Positions & Compensation
Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of the Farm Camp staff. Our online application is available and we conduct interviews with applicants from November through May each hiring season. You can expect to hear back from us within two weeks of submitting an application. Apply HERE!
Positions are available for experienced, responsible and enthusiastic young leaders who would be interested in devoting their summer to working with children in a positive, outdoor environment. Below are descriptions of the positions we have at camp. Depending on the hiring process, these positions may or may not be open. The titles below are the “positions” that you will need to choose when you complete the online application.
Positions
New Counselor: If you have never worked at Farm Camp before, this is for you! Unit counselors are responsible for the care and supervision of the campers in all aspects of the program. Depending on the period of the day, they lead their unit group, lead activity or chore groups, supervise general areas of camp, or execute special parts of the program. They build positive relationships with campers and serve as role models and authority figures.
Returning Counselor: If you have worked at Farm Camp before, this is for you! Returning Counselors have the same job description as new counselors, but also serve as mentors to first time staff, and have the opportunity to apply for more responsibility by adding a Coordinator role to their job description.
Kitchen Staff: Our kitchen staff are the culinary masterminds behind our delicious, from scratch, farm fresh meals. Meals are sourced from our farm; meat is grown on our site and much of our produce comes straight from our garden. Our kitchen staff collaborate to prep and cook meals in our industrialized kitchen, and work as a unit to wash cookware and keep the kitchen domain clean and sanitary.
Healthcare Staff: The health and safety of our campers and staff is a top priority and we hire two healthcare professionals (MD’s, RN’s, or EMT’s) each summer to care for and manage the wellness of our camp and staff community. Duties include updating and organizing camper and staff health records, giving medications and supplements, and providing care through our camp. Our healthcare team participates in our program in the same way everyone else does, sharing meals and jumping into activities!
Camper in Leadership Training (CILT) Counselor: Our Camper in Leadership Training (CILT) program combines an introduction of leadership development, wilderness skill building and team building with added interdependence into our fun loving, communal camp environment . The program is for high schoolers who have completed 9th – 11th grade and runs during our 2 and 4 week sessions. Please see our CILT page for more details.
- CILT counselors will get the summer to mentor and help teens grow as leaders. We encourage you to be creative and use our materials as a guide while highlighting what makes yourself and your co-counselors really shine too! We will provide CILT counselors with a proposed 4 week schedule of how to run the CILT program. Providing a binder with materials on how to run each of the outlined sessions with guided reflections and a sample menu as well. All of this will be provided during staff training. You and your co-counselors will have both periods throughout staff training, as well as the first week of camp to prepare for your campers to arrive and to make a thorough plan for their time at camp!
- We expect that the CILT Counselors will effectively communicate with the kitchen, the leadership team and their co-counselors often. We expect that CILT counselors will be able to think on their feet, lead with confidence and be flexible. They will act as mentors to their campers and role model positive, healthy relationships and community involvement. Similarly, they will foster mutual respect between themselves and their campers and encourage team work and healthy habits. We expect that CILT counselors will have experience working with teens or show a desire to work with them in the future. For this role specifically we are seeking candidates who are 20+.
Coordinators/Floaters
Each coordinator is responsible for their individual coordinator role as well as more general tasks around camp. They will act as chore floaters as well as role-models for both campers and staff. These positions are most often filled by returning staff. They will complete various tasks such as filling in certificates and bandanas, putting together postcards, taking social media pictures and helping distribute mail. They will lead activities and help with training in their specific coordinator field. They will also be responsible for driving in a variety of circumstances such as laundry drop-off/pick-up and occasionally driving campers, therefore they need to be over 21.
- Arts and Crafts – Staff member responsible for organizing and laying out Arts and Crafts materials for each activity 2x daily (morning activity + afternoon activity). Keeping inventory of supplies and refreshing those supplies as needed. Keeping an ongoing assessment of successful vs. not so successful activities and reporting that to directors. Updating our arts and crafts instructions, and being able to teach or guide all arts and craft projects at camp. Using their creativity to suggest new activities. Helping unit counselors gather supplies for various decorating and crafting needs!. Being crafty and creative in the lovely redwoods all summer long!
