NOW HIRING: Tour Guides
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2026–2027 SEASON
APPLY BELOW
Do you love the desert? Are you passionate about history, geology, nature, and sharing unforgettable experiences with others? If so, we invite you to apply to become part of the Red Jeep Tours family.
Since 1988 years, Red Jeep Tours has been introducing visitors from around the world to the breathtaking landscapes and fascinating stories of the Greater Palm Springs area. Our guides don’t just drive Jeeps—they inspire curiosity, create connections, and turn an ordinary sightseeing trip into a memory that lasts a lifetime.
Why Become a Red Jeep Tours Guide?
Being a Red Jeep Tours guide is unlike any other job in the desert.
Every day, you’ll have the opportunity to:
- Lead guests through our spectacular private Metate Ranch and the San Andreas Fault Zone.
- Share the incredible geology, ecology, history, and cultural heritage of our region.
- Meet travelers from across the United States and around the world.
- Work outdoors in one of the most beautiful and unique landscapes in California.
- Become part of a close-knit team that values professionalism, camaraderie, and a genuine passion for storytelling.
Many of our guides have been with us for decades because they find the work both personally rewarding and intellectually engaging.
What We’re Looking For
We’re seeking individuals who are:
- Friendly, outgoing, and confident speaking to groups.
- Dependable and highly professional.
- Passionate about learning and continuous improvement.
- Comfortable driving guests in our custom Jeep CJ-8 Scramblers on paved and dirt roads.
- Able to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
- Able to lead hikes ranging from easy to moderately strenuous.
- Team players who take pride in delivering exceptional guest experiences.
Prior tour guiding experience is welcome but not required. We provide extensive training and mentoring to prepare our guides for success.
Our Training Program
Our comprehensive guide training program is one of the most thorough in the industry and reflects our commitment to excellence.
Training covers:
- Regional geology and the San Andreas Fault.
- Desert plants and wildlife.
- Native American and local history.
- General information about the desert and Coachella Valley – water, weather, mountains, city information, and more.
- Interpretive guiding techniques.
- Vehicle operation and safety.
- Guest service and hospitality.
- Emergency procedures and company standards.
Training for the 2026–2027 season is expected to begin in late summer 2026 (specific dates to be announced).
What We Expect
Our guests choose Red Jeep Tours because they expect an experience that is informative, engaging, safe, fun, and memorable. We expect our guides to embody those same values.
Successful guides arrive prepared, continually expand their knowledge, work collaboratively with their teammates, and genuinely care about creating extraordinary experiences for every guest they meet.
If you’re looking for more than just a job—and want the opportunity to become an ambassador for the California desert while sharing your passion with visitors from around the world—we would love to hear from you.
Apply today and discover where the trail can take you.
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If you’ve lived in or near the desert for at least a year, have a genuine passion for nature, enjoy spending your days outdoors, and love learning and sharing fascinating stories with others, this could be an incredible opportunity for you.
Our ideal guide is physically capable of leading gentle hikes, comfortable driving a manual-transmission vehicle, and enjoys connecting with people from around the world. Because work is seasonal and schedules vary based on demand, this position is best suited for individuals who have flexible availability and do not depend on a guaranteed, steady income from this role alone.
If that sounds like you, we’d love to meet you.
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During your first season, your primary responsibility will be leading narrated Jeep and hiking tours through the spectacular San Andreas Fault Zone. You’ll introduce guests to the geology, ecology, history, and cultural significance of one of Southern California’s most remarkable landscapes while creating an engaging, memorable experience.
As you gain experience and deepen your knowledge, you’ll have opportunities to expand your repertoire by training on additional adventures, including tours of Indian Canyons, Joshua Tree National Park, Painted Canyon, and other interpretive experiences developed by Red Jeep Tours. Many of our guides enjoy continually learning and adding new tours to their skill set over time.
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Red Jeep Tours operates from September through June, with our primary season running from October through April. Guides are expected to be available during this core operating season, when the vast majority of our tours take place.
Work during September, May, and June is more limited and dependent on demand, and many guides choose to take these warmer months off. We are closed during July and August.
This is a part-time, on-call position. During the peak season, we generally ask guides to be available three to five days per week. One of the benefits of the position is the flexibility to choose which days you are available to work. We work collaboratively with our guide team to accommodate individual schedules while ensuring we have sufficient coverage to meet guest demand.
