. On‐call positions may have routine or variable work schedules.

What You'll Do

The City and County of Denver's Department of Parks and Recreation's Outdoor Recreation and Alternative Sports teams are gearing up for the best summer yet! These exciting and uniquely Colorado programs include climbing, hiking, mountain biking, skateboarding, water sports, teambuilding activities, and so much more.

Both the Outdoor Recreation and Alternative Sports program teams are seeking instructors to support the continued growth of these popular and unique programs. Come join the team and work where you play!

Outdoor Recreation Instructors are responsible for facilitating and/or supporting all water sport programs (stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, canoeing), backcountry rock climbing, team building, low and high elements at the Genesee Challenge Course, learn-to-ski and snowboard programs in collaboration with Winter Park, as well as hiking, ice skating, snowshoeing, and cross-country ski adventures for families, youth, adults, and active older adults in the Denver Mountain Parks system and various other parks and open spaces across the state.

Alternative Sports Instructors are responsible for facilitating and/or supporting programs including biking (inclusive of BMX, E-bike rides, Learn-to-Bike, mountain biking), climbing on artificial rock walls (including Carla Madison Recreation Center's climbing wall and the department's mobile rock wall), roller-skating, skateboarding, disc golf, oversight of Ruby Hill Railyard, snowboarding, and a variety of other program offerings happening within Denver's Urban Parks System for participants of all ages.

Our department provides intensive training for staff to prepare them for areas in which they do not have direct professional experience. Staffing needs vary season to season, with spring-fall being the busiest time of the year for programs. Instructors are paid $19.25/hour.

As a Recreation Instructor for these program areas, you will:

• Deliver a high level of customer service to all program participants

• Display a high degree of competency and consideration for safety throughout day-to-day programming

• Maintain a positive group atmosphere in which all participants are welcomed, included, and supported

• Supporting all facets of program registration and group programming

• Maintain proper documentation such as end-of-day trip reports, incident/accident reports, and rope/equipment logs

• Monitor weather conditions and make alternative plans in the event of severe or inclement weather

• Identify and minimize environmental risks; follow policies and procedures as set forth by the Department of Parks and Recreation

• Drive department vehicles, including trucks with trailer-in-tow and 15-passenger mini-buses with participants

• Respond to emergencies and provide patient care when appropriate; be prepared to summon help/initiate rescue in backcountry environments with no cellphone reception

About You

What You'll Bring

Our ideal candidate will be a well-rounded outdoor or recreation enthusiast with extensive personal and/or professional experience in areas such as challenge course instruction, backpacking/camping, various water sports, rock climbing and belaying, skateboarding, biking, and more. Our ideal candidate will have reliable transportation and the availability to lead activities throughout our extensive program service area and will be able to participate in our activity-specific in-house trainings provided throughout the season.

Our ideal candidate will have:

• Experience leading outdoor programming

• Experience working with youth and adults in a recreation setting

• Experience in guiding rock climbing, challenge course facilitation, or other urban outdoor sports

• Open availability during our peak spring-fall season

• Experience driving passenger vans, light-duty trucks, and trailers

• Bilingual language skills. After completing an assessment, bilingual staff members may be eligible to receive an additional stipend on their paycheck when using a second language on the job.

• CPR and First Aid Certification

Any of the following certifications are preferred at the time of application, but not required:

• Wilderness First Aid/Wilderness First Responder Certification

We value diversity of ethnicity, race, socioeconomic status, sexual identity, gender, religion, language, ability, and experience and exemplify this through the makeup of our team at all levels. You'll be right at home here if you cultivate strong relationships and push yourself, your work, the people around you and Denver to the next level.

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Education requirement: Graduation from high school or the possession of a GED, HiSET or TASC Certificate.

• Experience Requirement: One (1) year of experience in assisting in the operation and instruction of organized recreation activities.

• Education/Experience Equivalency: Additional appropriate education may be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

• License/Certifications: Requires certification in CPR and First Aid within 6 months of date of hire. Requires a valid driver's license at the time of application. (Employees may be eligible to drive department/city vehicles for transportation and subject to motor vehicle record check and required to pass a city sponsored driver safety training course.) Licenses and certifications must be kept current as a condition of continued employment.

About Everything Else

Job Profile

CA2583 Recreation Instructor

To view the full job profile including position specifications, physical demands, and probationary period, click here.

Position Type

Oncall

Position Salary Range

$18.29 - $27.44

Starting Pay

$19.25/hour

Agency

Parks and Recreation

The City and County of Denver provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, age, or any other status protected under federal, state, and/or local law.

Applicants for employment with the City and County of Denver must have valid work authorization that does not require sponsorship of a visa for employment authorization in the U.S.

For information about right to work, click here for English or here for Spanish.