Employment

Employment - Alpengirl Summer Camp Staff & Internships

Alpengirl hires a few new summer camp staff “Alpenguides” each year.

We are very selective in who we hire because we understand that our camp staff IS Alpengirl.

Our staff to camper ratio is 1:6 or 1:4. (2) Alpenguides plus (1) Alpenintern (select sessions) are leading small groups of 12 girls on teen adventure travel trips that are 1, 2 or 3 weeks long. Alpenguides are typically hired to work consecutive trips for the entire summer, starting in Montana for pre-season camp staff training in mid-June and lasting through the end of the camp season in mid-August. Alpenguides from last summer were ages 19-31, average age Alpenguide is 25, our typical Alpenguide return rate is 60%+ each summer, and we usually have 8-12 Alpenguides employed each summer. We offer an above industry standard pay scale and a small, family-like program that serves less than 120 girls each summer.

We are happy to accept resumes complete with professional references and an Alpengirl specific cover letter anytime of the year.

Once we know what our new hiring needs are, we go through a summer adventure camp employment hiring process:

Review resume, professional references, and Alpengirl specific cover letter.
Select qualified individuals and arrange an employment interview(s).
Conduct reference checks, criminal history and other background checks and verify past work history.
Successful candidates will receive a hire offer letter that outlines schedule and pay along with a voluntary disclosure statement to complete.
Successful candidates are then asked to review the hire offer and ask clarifying questions. Then, if committed to the offer as outlined, sign and submit the offer to Alpengirl (ideally within a week of receiving it) along with a headshot photo, a written website self-biography, copies of required certifications and personal identification, and the completed voluntary disclosure statement.
Once Alpengirl receives the signed hire offer and necessary paperwork as listed above, interviews will cease for that job vacancy.

Alpengirl Summer Camp Staff ~ Outdoor Adventure Camp Leadership “Alpenguide” Job

The role of the Alpenguide is all encompassing. In addition to supervising girls, ages 11-17 new to teen adventure camps in wilderness tent camping environments, she will lead multi-day backpacking trips and canoeing adventure activities, teach outdoor living and camping skills, provide camper wilderness medical care, drive campers in passenger vans with or without gear trailers, communicate with camper parents, contracted activity outfitters, and camp director from the field, complete written reports, complete co-staff evaluations, maintain a constant awareness of and provide attention to individual camper needs, adhere to a trip budget, assess and manage safety risks, and make decisions that benefit the group's experience as a whole. There’s more to adventure camp leadership than just hiking and playing games. The person that excels at this job has a balanced combination of soft skills (people skills) and hard skills (backpacking) and enjoys sharing both equally to benefit girls in their care at Alpengirl. Alpenguides are responsible, positive and healthy role models that regularly demonstrate FUN!

Minimum Requirements:

Age 19 and completed at least 1 year of college
WFA (wilderness first aid) certification (nationally recognized certifications only, WMI preferred). Valid through employment dates
CPR certification valid through employment dates
Emotional maturity and stability
Working experience with kids in an outdoor setting, preferably teens
Backpacking experience
Competence in leading 5 day backpacking trips
Confidence to make decisions for entire group
Experience initiating and leading successful group games/activities
Understanding of safety and safe conduct
Clean driving record and clean criminal background record
Basic paperwork and organization skills
Personal health insurance coverage in effect during employment at Alpengirl
Promptness
Self-motivated, flexible, spontaneous
Fun, Funny, and Fun Lovin'
Superhuman power of some kind!!!!

In addition to the minimum requirements above, Alpengirl will aim to staff each camp session with Alpenguide(s) who posses the following additional or advanced qualifications:

Age 21+ and completed at least 3 years of college
WFR (wilderness first responder) or WEMT (wilderness EMT) certification (nationally recognized certifications only, WMI preferred). Valid through employment dates
2 or more seasons working experience with teenagers in teen adventure camp setting
Lifeguard certification valid through employment dates
Backcountry Food Handlers certification valid through employment dates
Comfort, knowledge & experience with geographic area of trip
Experience maintaining budgets
Experience driving a 15 passenger van
Canoe instructor certification
Science &/or natural history teaching experience
Yoga experience
Yoga instructor certification
Leave No Trace certification
Commercial Drivers License

Camp Staff Training

We require all Alpenguides to attend 5 days of on-site pre-camp staff training in Bozeman, Montana in mid-June. Alpenguides will receive staff training reading and study materials and are expected to be familiar with these materials prior to arrival in Montana for on-site staff training. Alpenguides will arrange their own personal transportation to Montana for staff training and will arrive with a completed health form along with proof of health insurance that indicates coverage through employment dates. The training includes practical scenarios, skill demonstration, yoga, backpacking, and more. We have loads of FUN at training too!