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This position is ideal for individuals who are looking for a rewarding and enjoyable way to spend time outdoors while earning supplemental income. Many of our guides are retirees, semi-retirees, teachers, or professionals with flexible schedules who are passionate about sharing the beauty of the desert with others.
First-year guides are paid at minimum wage, with the opportunity to earn substantial gratuities from appreciative guests. As guides gain experience and tenure with the company, their base hourly rate increases each season.
Because work is part-time and varies with guest demand, this position should be viewed as a source of supplemental income rather than a primary means of financial support.
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To be considered for a guide position, you must first submit a completed employment application. Once we receive your application, we will review your qualifications and experience. If we have openings available and believe you meet the minimum requirements for the position, we will contact you to schedule an initial telephone interview.
The telephone interview gives both you and Red Jeep Tours an opportunity to learn more about one another and determine whether the position appears to be a good mutual fit. If there is continued interest from both sides, qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an in-person interview.
Our hiring process is designed not only to evaluate your skills and experience but also to ensure that your interests, availability, and expectations align with the unique demands and rewards of being a Red Jeep Tours Naturalist Guide.
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Our paid training program is an intensive, approximately five-week experience conducted three days per week, with training sessions lasting 4–6 hours each day. The program combines classroom instruction with extensive hands-on field experience to ensure every guide develops both the knowledge and practical skills needed to lead exceptional tours.
Throughout training, you will complete written quizzes and exams covering the material in the Tour Guide Manual and will be expected to devote personal time outside of class to studying and preparation. You will also participate in multiple ride-along tours with experienced guides and spend significant time driving Jeeps in pairs or small groups while practicing tour delivery, vehicle operation, and route management.
To become a certified Red Jeep Tours guide, you must successfully pass a comprehensive written examination and complete a certification tour conducted by one of our senior guides. During this evaluation, your knowledge, storytelling, driving ability, professionalism, safety awareness, and guest engagement skills will be assessed, and you will receive detailed coaching and feedback designed to help you improve.
We recognize that everyone learns at a different pace. Candidates who do not pass their certification on the first attempt are encouraged to continue studying and practicing and may request additional certification tours as needed. Our objective is not simply to certify guides quickly—it is to ensure every guide is fully prepared and confident before leading guests independently.
Applicants should be prepared to make a significant commitment to this educational and time-intensive training program. The investment you make during training forms the foundation for delivering the safe, informative, and memorable experiences that define Red Jeep Tours.
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Because Red Jeep Tours operates as a licensed passenger transportation company, compliance with applicable safety regulations is a condition of employment.
All applicants who receive a conditional offer of employment must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening before beginning work. In addition, all guides are subject to random drug and/or alcohol testing throughout their employment in accordance with company policy and applicable regulatory requirements.
Important Notice Regarding Marijuana (Cannabis): Although marijuana is legal under California law, drivers of Red Jeep Tours vehicles are subject to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) drug and alcohol testing program, which requires a drug-free workplace and utilizes traditional urine drug screening. These regulatory requirements take precedence over California’s general employment protections and the state’s legalization of recreational marijuana. As a result, the use of marijuana or cannabis products will disqualify an applicant from employment or lead to disciplinary action, including termination, if a drug test is positive.
These testing requirements are an important part of our commitment to maintaining a safe workplace and ensuring the safety of our guests, employees, and the public.
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The safety and well-being of our guests and guides is one of our highest priorities. As a condition of employment, all guides are required to obtain and maintain current CPR and First Aid certification.
If you are not already certified, Red Jeep Tours will provide and pay for the required training. To ensure your skills remain current, recertification every two years is mandatory, and the Company also covers the cost of all required recertification courses.
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As a condition of employment, all successful applicants must provide documentation verifying their eligibility to work and their ability to safely operate company vehicles. This includes:
- Valid Driver’s License – You must provide a current and valid driver’s license and authorize Red Jeep Tours to obtain and review your driving record through the California Department of Motor Vehicles (or the appropriate licensing agency). Continued employment is contingent upon meeting the driving standards established by both Red Jeep Tours and our commercial insurance carrier.
- Proof of Authorization to Work in the United States – You must provide documentation establishing your identity and legal authorization to work in the United States, as required by federal law (Form I-9). Acceptable documents include, but are not limited to, a valid U.S. passport, Social Security card used in combination with other approved identification, or other documents permitted under federal employment verification requirements.