Safari Tour Guide

Safari West Wildlife Preserve and Tent Camp is looking for wildlife enthusiasts, witty entertainers, and welcoming hosts to join our safari guide team! The primary responsibility of guides is to lead 3 hour safaris across nearly 400 acres in the rolling oak woodlands of the Mayacamas Mountain Range outside of Santa Rosa, California.

There is no age restriction; we warmly welcome everyone. This position can be an excellent match for retirees who may not possess a conventional resume. It's important to note that there are physical requirements for the job, including tasks such as opening and closing double gates and adapting to varying weather conditions, ensuring the safety and enjoyment of both our team members and guests.

Our safaris include a walking trek and game drive component, and are focused on sharing our diverse collection of about 100 animal species from Africa and beyond with tour guests. Safaris are completely unscripted, each guest is different, and many of our animals roam around large habitats, so no 2 tours are the same! Safari guides have the opportunity to tailor their tour to their own interests while engaging guests in conversations about zoology, ecology, anthropology, conservation, and much more. But, this is not a lecture position—making sure our guests are safe, comfortable, and entertained is just as important as teaching them about wildlife.

Our business is seasonal—peak season is April – October. We are open every day of the year except Christmas, but work availability is dependent on guest attendance so year-round full time work is not guaranteed.

Starting pay is $20/hr. Skilled guides have the opportunity to make generous gratuities.

For more information about Safari West, visit safariwest.com

Breakdown of Job Responsibilities:

• 80%Providing informative & entertaining tours to our guests
• 20%Pre-tour preparation and post-tour clean-up

Minor maintenance as needed (hosing down our aviary paths, cleaning trucks, etc.)Other tasks as assigned by supervisors
Required Qualifications:

• Candidates must live or plan on living within 45 miles of Safari West
• Must have a valid driver’s license
• Must be a willing and collaborative team player
• Must be willing to work in all weather conditions
• Must be able to lift up to 50lbs
• Must be responsible for the safety of guests and animals on property while on safari

Desired Qualifications:

As part of our rigorous training process, we will teach you all of the skills and knowledge needed to give our tours, but any prior experience in these areas will be beneficial in the application process:

• Public speaking experience
• Interpretation and/or teaching experience
• Working knowledge of wildlife, biology, and the natural world
• Working knowledge of guest hospitality
• Experience driving manual transmission and larger vehicles

At the time of a contingent job offer, a background check will be completed.

How To Apply:

• Send a Resume, Cover Letter, and 3 professional or personal references to email on indeed.
• Please send your application documents as PDF attachments, with your last name included in the title.
• Please mention in your application email which job board you found this posting on.

Hiring Timeline:

• We will start conducting interviews in December and will continue until all positions are filled.
• Orientation and training will start on the week of January 16, 2023.

Thank you for your interest!

Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Seasonal

Pay: From $20.00 per hour

Expected hours: No more than 40 per week

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule
• Paid time off
• Parental leave

Grade school specialties:

• Science

Schedule:

• 4 hour shift
• 8 hour shift
• Day shift
• Weekends as needed

Work setting:

• In-person
• Outdoor work

Work Location: In person