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Assistant Nature Camp Director

Assistant Nature Camp Director: Call of the Wild Camps

Current Employment Openings:

Spring break camp in Berkeley Mar 30-Apr 3, 2026
Spring break camp in Oakland Apr 6-10, 2026
Summer camps in Berkeley and Oakland June 1-July 17, 2026

Do you love working with children and camp counselors? Do you love the outdoors, nature, and hiking? Are you vegan for animals or the environment? Would you like to assist with supervising and leading camp counselors? How about combining your passions into one fun seasonal job? We are looking for an on-site Assistant Nature Camp Director to lead staff and children in outdoor Call of the Wild Camps in Oakland and Berkeley. We seek an enthusiastic, energetic, dynamic, and creative leader to join us in designing and implementing educational and recreational outdoor programs. Open a door to the wonders of nature as a living classroom in nature camps, where kids in grades K-5 come to hike, read, write, explore, learn, and play!

You may be an ideal Assistant Nature Camp Director if:

You are a responsible, conscientious adult.
You are a dependable team player and leader who is communicative, collaborative, adaptable, friendly, outgoing, energetic, creative, fun, and eager to inspire and engage both children and staff in learning by doing.
You care about science, the scientific method, facts, empiricism, reason, critical thinking, and objective reality.
You have experience in nature education, nature camps, science education, science camps, early childhood education, elementary school education, outdoor education, outdoor camps, environmental education, literacy education, outdoor recreation, or related fields.
You are vegan: "Veganism is a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude—as far as is possible and practicable—all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of animals, humans and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals." - The Vegan Society

WHO WE ARE: We believe that to inspire learning is to inspire action! We believe in experiential education and lifelong learning. Inspire Behavioral Learning's mission is to empower people to live happier, more independent and fulfilling lives by achieving their health and educational goals. Outdoor educators in Call of the Wild Camps provide a fun, safe alternative to screen addiction; inspire nature connection and curiosity; and foster healthy, positive relationships with flora and fauna in our natural environments.

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE:

We believe in the wisdom of "be kind to every kind" and the benefits of veganism on animals and the environment.
We value diversity and include children with disabilities and typically developing children alike in our programs.
We value the integrity of the whole person and are dedicated to a well-rounded blend of head, heart, and body -- being constant learners, kind and caring, and focused on learning by doing.
We use emergent curriculum and principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), the science of learning that focuses on observable interaction between the learner and environment.
We are a small company focused on quality over quantity.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

Assist the camp director in managing, administering, and overseeing daily operations of youth programs on-site for outdoor nature camps
Reliably attend and actively participate in camp training online and on-site, rain or shine (training is before the start date of the first camp session of the season)
Reliably and punctually attend outdoor nature camps on-site, rain or shine, M-F 8:25 AM-4:35 PM
Assist the camp director in supervising and training camp counselors on-site, providing modeling, prompt fading, positive feedback, and constructive feedback
Greet parents at drop-off and pick-up times, checking children in and out
Communicate with parents/guardians in a friendly and professional manner
Communicate with parents/guardians a brief summary of their child's day at pick-up time
Safely lead hikes in parks for K-5th graders in small groups up to approximately 6 miles per day
Maintain a 4:1 or 5:1 student: staff ratio or ratio approved by the camp supervisor
Oversee K-5 level nature-themed science, outdoor education, language arts, art, and motor activities for Call of the Wild Camps, including theme weeks such as Enchanted Forest Stories, Enchanted Forest Art, Enchanted Vegan, and Trailblazers
Facilitate and oversee fun and positive nature education curriculum on vegan topics such as animal rights, speciesism, health, food, clothing, and the environment
Lead outdoor language arts activities for children with nature and wilderness themes, including but not limited to circle time with story time and singing, literary show-and-tell, skits, nature journaling, mapmaking, creative writing, and authoring and illustrating books
Lead science activities for topics in life science, biology, ecology, zoology, environmental science, stewardship, conservation, preservation, etc., integrating naturalistic observation, exploration, games, group discussion, and relevant children's books and writing activities
Engage children in outdoor activities that blend recreation and education, such as nature-themed hide and seek and chase games, crafting and playing forest "I Spy" games and scavenger hunts
Engage children and staff with a fun teaching style and high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity
Supervise and facilitate children's rest breaks, snack and lunch breaks, and physical play breaks
Provide naturalistic executive function teaching across diverse activities, including planning, organization, and time management
Implement teaching and behavior management based on principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA), including prompting, positive reinforcement, and group contingencies of reinforcement based on student preferences and choices
Facilitate emergent curriculum and child-centered, student-centered, experiential, incidental, and play-based teaching and learning opportunities
Create both structured and incidental learning opportunities
Keep work materials neat, organized, and in good working condition
Record accurate, objective incident reports
Follow all health and safety requirements, and make sure staff and campers follow them
Drive by personal vehicle during the work shift for emergency or safety-related situations or parent phone calls in a reception area as needed
Follow all seven leave no trace principles, and make sure staff and campers follow them
Follow directions and implement feedback from the camp supervisor
Proactively communicate camp updates, questions and concerns with the camp director and supervisor
Interact with students and staff in a kind, caring, respectful, positive, and professional manner
Represent Call of the Wild Camps in a positive and professional manner with customers, staff, and park visitors
Mentor and support Counselors in Training (CITs) participating in the internship program
Meet all of the physical requirements for the job, including standing, bending, sitting, squatting, walking, occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs., hiking up to approx. 6 miles per day on varied terrain in varied weather with a backpack weighing up to 20% of your body weight, visual acuity for reading books, maps, interpretive panels, and signs
Perform other duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

