Camp Operations Lead

Salary Range: $23.00 To $23.00 Annually
Posted: Open to internal and external applicants
Reports to: School and Public Programs Supervisor
Status:  Seasonal, hourly position.
Hours of work: Work shifts are 8 hours in length, 5 days a week. Shift timings vary between morning shift and afternoon shift
Date needed:  May, 2025
Posting expires: When position is filled, priority given to candidates who apply by April 3rd.

Position description:  

The Seattle Aquarium, a leading marine conservation organization, is looking for a Camps Operations Lead to join the School and Public Programs team. This position will help carry out the daily procedures of camp while occasionally supporting camp staff with delivering activities and behavior management. The Camps Operations Lead bridges the gap of communication between camp staff and other relevant entities including members of the School and Public Program staff, other departments in the Seattle Aquarium and even camper adults. If needed, they also act as a substitute Camp Lead or Camp Counselor and work directly with all ages of campers while leading groups of up to 10 at a time.

What is Marine Summer Camp?

Marine Summer Camp at the Seattle Aquarium is a registered Public Program under the School and Public Programs department. It seeks to Inspire Conservation of Our Marine Environment through engaging, inclusive and fun educational experiences. Campers range in age from 4 to 12 years and are grouped by age for up to 25 campers per weekly session. Each session is led by one Camp Lead Counselor, three Camp Counselors, a Camp Operations Lead and other School and Public Program staff as support. The camp day runs 9:30am-4:00pm with before and after-care options.

Camp Timeline: Camp Operations Lead must be committed to all set dates/times:

• Camp prep
  1. May 5-June 9: Preparing camp curriculum and systems alongside the School and Public Programs team
• Pre-camp season: 
  1. June 9-20: Camp staff training
  2. Shift times: Mon-Fri, 9:00am-5:30pm
• Camp sessions:
  1. June 23 – Sept 5
  2. Shift times: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:00pm
• Post-camp season:
  1. Sept 8-13: Season debrief, evaluation, and cleaning.
  2. Shift times: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5:00pm

Key functions:

• Oversee daily program logistics, schedule-keeping, and problem-solving for the Marine Summer Camp program alongside other members of the camp administration team, Responsible for daily program logistics, staff, camper, and family support including:
  1. Camp emergencies, such as injury.
  2. Assistance with camper behavioral issues.
  3. Helping with camper bathroom breaks and meal times.
  4. Supporting work breaks of camp staff and volunteers.
  5. Coordinate special experiences such as behind the scenes and field trips alongside other members of camp admin team, as well as other Aquarium staff instrumental to these experiences.
  6. Facilitating communication with camper parents and guardians in communication with the School and Public Programs Supervisor.
• Ensure the safety of all campers and camp staff.
• Foster an inclusive, safe and productive learning environment and interact professionally with campers, their families, volunteers, and camp staff.
• Promote behavior conducive to a safe and fun camp environment among all participants and serve as a role model. When appropriate, encourage all campers to participate, observe, discover, and appreciate the marine environment while being respectful of their surroundings on and off site.
• Lead small groups of campers of up to 10 individuals, (ages vary from 4 to 12 years old) each week in activities such as marine science lessons; 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.
• Help greet families every day, sign in/out campers, make sure children are prepared for the day with all proper paperwork, lunch etc., and connect parents and guardians to the appropriate staff and program when applicable.
• Keep constant lines of communication open and active between the camp admin team, camp leads, camp counsellors and volunteers. Will need to be responsible for answering time-sensitive calls and messages from camp staff and determining how to respond. Familiarity with Seattle Aquarium Marine Summer Camp policies and protocols after a period of training will be required.
• Support the Camp Lead Counselors in behavioral, medical, and other issues that arise during camp in alignment with Seattle Aquarium Marine Summer Camp protocols and procedures. This may be on both an ongoing and emergency basis to ensure the safety of campers and staff and the success of the camp program.
• Develop a successful plan for these issues and communicates them out to the relevant staff. Plan will be expected to be put in writing in order to make steps actionable and open to peer feedback.
• 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.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required skills and experience:

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.

• Must be 18 years or older.
• Minimum of one years of experience working with youth in a formal or informal education setting. Experience with the logistics of education programs, such as other camps, is a plus.
• A combination of education, work experience and lived experience that demonstrates an understanding of environmental education, wildlife conservation, marine sciences, recreation, educational pedagogy, learning psychology, and/or child development (similar to what could be acquired through a completed or ongoing degree or certification in education, biology, environmental science, or related fields).
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.  Preference for Multilingualism and English speakers with comfort and practice communicating across cultural and language barriers.
• Commitment to teamwork and collaboration. Ability to work effectively both independently and as a team player.
• Leadership and organizational skills.
• 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.
• Some knowledge of and/or interest in marine science and conservation.
• Training in adult, child, and infant first aid and CPR/AED. Anaphylaxis and epinephrine auto-injector training. The Aquarium will be providing First Aid and CPR/AED training during camp training weeks. If not taking this training, Certification proof is required by the first day of camp. Red Cross online courses are not accepted.
• 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.
• A 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 yards at a time.
• Set hours/dates of work.

Salary and benefits: $23.00 per hour. Temporary 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 résumé to our online application to be considered. Application review will begin immediately.

SeattleAquarium.org/careers

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

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 SeattleAquarium.org.

Timeline:

We anticipate the following recruiting schedule for 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: Late April 2025
• Priority given to applications received by April 5, 2025
• Interviews completed by Late April 2025
• Start date: May 2025.