Come Change Lives With Us!

Help kids build confidence, safety, and joy in the water.

Zen Penguin is redefining what swim lessons can be!

What's In It For You?

- Thriving wages: $20–$30/hour based on experience

- Flexible part-time schedule: 20–30 hours/week (weekends required)

- Paid training and mentorship: Learn our unique approach to swimming

- Meaningful work: Help children build confidence, safety, and lifelong skills

- Supportive team culture: Work with compassionate colleagues who care

- Professional growth: Leadership, coaching development, and advancement

- Neurodivergent-friendly workplace: centered on acceptance and belonging

- Work that feels good: knowing you made a real difference in a child's life

What You'll Bring...

- A genuine passion for supporting neurodivergent children and their families. You understand that every child learns differently and are excited to meet swimmers where they are.

- An appreciation for neurodiversity and child development. Knowledge of autism, ADHD, sensory processing differences, emotional regulation, or related experiences is highly valued.

- Comfort and confidence in the water. Previous swim instruction or competitive swimming experience is helpful but not required; we provide comprehensive training.

- A natural ability to build trust, connection, and emotional safety. You enjoy forming meaningful relationships with children, families, and teammates.

- A calm, flexible, and growth-oriented mindset. You can stay present through challenges, adapt to changing needs, and approach learning with curiosity.

What You'll Do In the Pool...

- Help children build confidence, safety, and joy in the water through playful, engaging swim lessons for ages 6 months through teens

- Create calm, connected learning experiences by using sensory-aware and co-regulation practices that help swimmers feel safe, successful, and ready to learn

- Teach life-saving water safety and swim skills using Zen Penguin's unique Backfloat to Breathe curriculum

- Meet each swimmer where they are, adapting lessons to support their individual developmental, emotional, and sensory needs

- Build meaningful relationships with swimmers, families, and teammates rooted in trust, communication, and connection

- Celebrate progress and growth, tracking milestones and helping families understand their swimmer's journey

- Help create a welcoming environment by keeping our pools, equipment, and teaching spaces clean, organized, and ready for learning

- Continue growing as a coach through training, mentorship, workshops, and professional development opportunities

- Represent the heart of Zen Penguin, bringing patience, playfulness, curiosity, and care to every interaction

Certifications & Requirements

- Must be at least 18 years old

- Ability to pass an Oregon Child Care Division background check

- Lifeguard, CPR/AED, and First Aid certifications required by the completion of training

What the Environment Is Like...

This is an active, hands-on role in a warm indoor pool environment. Coaches spend multiple hours each shift in chlorinated water, teaching, demonstrating skills, and supporting swimmers in the pool.

You should be comfortable:

- Spending several hours per day in a heated, chlorinated pool

- Working in a warm, humid aquatic environment

- Being exposed to moderate to high noise levels, including occasional loud or unexpected sounds

- Moving safely on wet pool decks and actively participating in water-based instruction

- Engaging physically, emotionally, and mentally throughout your shift

Typical Hours:

Most coaching shifts occur during the following times:

- Monday–Thursday: 3:00 PM–8:00 PM

- Saturday: 8:00 AM–6:00 PM

- Sunday: 8:00 AM–5:00 PM

Weekend availability is required.

Join our community today!

We're looking for compassionate, energetic, and curious Swim Coaches who want to make a meaningful impact while being part of a supportive, mission-driven team.

When Coaches are supported, children thrive!

At Zen Penguin we have built a workplace centered on respect, flexibility, growth, and meaningful work.

We believe in treating every person with compassion.

We believe the water is for every body, and every brain.

Fill out & submit application below

First Name

Last Name

Phone *

Email *

Briefly describe your experience with swimming *

How many years have you spent working with neurodivergent kids? *

How many years of experience do you have as a swim instructor? *

Are you CPR/AED/Lifeguard certified? *

Upload Your Resume *

PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/CSV, JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF

Upload a cover letter explaining why you want to work with us! *

PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/CSV, JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF

Name of Reference *

Reference Phone Number *

Were you referred by a current employee? If yes, who?

YES, TEXT ME! I want to receive text messages from Zen Penguin Swim School. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

First Name

Last Name

Phone *

Email *

Briefly describe your experience with swimming *

How many years have you spent working with neurodivergent kids? *

How many years of experience do you have as a swim instructor? *

Are you CPR/AED/Lifeguard certified? *

Upload Your Resume *

PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/CSV, JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF

Upload a cover letter explaining why you want to work with us! *

PDF, DOC/DOCX, XLS/CSV, JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF

Name of Reference *

Reference Phone Number *

Were you referred by a current employee? If yes, who?

YES, TEXT ME! I want to receive text messages from Zen Penguin Swim School. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

We're Hiring!

Wish you loved your job and got paid a living wage?

Want to work somewhere you can make a real impact?

Zen Penguin Swim School is rapidly becoming the highest rated swim school in Portland, and we're hiring!

We don't just blow bubbles, we change lives. You'll spend your days pants-free in a 93 degree pool, with some of the coolest kids you've ever met. We offer paid training and flexible shifts perfect for students or parents who just want to work a few hours a week.

Benefits:

•Flexible hours

•Amazing pay (more than 2.5x the local average!)

•Valuable work experience

•Paid holidays

•Neurodivergent-friendly work environment

Requirements:

•Willingness to work with primarily neurodivergent children and parents.

•Ability to co-regulate and create a calm learning environment

•Excellent communication skills

•Must possess a basic understanding of how to swim

•Must pass background check (included with training)

Job Title: Swim Instructor (Reports to: Lead Instructor)

FLSA Status: Non-exempt

Summary:

Instructs students on water safety and proper swim techniques based on thorough knowledge of the Zen Penguin Backfloat to Breathe curriculum

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Provide a regulating environment for swim lessons

•Teach swim skills based on the Zen Penguin Backfloat to Breathe curriculum

•Evaluate student progress, and communicate graduations to admin scheduling team.

•Interact with parents/guardians to educate on expected progress timelines and philosophy

•Acts as a Zen Penguin Swim School ambassador

•Use problem-solving and creative thinking skills to meet each swimmer where they're at, and help them through the challenges they face in the water

•Inspect pool before & after class for possible maintenance, cleanliness or damage issues. Report issues to management as appropriate

•Maintains and ensures proper storage of all pool equipment.

•Do pool chemical tests as requested by CPO

•Reports accidents and incidents to management.

•Perform light cleaning duties such as window washing, deck sweeping/scrubbing, trash removal, etc.

•Attend mandatory workshops and in-service trainings outside of normal shift hours

•Fulfill other duties or responsibilities as assigned by the Employer

Education/Experience

•Experience working with neurodivergent youth strongly preferred.

•Swimming experience preferred but not necessary.

•Knowledge of autism, ADHD, and sensory processing disorder highly encouraged.

Certificates and Licenses:

Lifeguard, CPR/AED and First Aid Certification required by end of training.

Work Environment:

While performing this job, the employee will be regularly exposed to heat and humidity. Noise level is typically moderate, but can include very loud, unexpected noises.

Hours:

Monday - Thursday 3-8pm

Saturday - 8-3

Sunday - 8-5

Compensation: Training is paid at $35/hour. All employees make $50/hour.