Student Health and Wellness Manager

 

Position Title: 

Health and Wellness Manager (HWM) 

Location:                     

The SFS Centre for Rainforest Studies in Yungaburra, QSLD, Australia 

Reports to: 

Centre Director 

Start Date: 

May 18, 2026

Position Summary: 

The HWM works closely with the Center Director to coordinate all non-academic components of the program, including risk management, group dynamics, community engagement, and daily program operations to undergraduate students from American colleges and universities. 

Duties & Responsibilities 

Under the oversight of the Centre Director, the HWM, as an individual and as a member of the Centre faculty/staff team, will assist in the following areas: 

Student Affairs 

• Deliver in-country orientation and ongoing training to students in the areas of community building, critical thinking, cross-cultural issues, conflict resolution, self-awareness, communal living, and health and safety 

• Act as a resource to students for their program-related and personal needs 

• Facilitate communication within the student group and between staff and students 

• Preemptively monitor and address individual student and group attitudes and behavior 

• Keep the Center Director informed of potential problems 

• Participate in resolving group management issues and student discipline problems 

• Facilitate establishment and support of student committees 

Safety & Risk Management 

• Take responsibility for the safety of all program participants 

• Adhere to, actively model, and enforce all school-wide and program rules and polices 

• Coordinate incident reporting system and on-site safety audits 

• Ensure that Incident Reports are provided to SFS headquarters 

• Submit a Risk Management Plan to SFS headquarters prior to field trips  

• Participate in the review and revision of program risk assessment and management plans 

• Coordinate the program’s emergency plans, including for evacuation and fire safety 

• Recommend and review policies and procedures needed to manage risks 

• Coordinate the safety and health portions of the on-site orientation 

• Maintain all medical kits and safety supplies 

Community Outreach 

• Work with Centre faculty/staff to develop and implement community outreach activities 

• Arrange recreational programming for students within the local community 

• At all times, work to ensure good relations between the Centre and local community 

• Organize and facilitate guest speakers from the community 

Program Support 

• Coordinate and communicate scheduling of program to students as needed 

• Participate in training activities for new program staff prior to and during the program 

• Provide periodic reports, marketing materials, and student input to SFS headquarters 

• Participate in preparation of final reports and program field preparation guide revisions 

• In cooperation with other program staff and as delegated by the Center Director, provide day-to-day coordination of interns 

• Participate in planning activities prior to program start and in review post-program 

• As requested by the Center Director, assist with other logistical, group management, and administrative tasks 

Daily Centre Life 

• Live on-site for the duration of each program period and take meals with students 

• On a rotating basis, take responsibility for Centre-specific staff of the day duties 

• Ensure that all staff understand the responsibilities of the staff of the day role 

• Take part in, and occasionally lead, Centre upkeep projects, social, and field activities 

• Serve as Centre caretaker during program breaks as requested by the Centre Director 

• Perform Centre maintenance duties and assist site manager with routine tasks where required 

• Occasionally, participate in food preparation for students 

• Drive standard transmission vehicles as needed 

 

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree  

• Ability to obtain proper work visas (with assistance from SFS) required 

• Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification, or ability to obtain WFR certification by program start date (SFS can assist with completing this training) 

• Experience living, working, or studying abroad 

• High emotional and cross-cultural intelligence 

• Professional experience with group facilitation or leading experiential education programs 

• Willingness to live and work on a residential campus, including use of shared facilities and participation in campus activities and community outreach 

• Accustomed to working long hours in remote environments with limited resources 

• Experience with emergency response, crisis management, and/or risk management 

• Clean driving record and able to operate manual transmission vehicles 

• Significant experience living, working, or studying internationally 

• High emotional and cross-cultural intelligence 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience living, working, or studying abroad 

• Familiarity with navigating medical resources in developing countries 

• Background in wilderness, travel, or tropical medicine 

• Residential affairs experience in higher education 

 Other Expectations: 

• Willingness to work flexible hours and live on site at the field station with a small team of permanent staff, groups of US undergraduate students and visiting researchers or programs 

• Commitment to ensure good relations between the SFS and local community 

• Ability to remain calm when encountering and navigating difficult situations  

• Represent SFS at local and international conferences 

Benefits 

• Covered travel from home of record to SFS Center at the beginning and end of employment. After one year of employment, one additional round-trip to home of record during non-program time covered by SFS. 

• On-site room and board (all meals also provided while programs are in session) 

• Auto-enrollment in an Emergency Medical Evacuation and Repatriation Insurance plan effective from the first day of employment 

• International health insurance reimbursement at 80%, increasing coverage with each year of service, up to 100% 

• Short-term Disability, Long-term Disability, Life Insurance and Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage provided by SFS 

• Option to participate in SFS’s 403b retirement plan through Fidelity Investments. Eligible for SFS matching contribution program after one year of employment.