TEST: NOLS Field Instructor Course Application

This application is to be considered for a NOLS Field Instructor Course.

Please ensure your read these details about the Field Instructor Course and the application process thoroughly.

NOLS field instructors teach leadership, risk management, environmental studies, first aid, and outdoor living and travel skills. Instructors must create and maintain a positive learning environment, support student learning and growth of students and co-workers, and invest in their professional development as educators. NOLS’ expedition courses are extended wilderness trips requiring significant judgment, risk management, skills competence, and autonomy from our instructors.

A NOLS instructor is an educator who is excited about facilitating transformative educational experiences in the wilderness. They are invested in showing every student how they too can be a leader and are passionate about making outdoor spaces more inclusive.

What We Require of Field Instructors

This is not an entry-level role. Our Field Instructors are responsible for leading groups of students through remote terrain, often in places they have never personally traveled before. Instructors must be confident in navigating with a map and compass, building and adjusting travel plans in real time, and managing risk in dynamic environments.

Field Instructors are responsible for people. That means:

• Making sound, timely decisions without immediate backup
  

• Managing group dynamics over multiple weeks
  

• Teaching and delivering a high-level curriculum while expeditioning
  

• Assessing terrain, weather, and hazards continuously
  

• Providing wilderness medical care when needed
  

• Modeling professionalism, judgment, and composure under stress
  

Field Instructors will lead in complex environments such as rivers, mountains, deserts, and tundra, where conditions change quickly and where self-reliance is not optional. NOLS Field Instructors teach technical skills while simultaneously tracking logistics, food, risk management, and student growth.

The primary function of the Instructor Course is to train people to be qualified to work as NOLS field instructors. The curriculum and activities are specific to working NOLS field courses, and there is a selection process to gain admission to an Instructor Course. This is the way to become qualified to be considered for hire as a NOLS instructor.

Is this like an Outdoor Educator course?

No. In contrast, an Outdoor Educator course is an open-enrollment course that is for people interested in working in the outdoor industry, but not necessarily at NOLS. Often, when applicants don’t have enough experience to be accepted onto an Instructor Course, the IC review committee might recommend taking an Outdoor Educator course as a way to gain a little more experience. Although it is common for IC participants to be NOLS Alumni, it is not a requirement for being a NOLS instructor.

Applicants must be 21 years of age and have a current Wilderness First Responder Certification.

Please refer to our Website for more information about the Instructors Course offerings and our FAQs for eligibility.

APPLICATION PROCESS

The NOLS Field Instructor Course application is hosted on our ADP HRIS portal. To ensure a smooth experience, we recommend having all documents and video links ready before you begin.

Step 1: Personal Details

You will start by providing basic contact information.

Step 2: Document Uploads

On the second page, you will find two specific areas to provide your documentation:

• Resume: Upload your current CV/Resume in the first designated slot.
• Additional Documents: Use the second upload slot to attach your Scholarship Application (if applicable), Wilderness Medicine Certifications, and your Trip Log.
• Note: Please ensure you use the attached NOLS Trip Log Excel format. To maintain our review standards, other formats or PDF versions of the trip log will not be accepted.

Step 3: Application Questionnaire

The next section consists of four long-answer questions. We recommend drafting your responses in a separate document and pasting them into ADP.

Questions for Preparation: 

See attached PDF.

Step 4: Video Submissions

The final section of the application requires two video components. You will be asked to provide links (e.g. YouTube, Google Drive, Vimeo, etc.) to the following:

• Teaching Demonstration: Submit an up to 5-minute lesson based on the included criteria.
• Behavioral Scenario: Submit an up to 5-minute response to the field scenario provided in the application instructions.
• Note: Please see attached PDF for video submission details.

Please contact the NOLS Field Faculty Development Team at [email protected] with any questions that may come up in the process. Thank you for your interest in taking the NOLS Field Instructor Course!