Physical Ability to Meet the Following Requirements:

Hike up to 10 miles on trails that may have snow and ice at elevations up to 11,000 feet
Traverse uneven terrain that could include gravel, dirt, mud and snow
Live and work in a setting with variable weather conditions
Hike quickly for up to 10 miles in emergency situations to obtain assistance
Move and/or lift up to 60 pounds loading and unloading equipment/packs from vehicles
Reach, climb, grasp, push and pull above and below shoulder levels, squat, and bend

Tolerances for the Following Environmental Exposures:

May be exposed to extreme hot, cold, wet, dry and humid weather during activities
Temperature conditions may vary considerably depending on the site, time of day, and weather. Weather conditions will vary, consistent with locations and working at up to 11,000 ft. elevation from June to August
May be exposed to toxic substances (i.e. bleach for sterilizing dishes, and petroleum vehicle fuel)
May experience natural disasters such as fire, flood, earthquake, landslide, and heavy snow
Will be exposed to dust, pollen, poison oak, a variety of animals, plant life, bees and other insects

Mental and Emotional Requirements:

Ability to memorize to recall facts, figures and information
Ability to concentrate, to accurately and productively perform the outlined tasks of this position
Ability to interact successfully with supervisor, co-workers, campers, contract outfitters/vendors, and parents
Ability to make independent decisions and respond to immediate needs of campers, emergency situations, daily program needs

Alpengirl, Inc is an equal opportunity employer

Alpengirl Summer Camp Internship ~ Outdoor Adventure Camp Leadership “Alpenintern”

Select Montana and Washignton Alpengirl camp sessions will accept a non-paid Alpenintern. This is an opportunity for a younger woman to gain some outdoor leadership work experience while being supervised by experienced, positive, outdoor women Alpenguides and the camp director. We are always eager to accept resumes, references, and cover letters from potential interns for review to assess the skills, experience, and interests that the potential intern presents, to determine how she would compliment the vision and philosophy of Alpengirl. School credit may be applied.

Alpenguides will evaluate and provide feedback verbally to the intern throughout her internship and a written review from the Alpenguides is provided to the Camp Director.

After an Alpengirl summer camp internship, young women will have a high quality start to a professional resume and an impressive element to add when interviewing or applying for college acceptance or other jobs. Skills gained in this summer camp internship are transferable and are applicable in all sorts of non-camp related work or educational environments.

Description

Alpeninterns will assist Alpenguides with girls, ages 11-15 new to teen adventure camps in wilderness tent camping environments. While acting as a positive and healthy role models to younger girls, Alpeninterns will uphold standards, policies, and procedures of the Alpengirl program as instructed and will perform other duties applicable to the safe and successful operation of camp, and demonstrate FUN! Alpeninterns have specific roles in the Alpengirl leadership team, they are errand runners, van managers and skills beads managers and are involved in discussions with Alpenguides regarding campers and logistics and tasks. Alpeninterns are not campers and they are not staff, they are assisting the Alpenguiding team and are viewed as a member of Alpengirl leadership by campers, but, they have no unsupervised camper care or driving responsibilities. Alpeninterns will sleep in their own tent and will sometimes share a tent with the Alpenguides. Alpeninterns will enjoy special privileges such as time-off to sleep in, go for a run, or make calls to friends and family back home. During a 2-week Alpengirl internship, an intern may participate in her choice of two different outfitted activities such as whitewater rafting, horseback riding or rock climbing and she will partake in all other camp activities, fun and games!

There are two levels of Alpeninterns, the “Aspen” and the “Sage”. The first level is the Aspen Alpenintern; she is at an introductory level and pays Alpengirl a certain amount determined by the tuition costs of the camp session being interned at. The second level is the Sage Alpenintern; she is slightly more advanced than the Aspen Alpenintern and does not pay anything to intern at Alpengirl.

Minimum Requirements

Age 17
Meet all physical ability, environment tolerances, and emotional requirements as listed above in Alpenguide job description
Backpacking experience for 3+ continuous and progressive days
Attended a residential summer camp program in the recent past
Confidence in contributing to group decision-making
Confidence in initiating and leading successful group games and activities
Emotional reliability
Understanding of safety and safe conduct
Basic paperwork and organization skills
Personal health insurance coverage in effect while at Alpengirl
Promptness
Self-motivated, flexible, spontaneously fun
Knowledge and ability to abide by all camp rules
Knowledge and ability to follow guidelines of conduct established by Alpengirl
Fun, Funny, and Fun Lovin'
Superhuman power of some kind!!!!

Application

Please email Alpengirl a well thought out and thorough cover letter. In your cover letter, include contact information for 2 references (teachers, community leaders, coaches, non-family members), include any dates you are not available between June 15 and August 15, explain why you’d be a good candidate for an internship, why the internship will be a benefit you (list specific skills, knowledge or abilities you hope to gain from the internship) and elaborate on experience you may have with things like:

Yoga
Teaching
Peer or youth mentoring
Backpacking and canoeing
Outdoor leadership experiences
Past camp experiences
Familiarity with Alpengirl or Alpengirl trip locations
Your unique personality
School activities or sports
Involvement in activities, clubs or volunteering outside of school
Jobs you’ve had
What you do for fun
Medical certifications (first aid, cpr)
Life guarding certification

Selection Process

Once we know what our needs and capacities for interns are, we go through a summer camp internship selection process:

Review Alpengirl specific cover letter with professional references.
Select qualified individuals and arrange an interview(s).
Conduct reference checks, criminal history and other background checks.
Successful candidates will receive an internship offer letter that outlines schedule and along with a voluntary disclosure statement to complete.
Successful candidates are then asked to review the internship offer and ask clarifying questions. Then, if committed to the offer as outlined, sign and submit the offer to Alpengirl (ideally within a week of receiving it) along with the completed voluntary disclosure statement.
Once Alpengirl receives the signed internship offer and voluntary disclosure statement, interviews will cease for that internship vacancy.

Before Internship

Alpeninterns are required to complete and submit a health form and attach proof of health insurance coverage and other forms that allow participation in camp and camp activities. Alpeninterns are expected to have read all Alpengirl web pages prior to internship and are expected to know more about Alpengirl than the average camper attending Alpengirl.