Part-Time Summer Camp Assistant Naturalist - Shaver's Creek Environmental Center

About the role

This position will teach you critical thinking, creativity, communication, leadership, problem solving, and adaptability which are key factors and skills that are desirable for all jobs you will ever have.
Form connections with peers that outlast the summer.
Professional development through sessions at the beginning and throughout the season on a variety of topics aimed at helping you to develop as a whole person.
Possible internship credit
Spend your summer outside in nature.
Learn techniques for how to be present and immersed in the moment.
Obtain 2-year certifications in First Aid, AED, CPR and Epi-Pens.
Gain confidence through growth that you should take with you everywhere.

Responsibilities

• Keep everyone safe.
• Communicate often and effectively.
• Always uphold all PSU and Shaver’s Creek policies whether that be in the presence of minors or within ear and eye shot of another adult.
• Always be an active and participatory team member whether it be for the big things (like lesson planning for the week) or the little things (like opening food containers) on a consistent basis.
• Lead and/or co-lead games, activities, songs, riddles, and explorative exercises throughout the week with campers.
• Set goals, actively work towards them, and check-in on progress.
• Demonstrate appreciation of others (like writing the LITs in your group a thank you each week).
• Maintain energy, engagement & patience that work for your leadership style and staff/campers.
• Provide medical treatment and maintain records.
• Assemble camper’s journals (based on input from camp naturalists) for printing.
• Serve in the “LIT Assistant” role for, at most, 1 week of the summer program. During this week, you will not be with a group of campers but will spend time assisting with the first-year LIT program observing and leading or co-leading sessions.
• If busing is available that week, you would ride the bus to/from Shaver’s Creek each morning and lead programs and engage with campers during the ride.

Requirements

At Shaver’s Creek facility, you will work 47 - 50 hours each week.
Most of those hours are working outdoors (regardless of weather conditions) with children and peers on and along narrow dirt trails in nature.
Access to bathrooms in stalls depends upon the schedule for the day but is typically every 2 or 3 hours.
Gear for yourself and activities is carried on you; with or without accommodations (in your backpack or provided pack basket) and is likely to weigh 10-15 lbs.

Qualifications

• Pay is $10.50/hour for the first 40 hours worked in a week. Hours above 40 earn time and a half.
• Housing may be available for out-of-the-area applicants. (There are a few rooms available and are filled on an as-needed and on a first-hire basis.)
• Training: Monday - Friday, typically 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. for the first two full weeks in June and will include certification in First Aid, CPR, AED, and Epi-Pens (Certification in advance of training is not needed.)
• Training time includes peer bonding opportunities, techniques on working with children, examples of games and activities, lesson planning guidance, time on the trails, emergency procedures, and what a day of camp really looks and feels like.
• Camp week hours worked: Monday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; Tuesday - Thursday 8:00 a.m.- 5:15 p.m.; Friday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.; Saturday (having likely stayed overnight via camping on-site and only three times a summer) 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
• There is a “mid-season” week over the week of July 6, 2026. We will have off that Monday and Friday but will be on-site 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with professional development opportunities, some social time, goal check-ins and other sessions related to grounding and centering halfway through the program season.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work well with children outdoors.
• Leadership and problem-solving skills.
• Adaptability and creativity.

Benefits

• Professional development through sessions at the beginning and throughout the season on a variety of topics aimed at helping you to develop as a whole person.
• Obtain 2-year certifications in First Aid, AED, CPR and Epi-Pens.
• Gain confidence through growth that you should take with you everywhere.

Pay

$10.50/hour for the first 40 hours worked in a week. Hours above 40 earn time and a half.

Schedule

• Monday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• Tuesday - Thursday 8:00 a.m.- 5:15 p.m.
• Friday 8:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
• Saturday (having likely stayed overnight via camping on-site and only three times a summer) 6:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.
• “Mid-season” week over the week of July 6, 2026. We will have off that Monday and Friday but will be on-site 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. with professional development opportunities, some social time, goal check-ins and other sessions related to grounding and centering halfway through the program season.