Job Description

Tell us about about what makes you a great candidate to work in Tofino's most professional surf school and why you want to live and work in Tofino.

Swell Tofino is looking for full time surf instructors and rental shop attendants for a year round contract with health benefits.

Feb 3 2026 to Jan 4 2027 (full time hours guaranteed, 6 to 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, staff accommodation available)

Benefits:

Extended health and dental benefits

Guaranteed work hours and two consecutive days off

Staff accommodation available ($600/month)

Professional surf coaching

Staff surf gear discounts

$1/hr bonus on completion of contract

:

We are looking for organized, enthusiastic compassionate leaders to join our team both on the water and surf rental shop. The Surf Instructor and Shop Attendant will be responsible for teaching surf lessons, delivering excellent experiences to guests, renting surf / SUP / bike equipment and working together as a team to clean gear after lessons and rental returns.

Additional Job Duties:

Instruct recreational surf and paddleboard lessons and enforce safety rules, providing assistance and first aid when required. Assemble surf, paddle and bike equipment, ensuring they are excellent condition. Maintain, repair, and keep equipment in professional working order including surfing equipment, paddling equipment, bikes, safety equipment, and first aid supplies. Keep logs of weather conditions and equipment maintenance, maintain records of guests paperwork and prepare reports for inventory maintenance. Attend to projects and needs of the company related to any retail or maintenance.

The ideal candidate will exhibit the following experience and skills:

Professional, creative, energetic personality.

Responsible, punctual and well organized.

Outgoing and customer service oriented.

Teaching, Coaching and/or Instruction skills preferably in the outdoor industry.

Surfing or paddleboarding experience (2 or more years of personal experience).

Compassionate Leadership and team building. You need to be a strong leader and a great team player. With a small team, we all need to pitch in to get the work done, even if it's not in your job description.

Ability to lead outdoor activities pertaining to a wide range of age groups.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills: Clear and friendly communication skills and professional demeanour, over email, phone, and in-person with both co-workers and customers.

Organized and self-motivated. You need to be able to take initiative.

Problem-solving and multi-tasking in a fast-paced work environment.

Flexibility and the willingness to adapt to changes in work routine based around changes in demand due to the seasonal nature of the surf industry.

Positive outlook and a curiosity to learn.

Required certs:

Standard First Aid with CPR-C certificate

International Life Saving or Bronze Cross water safety certificate

Valid full driver's license (not new driver)

Additional useful certs:

Paddle Canada SUP Instructor Certification

ISA lvl 1 certificate for surf instruction

*Please don't list expired certifications on your resume.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent, Seasonal
Contract length: 3-8 months

Pay: $21.00-$22.00 per hour

Ability to commute/relocate:

Tofino, BC: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):

Have you sent a PDF of your cover letter and resume to jobs@swelltofino.com?
Experience:

surf: 2 years (preferred)
Licence/Certification:

Driving Licence (required)
Work Location: In person