Job Opportunities at Backpacking Light

Backpacking Light is always on the lookout for talented individuals
with a passion for playing, living, and working in lightweight style.

Here's the skinny:

You'd do well to be pretty dang passionate about lightweight backpacking. If you're not, then it's a hard sell to do what we do, which is, well, all about carrying a light pack in wild places.
We offer incredible perks you won't find at blue chip companies. For example, we saved our staff thousands of dollars in 2008-2009 simply by not offering an IRA program, and one year we crammed twelve staff into a hotel room with free pizza and chips and allowed some of them to even go to bed at 3:00 AM while the rest of the crew worked on their reporting assignments.
Our compensation packages are among the best in the industry, with bonuses paid in GORP, SUL gear, and Esbit tablets.

Here's what we look for: kind, passionate, thrifty, independent, organized, loyal, interesting, and trustworthy.

GEAR REVIEW MANAGER

UPDATE 20.Nov.12 - Applications for this position are no longer being accepted. Applicants: thank you for your patience as we sort through the applications and proceed through the interview process.

OPENS: October 3, 2012
CLOSES: When Filled

Responsibilities:

Acting as the Backpacking Light liaison between outdoor equipment manufacturers and Backpacking Light for the purpose of providing publishable product reviews of lightweight backpacking gear.
Creating and adhering to an editorial calendar of Gear Reviews, and managing other writers / reviewers to create those reviews on time and on spec.
Writing Backpacking Light's most significant product reviews, including technical reviews and State of the Market Reports.
Reviewing gear reviews written by other authors to ensure that they meet acceptable standards for Backpacking Light reviews.
Some travel may be required to national trade shows and/or regional events.

Qualifications:

Outstanding communications skills (verbal and written)
Exceptional organizational skills
An understanding of technical and engineering design principles for outdoor equipment
Critical thinking skills

Editorial Calendar Performance Expectations:

The Gear Review Manager will be responsible for managing the publication of one gear-review-related article per week as part of their stipend. Included in this schedule will be six comprehensive State of the Market Reports and twelve comprehensive technical reviews. Any State of the Market Reports and technical reviews authored by the Gear Review Manager will result in additional bonus pay.

Compensation:

Compensation is offered as part of a contracted services agreement, with a monthly stipend paid for meeting minimum editorial calendar standards. Bonus compensation is offered in response to increases above those minimum standards.

How to Apply: Submit a text only cover letter and resume (no attachments, please) to jobs@backpackinglight.com, along with your statement of what you are going to do to make yourself indispensable to Backpacking Light.

WILDERNESS TREKKING SCHOOL MANAGER

OPENS: October 3, 2012
CLOSES: When Filled

Responsibilities:

Act as the liaison and application manager between land management agencies and Backpacking Light for the purpose of securing commercial permits for the Wilderness Trekking School.
Promote the Wilderness Trekking School and create and execute marketing programs to maximize enrollment.
Manage the participant experience between the time a participant enrolls in a program and the beginning of the program; also program followup, including evaluations and their data collection and analysis.
Manage programs for instructor training and certification, and ensure that instructors meet minimum standards.
Some travel may be required to national trade shows and/or regional events and/or program venues.

Qualifications:

Outstanding verbal and written communications skills.
An understanding of adventure travel and education marketing.
Exceptional organizational skills.
Expedition planning skills, including route planning, food planning, supply purchasing, and supply packaging.

Compensation:

Compensation is offered as part of a contracted services agreement, with a stipend paid for meeting specific actionable objectives on time. Bonus compensation is offered with every enrolled participant.