Mountain Patrol Snow Safety Lead

Location: Bend, Oregon

Are you interested in delivering memorable experiences, enhancing people's lives and having fun while doing it? This shared mission of POWDR and Mt. Bachelor creates a fun and inspiring culture that we live every day. We look for employees who are passionate about sharing mountain culture, have a positive attitude, are problem solvers and care about winning as a team. Our vision drives us to deliver exceptional experiences and it's our employees who become the true moment makers here at Mt. Bachelor.

This role comes with amazing perks & benefits because we want our employees to Work Where You Play

• Free employee season pass and free or discounted dependent(s) season pass
• Free and discounted friends & family day passes
• Free transportation to & from Bend, Sunriver, and La Pine
• Discounts across the resort (food & beverage, retail, rentals, lessons & more)
• Employee housing program
• 401k with up to 5% company match & immediate vesting
• Discounted onsite daycare
• Local & national discounts (YETI, Burton, Dell, Subaru, Nokian, Sunriver Golf, Mammut, & more)
• Free reciprocal access for employees to other POWDR resorts & 50% day passes at IKON pass resorts

Position Summary

A mountain patroller is responsible for emergency medical response, guest assistance, and contributes to resort operations to provide an exceptional experience for all visitors. Key responsibilities include emergency medical care and transportation of injured guests, on-mountain setup and hazard mitigation to promote a safe environment, avalanche reduction and rescue, lift evacuations, patrolling runs to assist guests, and thorough documentation of incidents.

The Snow Safety Lead coordinates with the Senior Operations and Snow Safety Manager, Patrol Director, Assistant Director, and Patrol Supervisor to oversee the snow safety program at the resort. They will monitor and record weather and snowpack conditions. They will forecast future weather patterns and coordinate avalanche reduction plans within Patrol and with other departments. They will recognize and recommend appropriate methods of avalanche reduction and safe travel procedures and policies. They will maintain inventory, reduction, and training and complete all documentation in a timely manner. They are expected to take the lead in any project contributing to resort operations and assume the roles and responsibilities of the Senior Operations and Snow Safety Manager, Patrol Director, Assistant Director, Patrol Supervisor, and fellow Patrol Leads in their absence. They are expected to perform their duties in a confident and competent manner, exhibiting leadership, teamwork, and an excellent work ethic.

This position is reserved for the patroller who has shown consistent and quality leadership, displayed mastery through formal examination of all aspects of professional patrol, and currently, or intends to, patrol at Mt Bachelor for both winter and summer seasons. They must be available to work weekends and holidays, with regular weekend day(s) expected in the normal working schedule.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities

• Be familiar with the Avalanche Response Plan and best practices for safely navigating and reducing hazards in avalanche terrain.

• Act as a Route Leader or Lead Gunner on avalanche reduction missions involving explosives and/or protective ski cutting. Direct avalanche reduction tasks and assign Patrollers to assist with mitigation, including detonation of explosives and protective ski cutting.

• Perform equipment inspections and audit inventory of snow safety equipment.

• Coordinate with the Patrol Director, Assistant Director, and Patrol Supervisor to organize and contribute to daily on-mountain operations conducted by the patrol team.

• Support the Patrol Director, Assistant Director, and Patrol Supervisor by assisting with any project and related tasks contributing to resort operations.

• Assign Patrollers to complete duties, including but not limited to snow safety projects, avalanche mitigation routes, rope line and signage setup, bumps, training, or other needs occurring throughout the course of the day. Communicate assignments to the Patrol Director and Assistant Director.

• On a weekly to biweekly basis, assume the role of the Patrol Director, Assistant Director, or Patrol Supervisor and perform all of their duties in their absence.

• Monitor the quality of on-mountain operations, including setup, patrol bump operations, staff performance, and guest safety adherence.

• Promote positive team dynamics and employee morale among the patrol staff.

• Encourage and inspire opportunities to enhance guest experiences, and initiate guest contact.

• Provides training, evaluates performance, and determines successful completion of the in-house certification program for new and experienced Patrollers. Assist in organizing and documenting training. Provide feedback and recommendations to Patrol Leadership on further training or promotional readiness following training completion.

