Field staff mentor student research groups. Staffers with relevant academic experience may be paired with a student research group that complements their prior academic/research experience if they choose. Prior relevant academic experience is not a requirement, but we do consider it when building our staff cohort. Please describe your academic experience and detail how you will apply insights and lessons learned from your experiences to JIRP. Are there specific topics of Polar, Earth, and/or climate science that interest you? Do you have a professional or academic interest in developing skills or understanding of particular areas of scientific inquiry? Do you have previous experience in any of these fields?
If you do not have an academic background and/or professional plans that is directly relevant, please discuss why you're excited to contribute to an outdoor education program with a strong academic focus.
Do you have any previous knowledge of the local glaciology, geology, ecology, Indigenous history, natural history and/or mountaineering history of the Juneau Icefield and the surrounding area? How would you share this knowledge with JIRP participants?
If you do not have any previous relevant knowledge, what about working in Southeast Alaska/Lingít Aaní (as opposed to another glaciated area of the world) interests you in particular? What are you curious to learn more about?
Please describe any prior experience as an employee working in an outdoor field. Our field season is ten weeks long, please focus on extended wilderness trip leading experience if possible. List all jobs you have held in the field. Include summer camps, outdoor programs, college/university outing club trip leading, ski instructing, guiding, etc. Please also include the name of the company/program, the year(s) you worked there, number of days/weeks worked, responsibilities you held, etc.
Please describe up to five personal trips you've taken that you feel demonstrate your backcountry experience level. Include the approximate date(s) of the trip, approximate location, what activities you did (hiking, backpacking, climbing, skiing, paddling, hunting, etc.), a brief description of your partner in the context of their relative skill level (mentor, peer, less experienced friend, etc.), and your role within the team (organizer, leader, active learner, etc.).
Again, we're not looking for particular requirements with this question. We just want to get an idea of your relevant/recent backcountry experience.
*The form boxes are small, but they have a 250 character limit. Bullet points are fine, include any information you think is relevant.
Please describe any experience you have with small engines, welding, carpentry and construction, radio technician work, driving and maintaining snow machines, running and maintaining generators, commercial-scale food preparation, etc.
If you have a skill you think might fit here, please share it. Staffers do all manner of jobs on the Icefield and anything you share can only help your application.
Please describe your leadership experience and how you would apply insights and lessons from this experience to JIRP.
What are your thoughts on, and philosophy of, risk management? What approaches have you used to assess risk and manage novices in the wilderness? How will you apply your risk management approach to JIRP? In addition to answering these questions, please provide one example of an experience where you applied this philosophy. We value a candid approach and the ability to learn previous experience.
Context: Many backcountry enthusiasts classify "fun" into three categories (described below). While some might prefer that every day of our lives falls into the "Type I" category, the reality is that many days at JIRP are more "Type II". Being staff requires resilience and perseverance, and often involves actively supporting the expedition morale during challenging periods. Describe a time when you maintained a positive attitude through an episode of "Type II Fun".
Type I Fun: An experience that is fun while it is happening, and you're glad you did it when you look back at it.
Type II Fun: An experience that is NOT fun while it is happening, but you're glad you did it when you look back on it.
Is there any additional information you would like to share with us? This can include if you identify as a member of a historically excluded racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, religious/spiritual, gender, or other social group and you would like us to know that information when considering your application.