Provide proof of a high school diploma
Most recent academic transcript (unofficial is permitted) in good standing with a 3.5 minimum GPA. If your school does not provide grades, you do not qualify for this position.
Proof of a declared major or minor in a relevant discipline, such as biology, environmental science, education, early childhood education, or recreation management

Certification and Safety Requirements:

Proof of CPR and First Aid certification that remains unexpired through all camps dates you are applying to work. The only accepted CPR and First Aid certification involves passing a live skills assessment with an instructor. In person or hybrid in-person/online courses are the only acceptable courses. Entirely online courses are not acceptable.
Proof of current COVID-19 vaccination obtained within 12 months of hire before hire or obtain a medical or sincerely held religious belief exemption.
Pass a DOJ and FBI background check.

Experience:

Leadership experience training, mentoring, or overseeing novice camp counselors or educators, interns, or volunteers (does not need to be a formal supervisory position)
Minimum 12 months of experience working in person with GROUPS of elementary school age children at K-5th grade level, ages 5-10, as a camp counselor, outdoor educator, naturalist, recreation leader, coach, instructor, or classroom teacher. Babysitting or nannying are not equivalent experience.
Frequent, regular experience hiking, running, or backpacking trails on varied terrain at least 6 miles in a day
Experience working in person with culturally, linguistically, and developmentally diverse children
Experience working in person with students with widely diverse abilities, including disabilities (e.g., autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome, dyslexia, speech and language delays)
Experience taking initiative leading staff who work in person with groups of children in grades K-5, ages 5-10
Experience leading extracurricular enrichment activities in person for groups of children in grades K-5, ages 5-10
Experience implementing effective and appropriate behavior management in person for grades K-5, ages 5-10
Experience selecting and implementing age-appropriate, grade-appropriate, developmentally appropriate activities in person for grades K-5, ages 5-10

Skills:

Ability to model and educate about veganism as more than a diet
Ability to hike trails of moderate difficulty on hilly and uneven terrain up to approximately 6 miles a day five days a week for multiple consecutive weeks
Ability to carry a hiking backpack weighing up to 20% of your body weight for the duration of each camp day
Ability to meet all other physical requirements for the job, including standing, bending, sitting, squatting, walking, occasional lifting and carrying up to 50 lbs., and visual acuity for reading books, maps, interpretive panels, and signs
Demonstrate a fun and engaging leadership style with high energy, creativity, adaptability, spontaneity, dynamism, and positivity
Friendly, kind, caring, compassionate, and patient teaching style for learners of all skill levels
Eagerness and openness to continually learn and develop your skill set
Command of American English phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics
Excellent ability to break concepts down into simple and easy steps
Excellent time-management and organizational skills
Outstanding oral and written communication skills
Ability to confidently take initiative with minimal direction
Eco-conscious skills with a demonstrable love of nature and the outdoors, life sciences, biology, environmental science, outdoor education, or environmental education
You can articulate how veganism benefits animals, health, and the environment
Health-conscious skills with a demonstrable love of active and healthy living
Enthusiasm for nature-themed language arts and literacy teaching
Enthusiasm for making education relevant to children's lives
Demonstrate care for children and a desire to help the whole child learn and grow in enjoyable ways, in addition to subject-matter competence in language arts and relevant life sciences

Other Requirements:

Proof of a valid California driver's license
Possess your own reliable vehicle and proof of auto insurance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

For East Bay camps: experience hiking in Joaquin Miller Park, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Roberts Regional Recreation Area, and Tilden Regional Park and familiarity with their flora and fauna
For South Bay camps: experience hiking in Rancho San Antonio County Park and familiarity with flora and fauna in the park
You are vegan, as defined by The Vegan Society and as described on Inspire's website here: veganism

PERKS AND BENEFITS:

Have fun teaching and inspiring kids and novice educators in the great outdoors!
Employees get paid training; paid rest breaks; off-duty lunch breaks; and retirement plan if working at least 30 days
Referral bonus
Supportive and friendly environment with coaching and mentorship
Become part of a company that truly cares about both the employee’s and student’s happiness and success!

LOCATIONS: Bay Area parks. Check the Call of the Wild Camps web pages for more information on all locations.

East Bay Spring Break Camps: Tilden Nature Area in Berkeley. Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland.
East Bay Summer Camps: Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley. Joaquin Miller Park, Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, and Roberts Regional Recreation Area in Oakland.

SCHEDULE:

Training: before the start date of camp sessions at your assigned sites

East Bay Spring Break Camps:

Berkeley: 8:25 AM-4:35 PM, Mar 30-Apr 3, Mon-Fri
Oakland: 8:25 AM-4:35 PM, Apr 6-10, Mon-Fri

East Bay Summer Camps:

Oakland and Berkeley: 8:25 AM-4:35 PM, Jun 1-Jul 17, Mon-Fri

CLASSIFICATION: Non-exempt employee for temporary, seasonal work.

COMPENSATION: $24.00 per hour

RECRUITMENT PROCESS:

1) Application

2) Interview via Google Meet for qualified applicants

3) Employment verification, plus reference checks with two supervisors who have overseen your work with children

4) Conditional job offers are made to selected candidates

5) Final job offers are made, contingent upon successfully completing all requirements for hire

APPLY: Follow the link to apply for the Assistant Nature Camp Director in Call of the Wild Camps at Inspire Behavioral Learning®! We look forward to connecting with you! https://forms.gle/BLiueN7pwGEUz5us9

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