• Mentor fellow Patrollers by providing guidance and training in areas of expertise.

• Review and manage reports in Edge Auditor.

• Act as Lead Investigator during Incident Investigation and coordinate with the Patrol Director, Assistant Director, Patrol Supervisor, Leads, and Risk Manager to collect and assemble investigation packages. When acting as Lead Investigator, assign Patrollers to investigation or Patrol rounds/bumps as needed.

• Be familiar with the Crisis Response Plan and act as Accident Site Leader in various scenarios, including assigning Patrollers to crisis response or regular rounds/bumps as needed.

• Act as Team Lead during lift evacuations and follow protocols for guest safety/documentation. Manage Patrollers working the evacuation, including assigning tasks to ensure that all guests are safely evacuated from the lift.

• Participate in and direct Patrollers in search and rescue operations.

• Complete Responder Alliance trainings and be an active member of the Patrol Resiliency Team.

• Support the Patrol Director and Assistant Director in enhancing the relationship with the National Ski Patrol (NSP) and reinforcing standardization of professional patroller skills across the organization.

• Participate in Patrol leadership meetings and strategic planning for department operations.

• Provide input on departmental policies, procedures, and operational standards.

• Provide and recommend training, correction, or disciplinary action for Patrollers. Assist Patrol Director and Assistant Director with corrective, coaching, or training conversations.

Secondary Function

• Ski/ride all trails frequently to provide a visible patrol presence.

• Respond to incidents and administer emergency medical care as necessary per training level.

• Perform rescues and transport injured guests safely via toboggan.

• Inspect terrain, identify hazards, and mitigate risks.

• Communicate hazards/issues to teams like lift ops, groomers, etc.

• Conduct mountain operations duties like avalanche mitigation, rope line setup, signage, etc.

• Complete required reports, documentation, and record keeping.

• Operate required equipment and vehicles like toboggans, snowmobiles, rope systems, etc.

• Assist with guest services like directions, basic troubleshooting, and conflict resolution.

• Conduct lift evacuations and follow protocols for guest safety/documentation.

• Conduct search and rescue operations as trained.

• Attend all training sessions to maintain certifications and skills.

Job Scope

As outlined and defined by the Patrol Manual. In addition to the described duties, it is imperative to stay current with industry standards of practice in avalanche reduction and avalanche rescue. Taking the opportunity to maintain this level of information is expected and comes through networking with outside industry professionals at conferences and workshops.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Number of Employees Supervised: 40
• Positions Supervised: Mountain Patrol 1, 2, 3, 4, Mountain Patroller ALS, and Assistant Medical Lead
• Scheduling and assigning work: Yes
• Training: Yes
• Disciplinary Actions: Yes
• Performance Review: Yes

Interpersonal Contacts

The Mountain Patroller's main responsibility is guest service. You can expect daily interactions with other Patrollers, Lift Maintenance staff, Lift Operations staff, Terrain Park staff, Ski and Ride School staff, and other off-hill departments.

Specific Job Skills

• License/Certifications: Current medical certificate (OEC, WFR, EMT or greater)
• Technical: Skilled in the use of rescue equipment like toboggans, ropes, and belay systems
• Physical Capabilities: Advanced/Expert skiing/riding ability and good physical condition.
• Additional: Strong communication skills for guest interactions and radio procedures. Problem-solving and decision-making in emergencies. Able to pass a federal background check.

Education/Related Experience

• Minimum Education: High School or equivalent.
• Minimum Qualifications: At least four full seasons of professional patrol required.

Physical Demands

• The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Such accommodations require an interactive discussion with the Human Resources Department before such accommodations can be made.

• In addition to the specific conditions below, every position at Mt. Bachelor requires the ability to shovel snow and walk on steep and uneven surfaces.

Current Hiring Range: $28.50/hr

Minimum Age Requirement: 21+

Come Work Where You Play

Please be aware incomplete applications will not be accepted or reviewed. Mt. Bachelor is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Mt. Bachelor is committed to creating a quality work environment which makes full use of the talents and contributions of all employees without regard to race, color, religion, national origin or citizenship status, sex, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, disability or military status.