The Road Less Traveled. Summer Community Service Adventures for Teenagers. Land an incredible Field Instructor job!

The Road Less Traveled is an extraordinary opportunity to join with others, build deep relationships, meet challenges together and enrich the world.

The Road Less Traveled is a life-changing educational travel experience for 12-19 year olds—an extraordinary opportunity to join with others, explore humanity, build deep relationships, and develop an appreciation for our world’s vast adventurous scenery and its people. RLT offers domestic and international community service, language and multi-sport adventure travel programs throughout North America (Alaska, British Columbia, Colorado, Florida Keys, Hawaii, Maine and Puerto Rico) and places around the world (Bali, Belize, Cambodia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and the Galapagos, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Laos, Norway, Spain, Tanzania, Thailand and Vietnam).

RLT engages in a service of presence and active listening in the world supporting young people to get outside, seek adventure, experience challenge, make new friends, build community and understand the world and its people in a new way. Working closely with communities and in environments around the world, we have forged a strong alliance of caring professionals all driven by their deep conviction and concern for the future and welfare of others. We have developed an impressive body of knowledge, innovative methods and approaches for informal cultural exchange with the hope of building trust. Trust is the single most important element if we are to effectively and compassionately serve others and the world.

We encourage involvement and cultivate leadership, excellence, openness and sensitivity, initiative, communal participation, social activism and environmentalism. We make an impact on a wide range of issues as we encounter the environment, poverty, health, immigration, conflict resolution, education, and more. As we learn to speak out for justice, working alongside young and old, rich and poor, disadvantaged and weary, we contribute and learn how our actions make an impact in the world and on one another!

What You'll Be Doing

Trip Leaders are genuine, spirited, friendly, athletic, educated and well-traveled. They are not just educators and counselors, they are mentors. They are responsible, committed to those around them, purposeful and bold.

The world is a very big place. Take a deep breath and a long stride, and suddenly you're looking up at Mount Kilimanjaro, running rapids down Desolation Canyon, trading stories with the Hadza by the light of a campfire, or swaying high above Costa Rica's rainforest canopy.

Go to the far places. Work and give with both thought and conscience. Stay open to challenges, meet them head on. Welcome surprise. Value teamwork. Look deeply into the big, bountiful world, and revel in the knowledge that there are still many, many Roads Less Traveled...

Working for RLT is an extraordinary opportunity to join with others, build deep relationships and meet challenges together. Life moves, changes, begins, ends, challenges, questions, hurts, exhausts, inspires, connects, satisfies, and rewards. Join RLT as you enrich the world and the lives of others!

To be a part of the leadership of The Road Less Traveled is to be a part of the RLT family. Talk to our Leaders—you will find there is no better resource in making your decision!

Learn more! Learn more about who you'll be working for »

2025 Trip Leader & Intern Jobs

Join RLT as you enrich the world and the lives of others!The Road Less Traveled offers two field leader positions: Trip Leader and Intern. Trip Leaders guide and engage participants in service-learning projects, language immersion programs, backpacking, rock climbing, biking, kayaking, trekking, scuba diving, whitewater rafting, and more from June through August. Leaders must be at least 21 years of age; Interns are graduates of The Road Less Traveled programs that are at least one year removed from high school. Additional duties are broken down by program:

Adventure Programs
Lead groups of students on backpacking trips through remote wilderness areas.Trip Leaders must have knowledge of three or more wilderness travel methods in whitewater rafting, sea kayaking, international trekking, biking, backpacking, technical rock or ice climbing and mountaineering. Mandatory requirements for adventure trips include the ability to lead groups of students on backpacking trips through remote wilderness areas from three to eight days. This includes backpacking preparations, backcountry travel, route finding, campsite selection, equipment maintenance, Leave No Trace camping techniques in desert and alpine terrain and proper protocol in dense bear country. All Trip Leaders must possess the ability to make prudent decisions in adverse conditions.

