Summer Staff Kidder Creek Adventure Guide/Lifeguard

Mount Hermon Associationorporated•Etna, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Kidder Creek Adventure Guide assists and leads campers and staff on river trips and facilitates ropes courses, rock climbing, backpacking, biking, and other adventure and recreation activities. The role helps ensure campers have an adventurous experience consistent with Mount Hermon Association, Inc.’s mission, vision, and values. This is a ministerial position: staff are expected to express their Christian faith through their work, stewardship, relationships, and behavior, affirm MHA’s Christian mission and standards, and participate in gatherings that include prayer, worship, and Bible-centered teaching. Guides lead assigned adventure trips on the river, at camp, and in nearby national forest and wilderness areas; maintain and inspect equipment; transport campers; and ensure camper safety during activities. They may assist with food preparation, host river and Outback groups, support other KC programs when adventure activities are not operating, lead camper debriefs connecting experiences with Biblical truth, rotate into guide or counselor roles, and lifeguard as assigned. The position has no supervisory responsibilities. The work takes place both indoors and outdoors in varied heat, cold, wet, humid, dry, and arid conditions. It involves extended hiking over varied terrain, swimming, climbing, shouting, and lifting and carrying gear weighing 15–60 pounds. The role requires onsite community living and willingness to drive campers in camp vehicles.

Requirements

Current valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
CPR/First Aid certification before arriving at camp.
Successfully complete KC’s River Guide School and Swift Water Rescue, or an equivalent course from another provider, before summer.
Complete and pass rock training during KC staff training.
Be lifeguard certified or able to pass a lifeguard certification class after hire.
Complete ropes lead training and pass ropes guide/lead during KC staff training.
Food Handler’s Card.
Prior experience working with elementary, junior high, and high school students.
Ability to articulate the gospel of Jesus Christ as communicated in Scripture and demonstrate a personal, committed, thoughtful faith in Christ.
Ability to serve as a positive role model, listener, enthusiastic leader, and friend.
Ability to follow through, be creative, and adjust to program challenges.
Ability to participate in varied outdoor activities and demonstrate sound judgment.
Flexibility and adaptability to changing assignments and schedules with short notice.
At least 18 years of age due to onsite community living.
Willingness to drive campers in camp vehicles and comply with MHA driving guidelines for company-owned vehicles and personal vehicles used for business.
Adherence to MHA’s mission, vision, values, and commitment statements, as well as its dress code and professional grooming standards.
Satisfactory completion of a background investigation and ability to provide proof of eligibility to work in the United States.
Ability to work indoors and outdoors in heat, cold, wet, humid, dry, and arid conditions; hike long distances over varied terrain; swim, climb, and shout; and ascend and descend ladders, stairs, cables, and trees using hands and feet.
Ability to lift and transport 15–60 pounds of gear and equipment over stairs and uneven terrain.
Ability to talk and hear over close and long distances in adverse conditions, and meet the stated vision requirements, including close and distance vision, color distinction, depth perception, peripheral vision, and focus adjustment.

Nice To Haves

At least one year of college experience.
WFR, WFA, or WAFA certification.
Experience with ropes courses, rock climbing, and/or river guiding.
Prior camp counseling experience.
Preferably at least 21 years of age, with a clean driving record, due to MHA driver policy.

Responsibilities

Guide assigned adventure trips on the river, at camp on ropes courses, and in nearby national forest and wilderness areas.
Facilitate ropes course activities, rock climbing, backpacking, biking, and other adventure and recreation activities.
Care for and maintain river, adventure, and recreation equipment; conduct regular inspections and report damaged or broken equipment promptly.
Transport campers to and from wilderness, adventure, river, and camp activities.
Ensure camper safety while guiding or facilitating adventure and river activities.
Assist with food preparation at the river and at Outback.
Host Outback adventure and river groups and assist with KC programs when adventure activities are not operating.
Lead camper debriefs and connect activities and experiences to applicable Biblical truth.
Rotate into guide or counselor positions for camp programs as requested.
Lifeguard as assigned on day hikes, with groups, and at the pond.
Perform other duties as assigned by supervisors.