The Employee Experience

Sitka Sound Ocean Adventures is an Alaskan-owned and operated company. We provide a work environment that focuses on integrity, teamwork and having positive experiences that make for fond memories. As a sea kayak guide / support staff, your primary job responsibility is to safely guide groups of visitors into the Sitka Sound and create a memory for them that will last a lifetime.

We approach our hiring process with the understanding that our company and services offered can only be as good as the people who work with us. We will do everything we can to foster a professional, respectful, and FUN work environment.

Ideal Candidate

Do you:

• Have a water-oriented background & skills?

• Have enthusiasm, flexibility, and self-motivation?

• Love being outdoors, telling stories and meeting new people?

• Have interest in biology, geology, ecology and human history?

• Have the ability to work hard all day in the rain while smiling? Really?!

If this sounds like you, then YOU are our ideal candidate and we encourage you to apply.

Guide Training

Guides will complete our mandatory in-house training program. We are proud to make a substantial investment in the time it will take to prepare employees to conduct a world-class tour experience, and to ensure the safety of employees and guests. Guides are paid their regular hourly-wage for all required training segments, not including the optional CPR & First Aid class.

The training includes:

• Kayak Guide training from ACA coastal kayak instructors

• First Aid & CPR certification

• Kayak & gear orientation

• Kayak safety & rescue techniques

• Guide leadership skills

• Navigation rules-of-the-road & tide/current/wind/seas awareness

• Tour orientation & goals

• Natural & human history of the area

• Leave-no-trace camping ethics

Getting Here

It is the employee's responsibility to make their own travel arrangements to/from Sitka, Alaska. Due to Sitka being located on an island, there are two options for transportation: fly (Alaska Airlines or Delta) or ferry (Alaska Marine Highway). If you have the time, the 4-day ferry ride up from Bellingham can be an adventure in itself!

Getting Around

Most folks who come to Sitka to work seasonally, do not find it necessary to have a car. There is only about 6-miles of road leading either direction from downtown, and it’s easy to get most places on foot or by bicycle. On weekdays, there is a bus service that links downtown Sitka to both ends of the road system, with many stops in route. Company transportation will be provided, as needed, between housing and wherever you are assigned to work each day.

Room & Board

Employee housing is fully furnished and includes a common-use living room and kitchen. Two employees of the same gender share each bedroom. All utilities are included in a daily rate. Accommodation is assigned space-available until all full-occupancy is reached. For those who opt to stay in company housing, a flat daily rate is deducted from each paycheck.

Employee Perks

Who doesn’t love a bonus? With the successful completion of a contract at the end of the season, employees are eligible for bonuses.

• Contract completion bonus

• Travel reimbursements for your travel to and from Sitka, up to a set dollar amount. (contingent on contract completion)