Teach With Us
Instructing for Aerie can be a fun and rewarding experience. Instructors train and travel together and teach for a wide variety of student groups and organizations. We are looking for talented, motivated, and knowledgeable people to join our staff.
Aerie continually accepts instructor applications and then conducts official interviews during the fall of each year. New instructors complete onboarding and training during November and December and generally begin teaching early the following year. The amount of days an Aerie instructor teaches each year varies widely and depends on each instructors availability. Aerie has the greatest need for instructors from January through June each year, instructors should be prepared to focus their availability to teach during some or all of these months. Aerie does hold classes year round and instructors may be contracted during summer and fall months, though less frequently.
Experience
Aerie instructors bring knowledge, skills, and abilities from the following three areas:
- Medical experience
- Teaching experience
- Professional outdoors experience
The minimum level of medical license for our applicants is EMT, or higher, in the prehospital field or RN, or higher, for hospital based providers.
Positions & Pathways
All new Aerie instructors begin as Assistant Instructors, regardless of previous experience in the medical or education fields. The speed at which an instructor advances to a Lead Instructor role is at the discretion of the management team, based on your previous experience, working knowledge of Aerie, and performance in the field.
Note: While we hire instructors from various regions, we have a particular interest in candidates based in the greater Missoula or Bozeman areas.
We understand that our instructors have diverse schedules, so we offer flexible teaching pathways to accommodate your availability:
Full-Time Seasonal: For those seeking more consistent work, instructors can commit to a block of three to six months (typically during our peak season from January through June). In this pathway, you will work directly with our staffing manager to build a full-time teaching schedule that provides regular pay while still promoting a healthy work-life balance.
Part-Time / At-Will: The majority of our instructors teach on a part-time basis, signing contracts for individual courses. This model is highly flexible, allowing you to teach for Aerie while holding another job, attending school, or managing other commitments. You can work as little as a single course a year or scale up your availability as your schedule permits.
Compensation
Aerie instructors are paid based on the pay scale below. Instructors that hold advanced provider licenses or Masters degrees may start at a higher base wage at the discretion of Aerie Management. Instructors climb the pay scale based on days of teaching experience with Aerie.
Aerie instructors regularly travel away from their hometown to teach. Instructors are paid their daily teaching rate for each day spent traveling. In addition, Aerie pays for all travel, lodging, and food while an instructor is on contract.
Every Aerie instructor can participate in a Simple IRA retirement plan, regardless of how many courses they teach. Aerie matches employee contributions up to 3% towards this plan.
| Days Taught | Minimum Lead | Minimum Assist |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 days to 9.9 days. | $170 | $149 |
| 10.0 days to 19.9 days. | $176 | $154 |
| 20.0 days to 34.9 days. | $181 | $160 |
| 35.0 days to 49.9 days. | $187 | $165 |
| 50.0 days to 69.9 days. | $192 | $165 |
| 70.0 days to 99.9 days. | $197 | $170 |
| 100.0 days to 149.9 days. | $203 | $170 |
| 150.0 days to 199.9 days. | $208 | $176 |
| 200.0 days to 249.9 days. | $214 | $181 |
| 250.0 days to 299.9 days. | $219 | $187 |
| 300.0 days to 349.9 days. | $224 | $192 |
| 350.0 days to 399.9 days. | $230 | $197 |
| 400.0 days to 499.9 days. | $235 | $203 |
| 500.0 days to 599.9 days. | $241 | $208 |
| 600.0 days to 699.9 days. | $246 | $214 |
| 700.0 days to 799.9 days. | $251 | $219 |
| 800.0 days to 899.9 days. | $257 | $224 |
| 900.0 days to 999.9 days. | $262 | $230 |
| 1000.0 days to 1099.9 days | $268 | $235 |
| 1100.0 days to 1199.9 days. | $273 | $240 |
| 1200.0 days to 1299.9 days. | $278 | $245 |
| 1300.0 days to 1399.9 days. | $283 | $250 |
| 1400.0 days to 1499.9 days. | $288 | $255 |
| 1500.0 days to 1599.9 days. | $293 | $260 |
| 1600.0 days to 1700.0+ days. | $298 | $265 |
How to Apply
Please submit a cover letter, and a resume with at least two references. In your cover letter, briefly explain your qualifications, why you want to work for Aerie Backcountry Medicine, and which instructor position interests you (see above). All documents must be submitted at the same time via email with your name saved in the file title.
Submit to:
Hiring Team
Each instructor’s pathway to teaching courses with Aerie will be unique. It is designed to accommodate each person’s skill-set and background. The hiring staff will be able to answer specific, targeted questions on this customized pathway.
2026
Priority Deadline / Application Cut-off: Mid-September (Applications are accepted year-round; however, those submitted after this date will be held for the following year’s hiring cycle).
Interviews: Mid-September – Mid-October
Hiring Decisions: Mid-October
New Instructor Training: November 14th-15th
