JOB POSTING

Summer Camp Counselor

Posted: Open to internal and external applicants

Reports to: Public Programs Coordinator

Status: Full-time, hourly, seasonal position from June 10 - September 6

Hours of work: Standard Monday-Friday workweek, 8am-5pm. Occasional need for after-hours work as related to events and other projects.

Date needed: June 10, 2024

Posting expires: Open until filled

Position description:

The Seattle Aquarium is seeking four Camp Counselors (CCs) for its Marine Science Summer Camp. This role supports the Aquarium in making camp fun and a safe space where campers can create lasting memories. The CCs will carry out the daily procedures of camp (including teaching lessons and guiding students through activities) while occasionally supporting the Lead Instructor in administrative tasks. CCs are role models and mentors and will have the opportunity to use their own lived experiences and stories to guide campers and volunteers in marine science, conservation, and empathy. Like the individual arms of an octopus, the camp staff will work together to capture the attention and imagination of campers through ocean themed experiences, behind the scenes animal encounters, storytelling and art.

Please see the attachment with our job posting on our website to learn more about Marine Science Summer Camp and the Camp Timeline for Camp Counselors position.

The skills and abilities listed below may be demonstrated through a combination of relevant cultural and community programs, jobs, internships, volunteer experience, and/or formal or informal education. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.

Key functions:

1. Support an inclusive environment and promote behavior conducive to a safe and fun camp environment among all participants and serve as a role model to the campers and youth volunteers. When appropriate, encourage all campers to participate, observe, discover, and appreciate the marine environment while being respectful of their surroundings on and off site.
2. Coordinate with fellow counselor and CLI to lead small groups of campers of up to 12 kids, (ages vary from 4 to 14 years old) each week in curricula lessons, activities and games; and exhibit and behind-the-scenes tours, short field trips along the Seattle Waterfront and day long trip to local beaches or other locations (pending Aquarium approval).

1. Support Camp Lead Instructor in implementation of camp program.
2. As a team, provide attentive and consistent care for the safety and whereabouts of campers
3. Responsible for keeping track of all camper information (medical, general and authorizations) as written on release forms. Responsible for ensuring all such information is respected and referenced appropriately and remains confidential.
4. Coordinate with fellow CC and CLI to lead scheduled lessons and activities on time for the camper group. Give feedback on activities and documentation to camp coordinators as prompted, supporting the School & Public Programs team's evaluation efforts.
5. Collaborate to maintain, prepare, setup, and cleanup all program-related activities on and off site.
6. Collaborate with all logistical aspects of the program including but not limited to:
   1. Camper logs
   2. Check-in and check-outs
   3. Classroom activities
   4. Bathroom accompaniment
7. Act as the communication link between the camp lead instructor and youth volunteer camp assistants to help guide them in fulfilling their roles.
8. All Aquarium staff and volunteers are expected to participate in advancing and integrating into their work Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Regenerative practices in alignment with our S.A.L.I.S.H. Values.

Required skills and experience:
We will consider various combinations of relevant experience and education to meet minimum requirements.

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Interest in guiding and supporting youth (Ages 4-14) and/or some experience working (paid or unpaid) with youth, such as with other summer camps, youth groups, childcare, sibling care or educational programming for young children.

Skills and abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Preference for second language spoken/written proficiency.

• Commitment to teamwork and collaboration. Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team player.
• Ability to make decisions in the moment in alignment with organizational policy.
• Previous experience working with audiences and peers of diverse backgrounds, as well as familiarity with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles. Models active and personal commitment to DEI education; solid understanding and proven literacy around DEI topics. Demonstrates an understanding of the Aquarium's Mission and Values, including Regenerative and Equity work.

• Keen interest in and ability to work with people of all ages, especially youth, and handle a variety of situations, including those that may be complicated or challenging, with grace, empathy, and tact.
• Interest and excitement to learn and teach about marine science and conservation

• The Seattle Aquarium provides training in adult, child, and infant first aid and CPR/AED. Anaphylaxis and epinephrine auto-injector training. This certification is provided on a set day. If unable to attend this portion of the training, certification proof required by first day of camp.

• Familiarity with MS Office programs: Word, Excel, Teams, Outlook, OneDrive, and other basic computer skills.

Working conditions:

• Heavy to moderate vocal demands to project talks and announcements and to direct an audience in loud areas.
• High paced, dynamic education environment.
• Attentiveness to children in a setting with varying noise levels.
• Frequent interruptions; walking, standing, sitting for extended periods of time while interacting with youth.
• Long periods of times indoors/outdoors during all kinds of conditions (rain or shine). Outdoor work may include uneven surfaces, being around bodies of water, and walking more than 100 meters at a time.
• Set hours/dates of work.

Salary and benefits:

$21.00 per hour. Seasonal staff are not eligible for benefits but accrue paid sick time and are paid an additional $0.75/hour to assist with transportation costs.

How to apply: The Seattle Aquarium is committed to expanding a diverse, equitable, and inclusive conservation movement. We are invested in building an Aquarium with a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, languages, cultural ways of knowing, and life experiences. We know research shows that society has conditioned communities of color, trans and gender non-conforming people, immigrants, people with disabilities, and other marginalized candidates to more frequently not apply to a job because they don't feel that they meet all of the qualifications listed even if they are qualified. If you meet some of the requirements and you are passionate about our mission and our ocean, we encourage you to apply and look forward to learning more about you.

Interested candidates should upload a resume to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.

Please let us know if you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for this job by emailing us at .

Note: If offered the position, candidates must pass a background check. Conviction record is not an automatic disqualifier; we are a second chance employer.

About the Seattle Aquarium:

The Seattle Aquarium is a respected authority on Puget Sound, the Salish Sea and the world's one ocean. Our passionate staff increases awareness and drives the change needed to preserve and protect our marine environment by providing an inspiring visitor experience, engaging daytime and evening events, conservation education programs for people of all ages and backgrounds, community outreach to marginalized populations, research that advances understanding of animals in our care and their counterparts in the wild, advocacy and policy work, an award-winning volunteer program, high-impact marketing and communications, and more.

Our values, developed in conjunction with our staff, include commitments to adopting and promoting sustainable practices, creating awe-inspiring experiences, constantly learning and improving, fostering an inclusive community, maintaining scientific credibility through evidence-based practices and honoring our unique place by using our location and history as a lens for larger understanding.

Proudly accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, we're among the top 10 aquariums in the U.S. by attendance, and we welcome over 850,000 people each year. Guided by our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment, we're working to substantially increase our conservation impact by expanding our campus with a new building, the Ocean Pavilion. Learn more at .

Timeline:

We anticipate the following recruiting schedulefor those candidates who are selected for consideration.The following dates are preliminary and subject to change.We will work with candidates to set interview dates.If hired, relocation assistance is not available.

• Application deadline: Open until filled.
• Interviewscompleted by early May.
• Start date: June 10.