The Toughest Job You’ll Ever Love

Our Culture

Join the Northwest Outward Bound School’s crew and become the inspiration and impact that changes the lives of our students!

• The student experience is our priority, on course or in the office.

• Our vibrant culture consists of employees who are passionate for growth, committed to the mission, and desire to serve youth in both urban and natural spaces.

• We build supportive communities on courses, at our basecamps, in our work environment, and through our partnerships.

• We strive to incorporate our values of compassion, excellence, integrity, equity, inclusion, and diversity on course and in every aspect of our workplace.  

• Our communities value open communication, collaboration, creativity, effective problem solving, and new ideas 

• We promotes mission-driven decisions in all aspects of the organization and allows us to serve our students to the best of our abilities.

Northwest Outward Bound School's Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

We recognize that there are barriers precluding people with marginalized identities from being able to access transformative and inclusive educational experiences. These barriers also prevent people from accessing and having inclusive and culturally relevant experience in the outdoors. NWOBS believes it has the responsibility, as an educational institution, to dismantle these barriers so that it can fulfill its mission of changing lives for all who desire a quality outdoor education experience, and not just the lives of those with the privilege of being able to access NWOBS today. As such, NWOBS strives to be more reflective of and relevant to the communities in the Pacific Northwest, both within its staff and leadership body, as well as its student body. NWOBS is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of NWOBS to provide equal employment opportunity in accordance with applicable law to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, creed, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, military status, political opinion, national origin, familial status, mental or physical disabilities, source of income, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law, in all personnel action

5 Reasons to Join Our Team

1. Meaningful work. Trevor Mckee, a 3 time Outward Bound alumni expresses, “I keep coming back because of the people. I love building relationships with my students and watching them progress, and I love coming back to basecamp to share stories and reunite with my community.”
2. The community you join. Luke O’Neill, staff member with 24 years of experience declares, “I feel blessed to be working alongside deeply committed and superbly talented educators who 1) act daily to create a healthy and uplifting community, 2) give the best of themselves to the student they serve, and 3) strive with all of their might to live the values that stand at the heart of Outward Bound’s mission.”
3. Valuing diversity, equity, and inclusion. Northwest Outward Bound School (NWOBS) is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. NWOBS actively promotes a collaborative culture based on respect and valuing diverse experiences through DEI trainings, feedback, and community forums.
4. The office with a view. When working outdoors or out of our three locations (Portland, OR, Redmond, OR and Mazama, WA) staff are surrounded by breathtaking beauty and near outdoor activities. Check out photos from course on Instagram.
5. Developing one self. NWOBS has a huge emphasis on professional and personal development through tuition free NWOBS trainings, intentional mentorship, subsidized external trainings, and a culture of giving and receiving feedback.

NWOBS Student Stories and Insights