International Service Learning & Language IMMERSION Programs
Trip Leaders must be highly proficient or fluent in the spoken language of the program country (Spanish, etc.) and have extensive experience with community service, international travel, managing multiple responsibilities abroad, experience and/or living abroad, cultural immersion. Knowledge of the following is helpful but not mandatory: sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, trekking, surfing and snorkeling.

International Service Learning & Language EXPOSURE Programs
International Service Learning and Language Immersion Program Field Instructors must be highly proficient or fluent in the spoken language of the program country.Trip Leaders have extensive experience with community service, international travel, managing multiple responsibilities abroad, experience and/or living abroad and cultural immersion. Knowledge of the following is helpful but not mandatory: sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, trekking, surfing and snorkeling.

Service Learning Programs
Trip Leaders have extensive experience with community service, experience managing multiple responsibilities, and construction experience preferred. Knowledge of the following is helpful but not mandatory: sea kayaking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, hiking, and PADI Scuba certified.

Staff Training & Time Commitment

A ten-day training is mandatory for all summer staff prior to the start of RLT programs. Check out the above video to see what goes on!

Dates of employment can range anywhere from June 1st to the end of July or middle of August, depending on your trip assignment. You may lead one, two or possibly three sessions of a program over the course of a summer. They will make every effort to employ you for as long as you wish, but flexibility is necessary with trip assignments and dates, keeping in mind the student experience is a direct result of its leadership. If you are a first year staff member with RLT, it may be late spring or even staff training before final placement is determined.

Compensation & Perks

Perks on the job!

Your salary is based on experience/certifications/qualifications and includes all food, lodging and transportation from the beginning through close of your trip. You will also receive a stipend towards certifications, pro deals on outdoor equipment from a variety of well-known manufacturers and the opportunity to work with world-renown, expert guides!

Job Qualifications

On the job training!

The following are characteristics/qualifications that each staff person is expected to match regardless of position:

Experience
Previous experience working with and or teaching young people ranging in age between 12-19 is mandatory. Additional knowledge of and experience in group dynamics, teaching or facilitating groups, supervision of meal planning, food preparation, risk management, and/or managing logistics is required.

Maturity
Must be 21 years of age by June 1st and possess the mature judgment necessary for the ongoing demands and safety requirements of the program.

Confidence
Self-assurance is required to live and relate with adolescents and other Leaders in close-knit situations.

Personality/Motivation
Must be self-motivated and act as a role model, possessing personality characteristics that will accelerate and maintain a healthy rapport with participants and other staff.

Flexibility/Patience/Organization
Must have the patience to respond to stress, crisis, change, and non-glamorous tasks in positive and productive ways at all times. Must have the ability to organize and assure a smooth flow of activities.

Current WFR or WEMT
This certification must be completed by the start of staff training and CURRENT through the end of employment.

Lifeguard Training or Swiftwater Rescue
Due to the high number of programs with water-based activities, a current lifeguard certification is required by the start of staff training.

Current Unrestricted Driver's License

Legal right to work in the United States

Application & Connections

The Road Less Traveled — Life Changing Travel

RLT is always looking for motivated people with a passion for life-changing travel to join the team!

RLT is especially interested if you share in their love of young people, the outdoors, a passion for life-changing travel, and most of all, the desire to make a difference. If you are detail oriented, confident, creative, athletic, an outdoor enthusiast, seasoned traveler, quick thinker, problem solver, outgoing, personable, competent in adventure travel, and experienced in the service industry, apply online now (a cover letter and resume is required).

Learn more!RLT is NOW HIRING for the summer 2025 season! Applications will be accepted from October through the spring or until all staffing needs are met — so apply early!

Laura Dunmire
Director
The Road Less Traveled
PO Box 1040
Brookfield, WI 53008
(773) 342-5200
employment@theroadlesstraveled.com
TheRoadLessTraveled.com

View Blog View Facebook Page View Instagram Photos View Vimeo Page Check out Yelp Reviews Watch YouTube Videos


Navigation

Backdoorjobs.com: Your Home for Short-Term Job Adventures, Summer Jobs, Seasonal Work, Internships, Volunteering (and more!) in the U.S. & Abroad