Summer Camp
Job Descriptions
& Applications
***Mandatory staff training begins two weeks prior to the first day of our first session of camp, see dates page. ***
Please Note: All staff will be responsible for overnight supervision of cabin groups at some point during the summer to relieve cabin counselors on their nights off. Overnight relief can be one to three times per week. Even if you apply for one of the activity positions, you can still be a cabin counselor and cabin counselors must lead activities. All staff will also be on RAT (rounds after TAPs) at least twice a week. RATs supervise cabins while staff have a few hours off in the evenings. Hired staff will do many different activities. Think about all of the new skills you will learn!
Coppercreek Camp is a tobacco-free workplace.
Physical Requirements for All Positions Include:
- standing walking, and playing all day energetically
- be able to lift at least 50 pounds
- good physical condition (previous injuries do not heal well at camp)
- smiling and laughing even when hot, tired, and covered in bug bites
Working Conditions For All Positions Include:
- cold nights and hot days (sometimes over 100 degrees though it is rare)
- BUGS. lots of bugs.
- DIRT. you will learn all about dirt tans
- Uneven terrain
- Staff with a valid drivers license and clean driving record will transport campers
- Sometimes dealing with blood, barf, snot, and tears before the nurse arrives.
- Exposure to animals
- Working at high elevations (think high ropes)
Cabin Counselor
Description:
Primary responsibility is for a cabin group of 5-10 boys or girls of compatible ages. Sleeps in cabin with them, keeps cabin group under control, having a good time, clean and happy. Is the best friend, Mom or Dad, disciplinarian, conflict resolver, mediator, and probably one of the most influential people these children will ever remember. You have meals with your campers. You still teach and assist with activities during the day. Some of our above instructor positions can be cabin counselors as well. Cabin groups and their counselors are not together during program activities. Children are free to choose activities without cabin mates. Cabin groups may or may not take trips as a group. Please note, we often double-up counselors in cabins. EVERYONE COVERS CABINS DURING THE SUMMER.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Counselor-In-Training (CIT) Counselor
Description:
(CIT) Works with up to thirteen 16-17 year old CIT’s. Directs their schedule striving for the optimum balance between having fun and learning responsible leadership skills. This program is one of the most popular and successful programs that we offer. You spend a lot of time checking beds, bushes, the shadows after dances, chasing hormonally unbalanced adolescents and generally stressing about the where-abouts of your young crew. Must be fun and know what is appropriate. You will also run other activities.
First Aid/ Cpr. Must be a competent swimmer. Experience with teens is preferred.
Waterfront Instructor
Description:
Runs water-ski/wakeboard program at Lake Almanor, which includes boat maintenance. Waterfront director gets tan on one side and has zinc oxide on their nose all summer. Person needs to be over 21 with clean driving record.
Life guarding, FIRST AID/ CPR, Driver’s License, Boater’s Safety Card (you can complete once you are at camp)
Riding Instructors
Description:
Must be a competent English rider. Riding instructors should be able to ride at least Training Level Dressage. We also need jumping instructors who can jump up to 2’9”. We jump, teach dressage, do lunge line lessons, beginning vaulting, and have two driving ponies. We employ 5 riding staff each summer and own around 30 horses.
All riding staff will receive a 5-day safety instructor clinic as part of their job. Must emphasize safety. Must be easy going, flexible, and able to deal with the dynamics of lots of kids and horses together. Riding Instructors are always popular with the campers!
FIRST AID/CPR, Pony Club Certifications or CHA certifications, Must submit video of recent riding
Head Crafts Instructor
Description:
Plans and executes a varied program from pottery to painting, nature craft to carpentry. Crafts goes all day, requires an extremely mellow personality, good organization and low boiling point (think glitter). We have a quality crafts program! Yes, many crafts instructors have forgotten and fired the kiln for 24 hours though.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Climbing Instructors
Description:
Must be unselfish and non-egotistical. Able to belay for hours on end and still be excited to do it again on the next trip. Climbing is a very popular program in need of a very popular person. Must be able to set protection, teach knots and belaying. We climb real granite and have even set up Tyrolean Traverses in the past. Must be willing to learn our belaying methods.