- Ropes – Staff member responsible for maintaining and keeping inventory on ropes equipment, helping train ropes staff, leading ropes activities, keeping ropes records logged and current. The Ropes Coordinator will be the one setting up and taking down equipment for each activity and will be assigned to many early summer ropes activities to continue the training and supervision of staff getting comfortable with our ropes elements. Bring your knowledge of knots and hang out in the beautiful redwoods!
- Waterfront – A certified lifeguard, this staff member will be responsible for overseeing all things water-based. They will assist with the onsite training of lifeguard staff and serve as the head counselor for many of the early summer waterfront activities. They will ensure all waterfront areas have stocked first aid kits and that lifeguards are prepared and alert when guarding. Once safety is assured, they will thoroughly enjoy the sunshine and good vibes at the lake and pool!
- Evening Activities – Coordinate evening activity plans on a daily basis including the camp drama on Tuesdays, the ALL camp campfire on Thursday and Sunday, barn dance on Fridays and reflections on Saturdays. The Evening Activity Coordinator uses a period that day to prepare for the evening activity and facilitates that evening program We would also like them to be a resource for our staff if they need help planning Unit night/days and International days. Along with helping plan the weekly activities for camp, there is the special plan for the 4th of July. We love having our campers in leadership training help with activities, the EA coordinator will help lead the CILTS in the Red/White and Blue games and the Variety Show. The EA coordinator uses their enthusiasm and creativity to create memorable moments for the campers and staff!
Specialists:
Mainly responsible for listed tasks, may join programming in other areas as needed. Specialists spend the majority of their time within their specialized responsibility at camp and do not live in a unit with campers.
- Head Wrangler – Work with horse program director to structure horseback activities, lead horse chore, and work with ranch staff to feed, care for, and move horses.
- Transportation Specialist – Work with directors to coordinate the bus pick up and drop off of campers to the bay area and back on beginning and ending days of camp. This is a great responsibility, full of logistics, quick thinking, and organization! Transport coordinators spend a night in a hotel in the bay area every other week and have a few additional staff assigned to their transport team each week to help. This person is also our go to for laundry runs, medical visits, or trips to town for needed items. When they are onsite they have the opportunity to lead activities and jump into programming when they can.
All counselors are responsible for being CPR and First Aid certified before they arrive at camp. Skills such as lifeguarding, horseback riding, guitar playing, arts & crafts, performing arts, and agricultural, are particularly desirable and preference is given to applicants that are available to work the entire summer.
We hire about 30% of our staff through international placement agencies, bringing in qualified instructors and counselors from all over Europe, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia. The atmosphere created by hiring staff from around the world is unique. The practical skills as well as the cultural education the international staff provides is a wonderful addition to the overall camp experience.
Compensation
The following is an outline of our pay scale for summer staff. The pay scale is our way of making salaries consistent for the entire staff. However, if you have unique qualifications not stated in the outline, please contact our office to discuss your situation.
| Title | Base Salary Per Week | Minimum Qualification |
| Domestic Counselor | $550 | High school completed, at least one year of college completed or work experience |
| Kitchen Staff | $550 | High school completed, experience and interest in food systems and cooking |
| Transportation Specialist | $600 | Counselor qualifications with an interest in growing organizational skills |
| Horseback Specialist | $600 | Counselor qualifications with horseback experience |
| Nurse | $1500/week | Valid CA registered nursing license |
Additions to base salary (per week) are made for the following situations:
| Title | Added per Week |
| Returning Staff (per full summer at camp) | $20.00 |
| Wilderness First Responder or EMT | $30.00 |
| Wilderness First Aid | $10.00 |
| Red Cross Lifeguard Certification | $30.00 |
| College Graduate (Bachelor’s Degree) | $20.00 |
| Coordinator Addition (Ropes, CILTS, Waterfront, Arts and Crafts, Evening Programming) applied only during sessions when applicable | $30.00 |
| Full-time head teaching experience (3 yr. max) | $20.00 |
| Activity Certification (ACA or equivalent, based on relevance. $50.00 max) | $5.00-$20.00 |
Please note:
- ALL staff MUST be 1st Aid and CPR Certified before arriving at camp.
We look forward to reading your application and will contact you if you are selected for an interview. In the interim, if you should have any questions or require additional information please do not hesitate to contact contact us.
