Some jobs are better than others if you love the outdoors. Thankfully there are still ways for us to make a living without having to stay inside all day, or be a part of the 9-5 rat race. If you’re looking for more freedom and time exploring the outdoors, consider pursuing one of these top-rated jobs for women who love the outdoors.
We’ve put together a list of ideal jobs for outdoor enthusiasts, taking into account the priorities of women who want to spend more time outdoors and job perks they’ll love.
Included on the list are jobs where work is primarily outdoors and others with perks like getting paid to travel to exotic locations, having time off when there are no crowds and working on the water. Duties of these jobs include sharing your knowledge and love of the outdoors with guests and customers. That doesn’t sound bad, does it?
Which of these jobs aligns with your love of the outdoors?
Lifeguard
Lifeguards hold the most iconic outdoor summertime job of all. Wearing the red suit, sitting on the white lifeguard chair or tower, lifeguards oversee the safety of swimmers and visitors to beaches, parks, and pools. Lifeguards must be alert, keep their skills sharp and stay in good physical shape to be able to rescue struggling swimmers.
The job carries great responsibility and is well suited for those who like to help people. Lifeguards work part-time or full-time in seasonal positions. Employment can be competitive, as lifeguards go through lifeguard school and have to be selected from try-outs in order to make the cut.
National Park Ranger
Park Rangers work for the U.S. Department of the Interior, helping National Park visitors have a safe and enjoyable experience. Duties of Park Rangers include educating park visitors on nature, science and history of America’s national parks. Park Rangers share expertise in archeology, natural resources, plants, animals, and historical sites.
Some Park Rangers are first responders for the parks, including law enforcement and emergency response. Park Rangers have an opportunity to be positioned in remote posts deep in nature for a fully-immersive experience – an outdoor lover’s dream!
Cruise Ship Crew Member
If you’ve never had the opportunity to travel abroad, working on a cruise ship offers a unique opportunity to travel on the water while getting paid to do it. Major cruise lines employee hundreds of thousands of people each year to work on cruise ships visiting destinations around the world.
Cruise ship jobs are wide ranging, including cruise staff, entertainment, food and beverage service, housekeeping, medical, information technology, photo and video, production technicians and more. Crew members work together closely and build lifelong friendships and travel companions.
Surf Instructor
If spending more time in the water and sharing your passion for surfing are goals of yours, working as a surf instructor is an easy choice. This job provides an opportunity to work by the beach, most often in a seasonal role in the summer.
Surf instructors get proper exercise on the job pushing surf school students into waves, chasing down loose surfboards and bringing them back to the rental shop. It’s not easy work, but sharing a love of surfing can go a long way. Surf instructors can be hired through surf shops, hotels and resorts, or on a contract basis.
Biological Science Technician
Working as a Biological Science Technician means working closely with nature. This is a great job for women who love plants, animals, and the environment. This role includes gathering natural samples like water and soil, and testing them for harmful toxins. Biological Science Technicians help increase native plants using techniques like propagation, making it an enjoyable job for women who love gardening.
This role partners with Department Of Interior scientists and has positions available in Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey.
Snowboard or Ski Instructor
Women outdoor enthusiasts who love mountain towns may thrive as a snowboard or ski instructor. Passing along your experience and knowledge of your passion can be fulfilling and provide a feeling of purpose and service. Instructors get to spend their workdays on the mountain and typically get a perk of a free season pass to the resort.
Some ski resorts offer employee housing where you can live in a community with your co-workers and experience working at different ski resorts around the country. Many resorts employ instructors on a seasonal basis, giving these employees the freedom to travel, take time off, or pick up work somewhere else.
Chairlift Operator (Lifty)
The role of the chairlift operator is reserved for a unique type of personality. Individuals working in this role for ski resorts need to be calm under pressure, be stern with guests with a smile and keep the line of powder-hungry guests moving along.
The job description for a lifty is helping load the chairlift with guests, but really it’s like herding cats. Making sure all the little groms are seated all the way back in the chair before it takes off is like working in a pit stop crew. It’s not for everyone, but this role allows you to stay outdoors and meet every guest on the mountain.
Wildland Firefighter for National Park Service
Protecting public lands from wildfire danger is a fulfilling job for hardworking, passionate women. The National Park Service offers multiple positions in Wildland Firefighting including fire ecologists and smoke management, as well as administrative positions including budget analysts.
