Outdoor Jobs in Alaska
40 open listings · updated Sep 13, 2026
Median posted pay $18.55/hr (6 listings) · 55% include housing · Pay report
Alaska has more seasonal outdoor jobs per resident than any other state. Commercial fishing boats in Bristol Bay, Southeast, Prince William Sound and Kodiak hire deckhands for the June to September salmon season. Processing plants in Naknek, Dillingham, Kodiak, Cordova and Dutch Harbor hire hundreds of seasonal workers each summer. Fly-out fishing lodges on the Kenai Peninsula, the Nushagak, the Kvichak and in Southeast hire guides, dock hands, cooks and housekeepers from June through September. Hunting outfitters hire guides and packers for August to October moose, caribou, sheep, bear and goat seasons. The Alaska Fire Service and the Alaska Division of Forestry hire wildland firefighters for a May to August season.
More About Outdoor Jobs in Alaska
Housing is included in nearly every Alaska listing because most work is in remote places with no rental market. Airfare from Anchorage or Seattle is often reimbursed after the season. Winter caretaker positions at lodges fill from August through October.
Sport fishing guides need an Alaska Department of Fish and Game sport fishing guide license, and anyone running a motorized vessel with paying clients needs a U.S. Coast Guard OUPV license. Hunting guides must be licensed by the Alaska Big Game Commercial Services Board, which requires assistant guide experience first. Commercial fishing crew need an Alaska commercial crew license, which costs a few hundred dollars and is bought online in minutes.
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Glacier Fish CompanyBering Sea, AKFull-timeHousing
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Longline Mate (Bering Sea freezer longliner)
Coastal Villages Region FundBering Sea, AKSeasonal -
Master or Mate – Factory Trawler
United States SeafoodsDutch Harbor, AKFull-time -
Captain – F/T Northern Glacier
Glacier Fish CompanyBering Sea, AKFull-timeHousing -
Wildland Firefighter (Smokejumper) – Alaska & Boise
U.S. Wildland Fire Service (Dept. of the Interior)Fairbanks, AKSeasonalHousing -
Second Cook – Remote Alaska Lodge (2027 Season)
Katmai Wilderness Lodge (Ouzinkie Native Corporation)Kodiak, AKSeasonalHousing -
USCG Boat Captain / Naturalist Wildlife Guide (2027 Season)
Katmai Wilderness Lodge (Ouzinkie Native Corporation)Kodiak, AKSeasonalHousing -
Lodge General Assistant / Front of House (2027 Season)
Katmai Wilderness Lodge (Ouzinkie Native Corporation)Kodiak, AKSeasonalHousing -
Experienced Deckhand – Factory Trawler
United States SeafoodsDutch Harbor, AKFull-time -
Cook – Factory Trawler Galley
United States SeafoodsDutch Harbor, AKFull-time -
Moose Guide (Sept 14–25, 2026)
Revelation Mountain OutfittersAKContract -
Experienced Moose/Grizzly Guide
Wild Alaska OutfittersAKContract -
Moose Hunting Guide (Sept 14–25, 2026)
Joe Letarte (Alaska registered guide)AKContract -
Assistant Guide – Kodiak Island Goat, Deer and Duck Hunts
Brian Peterson (Kodiak Island guide)Kodiak, AKSeasonal -
Experienced Hunting Guide – Fall 2026 (Guide/Pilot Track)
Litzen Guide ServiceAKSeasonal -
Crab Deckhand (Bering Sea crab vessels)
Coastal Villages Region FundBering Sea, AKSeasonal -
Baader Tech Assistant (at-sea factory trawler)
American SeafoodsBering Sea, AKFull-time -
Fishing Guide
Drifters LodgeCooper Landing, AKSeasonalHousing -
Fishing Guide (2027 Season)
Wilderness Place LodgeLake Creek, AKSeasonal -
Main Lodge Worker / Guide Apprentice (2027 Season)
Wilderness Place LodgeLake Creek, AKSeasonalHousing
Questions About Outdoor Jobs in Alaska
How many outdoor jobs in Alaska are open right now?
40 listings are live on WildWork as of September 13, 2026. 16 state their pay and 22 include housing.
What do outdoor jobs in Alaska pay?
The median posted rate is $18.55/hr across 6 current listings that state pay in that unit, with posted rates from $17/hr to $28.55/hr. These are advertised rates; tips, overtime and room and board are extra where the listing says so.
Do outdoor jobs in Alaska come with housing?
55% of current listings say the employer provides housing, free or at a charge, and 40% include meals. Each listing shows whether housing is included and what it costs when the employer says.
When should I apply for a summer job in Alaska?
January through April for June starts. Lodges and processors fill by March. Fishing boats hire through May, and deckhands still find spots by walking the docks in Homer, Kodiak, Petersburg and Cordova in early June, but fewer each year.
Is housing provided for Alaska seasonal jobs?
Almost always. Boats provide a bunk and food. Processors provide bunkhouses and cafeterias, sometimes for a small daily charge. Lodges provide staff cabins and meals. Listings state the arrangement.
Do I need a license to work in Alaska fishing?
Commercial crew need an Alaska commercial crew license from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission. Sport fishing guides need an ADF&G guide license and, for motorized boats, a USCG OUPV license. Processing and lodge staff need no license; lodge kitchen staff need a food handler card.
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