Heads our in-camp climbing and out of camp trips, maintains climbing wall, sets routes. DOE may play integral part in training challenge course and climbing wall staff. This person will drive campers on climbing trips.
FIRST AID / CPR, Valid driver’s license, Clean driving record, Wilderness First Aid or Responder Preferred
High Challenge Course Instructor/Supervisor
Description:
Will supervise high ropes course and zip line, seeing the campers get down the safe way and that counselors send them up the right way. We run a training program the week prior to Staff Training Week for all counselors interested in being trained to run the high ropes course. Experience and training in ropes courses required. The ropes course is ran in the mornings so your afternoon will be spent at other activities. The supervisor often is also the climbing instructor.
Management and Team Building are a huge plus in this position, but we can train the right person.
FIRST AID/ CPR, Previous high ropes course experience
Head Nature Wrangler
Description:
Develops and implements nature program using both purchases and found objects. Finds and identifies local critters with campers. Protects critters from campers. Must be able to equally praise every pollywog and bluegill captured (and released) while planning and teaching interesting nature activities. We have a nice nature pavilion with electricity, water and tables, and a pond full of huge bullfrogs and little campers.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Drama Instructor
Description:
Works with many campers on daily dramatic games and script writing. Produces a short play ( ~20 minutes) once every two weeks with the interested campers. We have even had musicals! Drama requires about 1-2 hours daily so you will do other activities as well. The drama program is extremely popular and fun at our camp! Videos from previous performances can be found on our YouTube account.
FIRST AID/ CPR, Musical theater or production experience preferred
Campfire Leader
Description:
Can lead songs and (hopefully) play guitar although these jobs have been split between 2-3 people many times in the past. We run campfire about three times a week for an hour in the evenings. We love rowdy, wild campfires where everyone participates and laughs. One year we even had an entire band for campfire and plugged in!
Responsibilities include song leading, organizing skit duties between cabins and maintaining an appropriate forum for children.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Mountain Bike Instructor
Description:
Runs our mountain bike program and BMX track on a daily basis, leading rides for all abilities and supervising other staff on rides. Must be able to control 14-year old campers with a full set of wheels under them, as well as gently encourage 7 year olds that they, too, can ride a mountain bike. Able to fix bikes that are seemingly beyond help, order parts, and keep 10 mountain bikes in working order. This is pretty much a full time activity position.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Kayak Instructor
Description:
Teaches beginning kayakers how to feel comfortable upside down, under water in a boat, wet-exit, or roll and love doing it! Kayaking instructors are very cool and popular, are able to stay calm and are wet for long periods of time.
Must keep 6-8 kayakers happy, healthy, on top of the water, and motivated.
Strong swimmer, Life guarding (we can help with certification), and at least First Aid/ CPR certification.
Skateboard Instructor
Description:
Radical! You must be able to teach beginning through intermediate skateboarding skills including dropping in on our half pipe, grinding, goofy foot, fakie, etc. One of the most popular staff members. Able to speak the “language of the boarder”, look really cool but still remember you are the adult!
Teach beginners on up how to feel comfortable and welcome at the half pipe. Teaches skateboarding daily to a wide population of campers. Must know and follow the safety regulations of our program. Care for the skateboarding equiptment.
First aid/ CPR
Photographer/Videographer
Description:
Capturing summer memories each day with digital photography. We need someone who actually can focus and set an aperture on a camera (for real) to create beautiful, marketable photographs. This person will also edit and organize all camp photos, upload to our website, create Memory Books and generally, make sure every camper is immortalized as a great Coppercreeker. This position will include being a cabin counselor and working in activities when not taking pictures. We sell the photographs to parents on SmugMug.
Must have own camera with several lenses, including a telephoto. Submit a portfolio of photographs with application.
FIRST AID/ CPR
Administrative Assistant
Description:
Helps the Directors in the office with various tasks. Must be a quick learner, multi-tasker, good with kids, parents, and constant interruptions. Must have professional written and verbal communication skills.