Job Opportunities

The Cottonwood Institute has immediate openings for the following positions:

COMMUNITY ADVENTURE PROGRAM INSTRUCTOR: The Cottonwood Institute has an immediate opening for 2 super star instructors who are passionate about inspiring the youth of America to teach the Community Adventure Program (a.k.a CAP). CAP is a unique academic experience that blends outdoor education, environmental education, and service-learning to inspire students to become active community leaders and environmental stewards. CAP teaches students essential camping and wilderness survival skills necessary to comfortably and competently explore the outdoors, while providing them with the tools and resources to tackle important environmental issues affecting their communities in order to help change the world. CAP also introduces students to the concept of environmental sustainability and teaches them specific ways to reduce their environmental footprint both in the backcountry and throughout their daily lives. Each class meets for 6-8 hours per week, students attend two weekend overnight camping trips per quarter, and each class completes an Environmental Service-Learning Project each quarter to address an environmental issue in their community that they are passionate about addressing as a group.

• Start Date:  Immediate Opening at New Vista High School in Boulder, CO and P.S.1 Charter School in Denver, CO for the 2008 - 2009 school year. We are looking for qualified survival instructors to teach CAP from August 14, 2008 - May 31, 2009 for the 2008 - 2009 school year..
• Time Commitment: 15 - 20 hours per week + 2 weekend overnight camping trips per 9-10-week quarter.
• Preferred and Required Qualifications: See below.
• Compensation: The Cottonwood Institute typically pays $23+ per hour for classroom instruction, $100 - $150 per day for weekend overnight camping trips, $75 - $100 per day for Assistant Instructors based on experience, Pro-Deals for outdoor gear and equipment, and lots of good Karma.
• Apply: Please Email a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director. *Due to the volume of applicants, please do not call. If your qualifications meet our criteria, we will contact you for an interview.
• For more information: Click Here!

SUMMER COURSE INSTRUCTORS: We have immediate openings for qualified instructors to facilitate our Summer Courses. Summer Courses are week-long coed courses that provide students with the opportunity to practice essential camping and wilderness survival skills, explore future careers, learn about specific environmental issues, complete meaningful service projects in the backcountry to tackle those particular environmental issues, and learn how to reduce their environmental footprint. We are interested in creating a network of professional instructors that can teach our courses on an Independent Contractor basis.

• Start Date: Please check our 2008 Summer Course Schedule and let us know your availability.
• Time Commitment: 7-day courses + 1/2 day to complete pre and post-course logistics.
• Preferred and Required Instructor Qualifications: See below.
• Compensation: $100 - $150 per day for Head Instructors based on experience, $75 - $100 per day for Assistant Instructors based on experience, Pro-Deals for outdoor gear and equipment, and lots of good Karma.
• Apply: Please Email a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Ford Church, Founder and Executive Director. *Due to the volume of applicants, please do not call about this position. If your qualifications meet our criteria, we will ask you to complete our Staff Application and will send you an employment survey to complete and we will contact you for an interview.
• For more information: Click Here.

INSTRUCTOR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Superstar.
• Passionate about teaching high school students, inspiring the youth of America, environmental awareness and education, outdoor skills, civic engagement, and teaching students how to reduce their environmental footprint.
• Background practicing or teaching essential camping and wilderness survival skills, including: 4-season camping, minimum impact camping, bow-drill fires, natural shelters, natural cordage, etc.
• Experience implementing a service-learning curriculum is preferred, but not required.
• Experience coordinating event or trip logistics.
• Excellent verbal and written skills.
• Personal transportation to transport students and gear on field trips and overnight camping trips.
• Valid teaching license preferred, but not required.

INSTRUCTOR REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must attend Cottonwood Institute Staff Training or complete equivalent training.
• Appropriate teaching experience with high school students in a traditional or non-traditional school or program setting.
• Appropriate experience leading multi-day adventure/outdoor education programs.
• Minimum of Wilderness First Aid medical certification from a nationally recognized organization, Wilderness First Responder preferred.
• Minimum of Adult CPR certification from a nationally recognized organization.
• Pass a criminal background check, including criminal, sex-related and child-abuse offenses.
• Driving record must be free from Driving Under the Influence or Driving While Intoxicated violations, or any pattern of moving violations.
• Must have a valid drivers license and an approved Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) on file.

NONPROFIT INTERNSHIP: The Cottonwood Institute is looking for a Nonprofit Intern to support our Executive Director. The Cottonwood Institute is a 4.5-year old non-profit based in Denver, Colorado. We are looking for an entrepreneurial self-starter who is interested in helping a young non-profit succeed in a competitive market, while building an impressive portfolio before entering the job market. We are looking for a candidate that can commit to 15 – 20 hours per week. A majority of the work for this internship may be completed off-site if the candidate has access to a computer with Internet access.

• Start date: Open.
  
• Time Commitment: 15 - 20 hours per week (flexible).
• Compensation: Unfortunately this is an unpaid internship, but you will receive lots of good Karma! Interns will have an opportunity to come on Cottonwood Institute Staff Trainings and Courses. Interns will also be able to observe our high school program-Community Adventure Program-in action if desired.
  
• Apply: Please Email a resume, cover letter, and three professional references to Ford Church, Founder & Executive Director. *Due to the volume of applicants, please do not call. If your qualifications meet our criteria, we will contact you for an interview.
• For more information: Click Here to download the Internship Job Description.

INTERNSHIP DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Intern will assist with the following tasks:

• Execute key aspects of our business plan, primarily focusing on marketing, development, and programming
• Actively promote our Summer Courses, Design Your Own Courses, Free Survival Clinics, and Change the World Movie Nights
• Help coordinate programming logistics for our Summer Courses
• Research local, state, and federal grants
• Represent the Cottonwood Institute at strategic community events
• Assist with the redesign of our website
• Create marketing multimedia slide shows and videos to help promote our educational programs
• Maintain the Cottonwood Institute Blog and write articles
• Help conduct market research with Cottonwood Institute parents and students as well as prospective parents and students
• Record the evaluation data of participants
• Attend nonprofit professional development trainings and events
• Complete other administrative duties as assigned

INTERNSHIP QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:

Preferred Qualifications:

• Is a superstar
• Is passionate the mission and vision of the Cottonwood Institute
• Is responsible, dependable, and mature with a high level of integrity
• Follows through with commitments and deliverables
• Is a Junior, Senior, or Graduate student
• Has excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Enjoys working independently
• Is a multi-tasker
• Has a sharp attention to detail
• Has an outgoing personality
• Has reliable transportation to attend meetings and events
• Has a laptop with wireless capabilities