Working in Wildland Firefighting can be an incredibility meaningful career as fire danger continues to threaten public lands across our country. There are more than 400 permanent employees and 600 temporary positions within Wildland Firefighting for NPS as these dedicated workers play a vital role in preventing devastating wildfires in our parks.
Kayak or Stand-up Paddleboard Tour Guide
Most people are living their best lives while on vacation. Tourists show up to adventure tours happy and excited to participate, making the job of a kayak or stand-up paddleboard tour guide fun and an overall positive experience.
Tour guides lead groups of kayaks and SUPs through rivers and ocean to explore the landscape and sea life – what could be better? The job calls for safety and emergency training that can be transferable to other jobs in the off-season.
Wildlife Tracker
If you’re passionate about animals and wildlife, working as a Wildlife Tracker may be your dream job! This role can be found for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and National Park Service and involves plenty of time spent outdoors surrounded by beautiful scenery. This job includes tagging wildlife, tracking and analyzing their traveling patterns.
This rewarding work contributes to important conservation efforts including protecting public lands, people, and wildlife. Wildlife Trackers utilize GPS tracking, radio telemetry, and other technologies.
Sporting Goods Store Employee
Being close to your outdoor passions can be just as important as being outside. Outdoor sporting goods store employees are individuals who have deep knowledge and experience with the activities that they sell equipment for, including hiking, climbing, biking, camping, fishing and more.
Outdoor chain retailers like REI offer instructional classes taught by REI employees, like how to pack for a backpacking trip or how to wax your snowboard. There are REI locations around the country, a perk for those looking for a job with the option to transfer.
Outdoor Yoga Instructor
Certified yoga instructors who want to spend more time outdoors can consider moving their yoga classes to a park, beach, or stand-up paddleboard. Many yogis enjoy connecting with nature during their yoga practice and would happily sign up for an outdoor session on vacation or in their neighborhood.
See which studios, retreats, and resorts offer outdoor yoga classes that you may be able to teach, or start your own. Hosting yoga classes outdoors may also decrease overhead costs and can be more convenient for small classes.
Wildlife Watching Boat Tour Guide
Whale watching tours employ people, too! Think of the wildlife watching tours that you’ve experienced while traveling and which jobs would be a dream to have. Working on a boat helping guests might be an option for outdoorsy women living in coastal, lake and riverside towns.
This job allows you to work outdoors on the water – could it get any better? These wildlife watching companies are competing for the best reviews, so bring a positive attitude and willingness to help guests with all of their needs.
Valet
Running around outside from car to kiosk will keep you in great shape! Valet attendants make great tips, especially during peak hours in the evenings, which means the daylight hours could be free in this role. Premium resorts and hotels offer valet service and are found in the top destinations for travel and outdoor sports. Think of the big resorts and hotels in your favorite surfing and skiing towns!
This job has a pick-it-up-or-leave-it level of commitment for workers looking for seasonal opportunities so they can free up their summer or winter season to pursue their outdoor passions.
Campground Host
If you love camping, working as a campground host might be a fun job opportunity to consider. If you love the outdoors, you can hold this position no matter what season of your life you’re in.
For the most part, the campground host’s duties include providing information to campground guests. Campground hosts usually work around 20 hours a week and stay on site for free. Some state park positions are on a volunteer basis; see campground details for more information.
Helicopter Pilot
Exploring the world by air offers a new perspective of the great outdoors, and yes, you can get paid to be a helicopter pilot for the National Park Service and adventure tours! Touring companies in places like Sedona, Kaua’i, and the Grand Canyon hire helicopter pilots to take visitors on unforgettable helicopter tours above incredible scenery.
This role has a range of opportunities in locations across the country and certainly never gets boring. What natural landscape do you dream of exploring from above? Licensed helicopter pilots can research helicopter tours near national parks and remote wildlife and find a job they love.
Cocktail Waitress
This might not be the first job that comes to mind when you think about the best jobs for women who love the outdoors, but working at night has its perks. Hotels, resorts, and restaurants at top tourist destinations will have jobs for cocktail waitresses. These ladies start their shifts in the late afternoon or early evening, and work into the night.
That leaves the morning and daylight hours open for all the outdoor activities that we love. Working as a cocktail waitress is a transferable job you can find around the country if you decide to see what living somewhere else would be like.
Bass Pro Shop Employee
Walking into a Bass Pro Shop Outdoor World is like walking into Disneyland of the outdoors. Employees working at Bass Pro Shop are passionate about fishing, hunting, exploring and survival. Perks of this job include being among the first to see all of the latest gadgets and products.
