2024 Summer Staff

Best. Job. Ever.

Are you a passionate and adventurous person looking to make a difference in the lives of youth? Each summer, over forty people from across the Northeast come together to be role models and leaders as we build a community of belonging and welcome for all campers and guests. Bear Creek Camp Staff are truly the heartbeat of all that we do.

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When you are a member of our team, you will facilitate and plan activities, care for campers, communicate with people of all ages, and have your own fulfilling adventures surrounded by an uplifting and welcoming community.

No matter what career path you see yourself on in the future, working at camp will help you build lifelong skills such as:

  • critical thinking
  • emotional intelligence
  • creativity
  • collaboration
  • flexibility
  • leadership
  • time management
  • communication
  • hospitality
  • organization
  • risk management
  • event planning
  • facilitation
  • conflict management
  • self-motivation
  • and much, much more!

Summer Staff Positions

Minimum of 18 years old

This person is a mentor and leader for campers. Counselors guide their cabin group in all aspects of the camp day from hiking, swimming, group discussions, meal times, games, devotions, and all other camp activities. Counselors must attend Staff Training during which they will learn how to facilitate all activities as well as develop important skills around children’s development, conflict resolution, emergency procedures, and many other sessions to help keep campers safe, engaged, and enjoying their camp experience.

Minimum of 18 years old

Nature Day Camp Counselors are daytime staff passionate about nature and teaching youth. They are trained to share the natural world found at Bear Creek Camp and utilize best practices for working with children. Nature Day Camp Staff may live off-site and have an hourly schedule Monday through Friday or live on-site and have a schedule more typical to an overnight camp staff.

Minimum of 17 years old

This person is a great team player as they work alongside our Food Service Manager. While working in the kitchen, this staff member can expect to help with occasional food prep, manage portions of cleaning and organization, and assist with dishes at each meal. This position is perfect for someone who wants to be at camp but may not be able to devote their entire summer to being on site.

Limited to returning staff only and preferably those who have skills or interest in specialized program areas.

Support Team (Steam) is responsible for the scheduling, organization, and coordination of program areas at camp. All Steam members must be available for Support Team Training May 28-31, have a driver’s license, and miss no more than one week of camp. These applications should be in by the end of December for the final team to be announced in January.

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Support Team Position Information

Program Coordinator

The beginning of your week will be organizing camper check-ins and schedules for all of staff. Each day, you'll coordinate with staff and help in areas like lake and high ropes. Each evening, you will lead nighttime activities and check in with the counselors at your site.

Healthcare Coordinator

Each week you will have all camper information ready for staff in regard to medical needs, dietary restrictions, allergies, and any other important information. Each meal time and at bedtime, you will distribute camper and staff medicine and be on call for any camper and staff needs.

Adventure Coordinator

The beginning of your week will be spent getting all food and supplies ready for the overnights. You'll be on call for all counselors while they are camping. Upon arrival back to main camp, all food supplies will be cleaned and camping gear will be packed up and ready for the following week.

Activities Specialist (Lake)

After chapel each day, you will be supervising quest groups at the lake until lunch. You'll return to the lake or another water area until dinner. In the evenings, you'll help with activities, the all-camp game, check in with the counselors at your site, and plan for the next day.

Activities Specialist (High Ropes)

After chapel each day, you will be supervising the main ropes course, rock wall, and flying squirrel until lunch. You'll then return to these areas until dinner. In the evenings, you'll help with activities, the all-camp game, check in with the counselors at your site, and plan for the next day.

Media Specialist

At the beginning of the week, you will coordinate with counselors and plan their quest group photos. Throughout the week, you'll take photos and videos that will then be complied into albums and the weekly highlight video.

Summer 2024 Timeline

May 28-31: Support Team and Lifeguard Training (required for Steam, lifeguard optional for all)

June 2-14: Staff Training (required for all staff)

June 30-July 5: Family Camp & 50th Celebration (half of staff needed)

August 10: End of Summer Cleaning and Staff Party

Summer Staff are expected to be at camp from staff training to the end of summer. If you have a planned week of vacation, a family event, or need to leave for college, we can work around that. We ask that all tentative dates be relayed in the interview. If you anticipate being gone for more than two weeks, a position like kitchen staff may be more suitable.

Session 1: June 16-21

Session 2: June 23-28

Family Camp & 50th Celebration: June 30- July 5

Session 4: July 7-12

Session 5: July 14-19

Session 6: July 21-26

Session 7: July 28-August 2

Session 8: August 4-9

Summer Pay & Perks

Base Pay $285

Returning Staff + 5%

Support Team + 5%

Lifeguard Certification + 5%

– Free onsite washers and dryers with laundry detergent

– Catered meals from a restaurant every Friday

– Friday evenings to Sunday afternoons off

– Visitors welcome to visit/stay over the weekend 

– Use of camp facilities on the weekends

– At-cost day in the Camp Store

– Exclusive BCC merchandise 

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Frequently Asked Questions

Applications open on November 17th and close in May or when all staff positions are filled. Applications are electronically filled out on our CampBrain site. Once that is submitted, your application will be reviewed and you will then receive an email about scheduling a Zoom meeting with Kaitlyn. After that meeting, you will be contacted with a position opportunity and Letter of Call which is a signed document solidifying your employment.

All employees upon hire will be required to undergo a series of background checks such as a national sex offender search, Pennsylvania criminal history check, child abuse clearances, and an FBI fingerprint criminal history clearance. You will be reimbursed for all clearances once they are received in the office. Staff will need to submit medical forms and a recent physical. There will also be an online portion of CPR and First Aid training with the in-person portion happening during staff training. All of this information will be delivered via email upon being hired.

Staff Training (June 2-14) is mandatory. There are a few exceptions like school and graduation, and these must be relayed in the interview process. Staff Training is not only important but also fun and an incredible bonding experience with the rest of staff. Some sessions to look forward to are: risk management, all-camp games, history of BCC, managing homesickness, ages and stages of campers, leading time fillers, healthy conflict, and much more.

Staff are assigned their age group and co-counselor at the Friday meeting of each week. Co-counselors then plan the entire week for their quest group. The Support Team will help schedule programmed areas of camp like high ropes, lake time, and overnights.

All staff rotate across the four age groups: Try-Camp, Juniors, Middlers, and Junior High. Typically, returning counselors or staff who are 19 or older will be assigned to Seniors. These assignments are given by Kaitlyn, the Associate Director. Both Kaitlyn and Collin, the Executive Director, work closely with staff to support them in feedback, evaluations, parent communications, and making sure all staff feel as comfortable and confident as possible working at BCC.

All staff members are officially off from Friday evening around 6:00 PM to Sunday at 1:00 PM. Counselors will get one hour off each day which is planned among the co-counselors. Staff are able to hang out in the staff room, take a nap in the cabin, catch up with friends and family – basically anything that helps recharge for the rest of the day. All staff members must stay on camp property through the entirety of the camper week. 

If you need to be gone for a family vacation, wedding, or any pre-planned event, you are able to take an unpaid week away if it was communicated beforehand. Those who need to be gone for multiple weeks may do best in a position like kitchen staff.

More questions? Contact Kaitlyn at [email protected]

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