Everglades National Park Kayak Tour Guide/Naturalist

Apply to Shurr Adventures Everglades National Parks Top Kayaking company today! Join a team that truly cares about our team, work/life balance and is fun to work with. We are a small family business seeking full-time and part-time professional kayaking guides who are humble, team players, enthusiastic, and are personable people, to lead kayak eco-trips in the Florida Everglades either year round, or seasonal starting Feb or sooner until April 15th. The proper candidate must have commercial outdoor guiding experience as a raft guide, kayak guide, hiking guide or other outdoor guiding positions or a college degree in biology, or a related field. The ideal candidate has both guiding experience and a college degree in biology or something similar.

We are looking for guides who enjoy spotting wildlife and teaching guests about the Everglades ecosystem in a safe and fun way. As a kayak guide, you will paddle near 10 foot alligators on a daily basis. With that said we teach you everything, you need to know to have the confidence to paddle in the Everglades. This is a part time position that can possibly turn into a full time position.

About our Company and What to Expect

We are a husband and wife team, a small family company that has been around for 20 years in the Everglades as one of the first kayak companies in the area. We have both been guides for around 25 years hiking, kayaking, and rafting guiding. In the summer our business heads to Yellowstone National Park where we lead hiking, kayaking and sightseeing tours with Shurr Adventures. We are looking for the right person(s) to help represent our company the way our amazing team has for years as we continue to grow. We are one of the busiest companies on the river, but our trips consist of only 1 guide per 8 people. We have one of the smallest group to guide ratios on the river, which helps with customer safety, experience, and most times great tips for the guides.This job is very rewarding but it is not an easy job and not for everyone. After our guides are comfortable and fully trained a lot of days it will be just you and your guests as we will not be there everyday as we are at our home office booking the tours for our adventures in the Everglades, Yellowstone, and Indiana Dunes National Park.

Qualifications

• Must be able to multi-task (a.k.a answer guest questions while ensuring group safety and be able to spot wildlife).
• College Degree, a plus to have any of these listed degrees Biology, Ecology, Natural Sciences, Education, Outdoor Education, Geography or any other related degree.
• Must be an avid birder or interested in learning. (A plus if you know common Everglades birds and their calls).
• Must be able to perform other tasks besides guiding, (i.e. cleaning boats, gear etc)
• Must be able to safely guide guests past alligators within a couple of feet (alligators on our tours range from babies to 12feet long).
• Must be able to back up a 15 passenger van and a kayak trailer or willing to learn quickly:).
• Must be able to kayak for 8 hours in a day and paddle around 6 to 8 miles daily
• Must be in good physical condition and able to lift 60 to 80lbs a lot every day
• Must know how to read a map, compass, and chart or learn
• Must be able to follow directions.
• Must be organized and punctual
• Must have a clean driving record.
• Must be patient, kind, and customer service orientated.
• Must be able to tolerate heat, humidity, biting insects, whining kids, or adults :)
• Must be an outdoor adventurer who likes sharing the natural world with people.
• Must be able to pass a criminal background check.
• Must be able to pass a two week training program that isn't easy but will fully prepare you for the job.
• Be able to work certain weekends and holidays except for Christmas Eve, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter day (we are the only company that is off on those days).

Pay

Pay is $100 to $120 dollars per half day trip (3 hours water time ) and $175 for a full day trip (5 to 6 hours water time). Two half days is 200 to $240 per day before tips. For more ambitious guides we can book a full day and a half day or add three half days. we don't get many request for full days. Our goal is to get our guides as much work as they want with good breaks and at least two schedule days off per week.

Housing

Housing is hard to find and expensive but we are holding some of the most sought after Rv and camper spots in southwest. Florida 30 yards from the water. These spots are subsided by us making it the best deal and spot in Florida, no communal housing drama or living right on the property. Your own spot tiny in paradise a quick stroll to the famous Havana cafe. This position is best suited with someone that has a small camper or trailer, but tent camping is allowed, but brutal with the bugs and heat. Sorry they don't allow van or car camping. The boats and trailer are a 3 minute bike ride.

Justin and Alli

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $200.00 - $300.00 per day

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• On call
• Weekends as needed

Supplemental pay types:

• Bonus opportunities
• Tips

Application Question(s):

• Do you have a camper or a trailer to live in? We don't offer housing but are holding some highly sought after rv spots and camping spots for future guides that we subsided making it the best deal in southwest Florida and no communal housing its your own spot with a bathhouse and a dock to fish and a ramp to paddle. Unfortunately,Car and Van Camping is not allowed on these sites. The price per month is 500 dollars or if you spilt camping between guides 250 a month. Best price in Florida and right by the water. There is a shower and bath house and laundry and fishing on site. Camping is brutal in the spring if you haven't lived in a tent long term this isn't the place to start.

Shift availability:

• Day Shift (Required)

Work Location: In person