Working in a department that sells products you’re passionate about and sharing your knowledge and experience with customers can make this a fulfilling job for women who love the outdoors.
Naturalist
Some outdoor professionals will take groups on a hike, while naturalists specialize in identifying local wildlife for tourists to view and learn about. Naturalists are experts on local animals in their natural habitat and can provide groups with interesting and valuable information on what they’re seeing.
Naturalists travel by trail, boat, off-roading vehicles and more. This profession can be as exciting as you make it.
Ski Patrol
Spending the entire winter season on the mountain sounds like a dream come true to avid skiers. Getting paid to be there sounds even better! Ski patrols are employed at every ski resort and have the critical job of keeping hundreds of guests safe each day.
These well-trained employees get the perk of being the first on the mountain each day and enjoying fresh tracks on their way down. The job requires medical and emergency certifications and is a great responsibility, perfect for women who enjoy helping people enjoy the outdoors.
Bartender
Bartending offers the perk of working off-hours that give women outdoors enthusiasts more daylight hours to spend doing the activities they love. Bartending jobs can be found nearly anywhere, making the role available to pick up in other locations if you choose to move.
Bartending provides an opportunity to work nights and weekends, freeing up hours when most of the city is working 9-5. Bartenders can enjoy empty slopes for skiers and snowboarders and fewer crowds at the parks and other popular outdoor destinations.
Garden Center Sales Associate
Taking care of plants all day hardly sounds like work to some nature lovers. Working at a garden center or plant nursery can be an enjoyable, low-stress job for those who want to spend more working hours outside.
This role requires sales associates to learn and share information on the plants and gardening products in stock, help customers, and keep the center well-organized. Some positions are more labor-intensive than others; see details of the positions available.
Scuba Diving Instructor
Scuba instructors have one of the few underwater jobs out there. Keeping up with safety courses, certifications, and diving skills is key for this job. The perks of being a diving instructor include finding positions in exotic locations and exploring the sea while getting paid to do it!
In order to be considered for a scuba instructor role, divers must have a minimum of 100 dives logged and be scuba diving certified for six months, according to Scuba Diving International.
Yacht Crew Member
If you’re a fan of Below Deck, then chances are you’ve already considered this job that’s perfect for outdoor enthusiasts. Working as part of a staff on a private yacht sounds luxurious. And while that might not always be true, you will spend most of your time outside with beautiful views of natural scenery.
Yacht crew member jobs provide an opportunity to travel to exotic locations and work closely with other crew members who could become lifelong friends. There are a variety of jobs working as part of a yacht crew and most require a STCW certification at a minimum.
Paleontologist
If you love history, science, and are naturally curious about what the earth looked like years ago, working as a Paleontologist may interest you! This role includes excavating and managing fossils.
Dr. Audrey Bonde works as a paleontologist for the National Park Service where she studies fossils in places like Death Valley, finding samples that are 600 million years old. She told NPS, “I’m passionate about fossils, telling unique stories, and I’m also passionate about how NPS serves as the guardians of those stories.”
Trail Maintenance for National Parks
If you love hiking and exploring, working as part of a trail maintenance team for the National Park Service may be very enjoyable and fulfilling. National Park Service Rangers help park visitors find the trails by marking them, clearing the trail and other trail maintenance. In this role you’ll become an expert on trail materials and erosion.
Trail Maintenance includes digging out trails that are covered in snow and other obstructions due to weather events. Some trails also have important historical significance, initially built in the 1800s, requiring special care.
Astronomer
If studying the moon, stars, and other galaxies sounds like an exciting career, working as an astronomer may be your dream job. NASA, the Department of Defense, and the National Park Service all hire Astronomers to study the sky, documenting and analyzing the celestial activity they see.
This is a fast-growing, well-paid job with an estimated 1,600 openings each year. If you’re interested in exploring celestial bodies like comets and black holes and conducting research, consider becoming an Astronomer.
National Park Visitor Center Attendant
If you love talking about the wilderness and sharing your love of the outdoors with others, working as a Park Ranger at a visitor center may be a great job for you. Typically a volunteer position, working at the Visitor Center means greeting guests and answering their questions so they can best enjoy our National and State Parks.
Park Visitor Center Attendants help educate guests to help them have a meaningful and memorable experience. These positions can be found in parks across the country.
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