Seward Alaska - EmploymentEmployment Opportunities
at Miller’s Landing
Position: Kayak
Guide/Instructor
Miller’s Landing
is committed to
employing top quality kayak guides dedicated to
the training
and education of Miller’s Landing clients, in an atmosphere
of professional excellence.
 
Working Conditions:
First year guides can expect to earn between $32 to $100 a
day generally, depending on if they do a half day trip; two
half day trips, or a full day trip. All trips are paid on a
daily rate (see below). There are some trips that pay more
that are on a longer day which can generate $125 a day plus
tips. These trips are more remote trips, are longer trips,
and are usually given to more experienced senior guides.
Guides should expect to work 5 days a week, and sometimes
long hours. Sometimes you will be expected to work overtime.
You should not expect weekends off, and should expect
rotating schedules and hours, (often making other part time
work impossible).
Guides should expect to work in all weather conditions. It
is critical that all employees are comfortable enough to
lead our clientele in these challenging conditions with a
smile on their face. |
Medical Qualifications:
Hiring preference is given to guides who have an up to date
Wilderness First Aid Card or better. You are required to
have a current CPR and First Aid Card because you are not
allowed to operate in the State Parks system or National
Parks system without one. If you do
not have this when you arrive for work, you will
not be able to work until you do.
Please arrange for this prior to arrival. There are no
classes available once you get here and the nearest town
providing them is 126 miles away in Anchorage (and those
classes may only be offered once or twice a month there).
Training:
We highly recommend, at a minimum, a BCU 2Star certification
(representing beginning skill levels) or ACA Certification.
Hiring preference will be given to employees meeting these
certification standards. All kayak guides must demonstrate
satisfactory rescue skills, paddle float re-entries, and
will be assessed on how well they give kayak lesson courses.
Guides who are not able to pass this probationary testing
period will not be retained.
Housing:
Affordable housing is difficult to find in Seward. Miller’s Landing
will provide a tent camping area in "tent city for employees
" for $100 per month. We also have shared primitive
bunkhouse rooms with a community kitchen for $100 a month.
Rooms are given out by seniority. Some rooms may have up to
3-4 occupants. All employees must provide their own bedding
and camping gear. Camper space is available in employee
designated locations in the campground for $100 a month.
Shower and laundry is available in our campground. All
employees are responsible for their own meals. Housing is
not available to relatives, family or friends in the
bunkhouse or tent camping areas. |
Pro Deals:
Miller’s Landing has pro purchasing agreements with: Necky,
Daggar, and Kokotat.
New Hires:
• All new hires subject to pre-employment drug screening.
• All new hires will be employed on a probationary basis.
• All new hires are required to sign terms of employment.
• Point of hire is Seward, Alaska.
Miller’s Landing employs hard workers, who are independently
driven, who need little supervision. We favor Alaskan
residents for employees but do consider non-Alaskans. We
expect you to be capable of handling Alaskan weather,
waters, and hardships in a wilderness setting. Most of our
guides love their work, return each year, and work for much
less than they make in their “real jobs” (in off season). We
are looking for people who love kayaking, and love the water
and are not as concerned about the money.
Qualities
And Skills Necessary:
• Independent individual who can manage priorities
• One year of Sea Kayaking Guide experience or equivalent
• Physically fit; strong enough to lift 80 lb kayaks; load
and unload kayaks on water taxi boat and to shore for
clients
• Knowledge of self rescue
• Ability to rescue others
• Ability to teach kayak lessons
• Friendly, outgoing personality
• Clean cut appearance
• Well spoken and articulate
• Eager to excel
• Must work weekends and holidays
• Natural history and interpretive skills a plus
• Wilderness Responder Course a plus
• CPR and First Aid Certified
• ACA or BCU Certification a plus
• Willing to work overtime if asked
• Enjoys campfire cooking and is a good cook
• Is very organized and thinks of every little thing….
• Willing to do other responsibilities as needed such as
helping with reservations; miscellaneous office work or
outside work;
equipment repair, maintenance, kayak repair,
training etc.
• Does not get seasick on boats (we use water taxi to
transport to remote areas)
• Loves camping
• Willing to wait on clients when camping/guiding
• Backcountry knowledge and skills
• Professional, “Can do” attitude
Pay Scale for Kayak Guides:
Guides are paid on a “daily rate”. Please read this
section very carefully before you apply.
• 3 hour guided trips are paid at $36 plus tips.
Three hour trips usually generate an average of
approximately 4 to 4 ½ hours of work. The time involved
depends on how long it takes you to prepare for your trip;
clean and put your client’s kayak gear away; and also
depends on how long the slowest paddler in your group
paddles and the weather conditions you are paddling in. You
are expected to work until all of your work is completed and
all gear is cleaned and stowed away properly.
• Six hour trips are paid $72. These trips usually
average approximately 7 ½ to 8 hours of work. The time
involved depends on how long it takes you to prepare for
your trip; clean and put your gear away; and also depends on
how long the slowest paddler in your group paddles and the
weather conditions you are paddling in. You are expected to
work until all of your work is completed and all gear is
cleaned and stowed away properly.
 •
Full day (8 hour paddles with 4 hours traveling
time totaling 12 hours) are paid $125. Sometimes these trips
can run from 6 AM to 9 PM or so in the evening.
Approximately 4 to 5 hours of this time is running time in
the water taxi where we will be looking at wildlife, and
watching for whales. The time involved depends on how long
it takes you to prepare for your trip; clean and put your
gear away; and also depends on how long the slowest paddler
in your group paddles and the weather conditions you are
paddling in or we are navigating in. You are expected to
work until all of your work is completed and all gear is
cleaned and stowed away properly.
• Overnight trips are paid at $125 for the first day,
and $100 per day afterwards plus tips. You are expected to
paddle approximately 6 hours a day with your clients. You
are expected to cook for them, help them with their tent
camping gear, problems, etc. When you return you are
expected to clean all gear used by your clients; stow it
away properly; take care of leftover food, and help put
everything away.
• Good guides generally make very good tips. Some
guides live off of their tips. You are required to report
your tips to the IRS.
• Because the Department of Labor wants us to be sure
that you are paid for all hours you work, all wages paid are
based on the current minimum wage per hour… regardless of
the daily trip rated indicated above. However, Miller’s
Landing provides an compensation “bonus” up to the amounts
indicated above for daily rates, so you will always
receive at least what the daily rate is (plus tips) for a
specific trip.
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