Employment

Learn about employment at Adventure Mine

Company Description

The Adventure Mine is located 36 miles South of Houghton on highway M-26. It is a cooperating Heritage Site of the Keweenaw National Historical Park and provides underground tours of the historic Adventure Mine. The mine opened in 1850 and operated until 1920 and is a native copper mine typical of the Keweenaw area.

Underground tours are offered seven days a week throughout the summer and include options ranging from basic 45 minute underground walks to an extensive 6 hour tour of the second level, requiring guests to walk, rappel, crawl, and climb their way through the second level of the mine by nothing but a headlamp.

The site is also the location of the annual Miner’s Revenge Mountain Bike Race which has proven to be one of the most challenging races in the area. The race features a variety of terrain as well as a portion of the course that goes underground. Read more information on the race here

Job Description

We are looking for very motivated individuals that want a challenging but unique and fun seasonal position. A prospective employee needs to have very good people skills and be able to communicate effectively with all age groups and personalities, while still maintaining control of a group in a potentially hazardous environment. All employees are expected to be able to guide all tours offered including tours that involve training guests in rappelling and rope-work skills.

Employees must be able to be on their feet and active all day, comfortable in an underground environment, comfortable around bats, willing to learn rappelling skills, and basically willing to do whatever else is involved in operating and maintaining a safe underground tour operation. This may include, but is not limited to, grounds maintenance (mowing, raking, etc.), trail building work both on the surface and underground, underground work (moving rocks, equipment, safety checks, etc.), tour vehicle driving, tour office/shop cleaning and upkeep, safety gear (helmets, headlamps, batteries, etc.) maintenance, and other miscellaneous duties.

We are not looking for either “just tour guides” or “just maintenance work” applicants. This is a demanding job but also a very rewarding and enjoyable working environment. You will be tired after a busy day, occasionally wet and muddy, sometimes hot and other times damp and cold, but it is a lot of fun.

Our Work Schedule

Our season begins Memorial Day weekend and extends to mid-October. We normally prefer to employ a person an average of four days per week, which is approximately 32-35 hours per week. We can sometimes offer more if desired, but please note that since we are a seasonal employer we do not pay overtime pay rates for hours over 40 per week.

Our busiest time is from July 1st until school starts so we normally offer a few less hours during the month of June due to fewer guests during that time. We are also interested in people who want to work only 2 or 3 days per week and we are very flexible in scheduling as long as we know your schedule in advance.

What you need to possess

– Good communication skills.
– A friendly respectful attitude while still being able to be in control of a group.
– Ability to follow detailed safety standards and instructions.
– Willingness to learn related history and new skills.
– Suitable footwear for working in loose, uneven, and rough terrain.
– Ability to be consistently at work at a set time.
– Willingness to do whatever is required to ensure guest safety and enjoyment.

Apply

If you think you have what it takes to join the Adventure Mine team, send your resume to info@adventureminetours.com