Summer Camp Counselor, Kitchen Staff

Come gain experience in leadership, program management, and more, at a historic co-operative summer camp. We are hiring both summer camp counselors and kitchen staff.

Staff must be onsite from June 25th until August 13th. Summer Camp Orientation begins June 25th. All staff will receive 10 days of hands-on trainings on a variety of topics, including first aid, conflict resolution, child development, and activity/program development. Camp begins July 5th and runs until August 8th. Staff time at camp concludes with Disorientation until August 13th.

Founded in 1939, the mission of Circle Pines is to promote peace, social justice, environmental stewardship and cooperation. The Center aims to demonstrate cooperative alternatives for economic and social issues and to teach cooperation as a way of life. Summer Camp has been one of the most enduring programs at the Circle Pines Center. Many campers grow up at Circle Pines, returning year after year, and becoming counselors themselves.

CPC Summer Camp combines elements of traditional summer camp -- arts and crafts, theatre, sports, swimming, and more -- with co-operative work. Campers participate in ecological restoration, animal husbandry, organic gardening, and maintaining the shared spaces of the Camp together. Campers and counselors both have shared autonomy in deciding what their days look like. Campers can opt in or out of a variety of recreational activities, depending on their interests. And counselors have a lot of freedom in designing and facilitating activities for their campers. We encourage applicants who are lifeguard certified or interested in obtaining certification.

Kitchen staff also have a lot of autonomy. The kitchen at Circle Pines is managed with a collaborative and anti-authoritarian ethos. The kitchen provides three delicious, home-made meals every day, prioritizing fresh, local ingredients and meats. This is a great opportunity to build on your culinary skills in a supportive environment.

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Counselors:

Responsibilities and Duties:

Counselors are responsible for the direct care and supervision of campers in all phases of the day, well as planning and leading activities and programs appropriate for campers 7 through 17 years old. Lots of support and resources are provided during orientation and camp to support counselor success.

Counselors will be assigned to a specific age group, and will be responsible for those campers over the course of the day. While on-duty, counselors stay in the cabins with their campers.

During the day, activities and programs include both traditional summer camp recreation and co-operative work projects. A number of camp traditions will also be shared during orientation, and will shape the rhythm at camp, including the Folk Opera, Theme Days, and daily singing. Counselors are encouraged to bring their expertise, passions, and knowledge to share with campers

Desired Qualifications and Skills:

• Experience working with children. Ideally 2+ years. This could include tutoring, babysitting, teaching, coaching, volunteering or more.
• Experience living communally, especially with more than one roommate. Experience living in a co-op is ideal, since it will provide familiarity with many of the values and day-to-day procedures at Circle Pines Center.
• Comfortable with compassionate communication and conflict resolution, and willing to learn more. This applies to communicating with campers and co-workers.
• Enjoys taking initiative and practicing resourcefulness.
• Reliable, responsive to coordination with co-workers and supervisors.
• Flexible
• Curious
• Loves nature
• Good time management.
• Extra desirable applicant qualifications:
  • Lifeguard certification
  • Driver's License
  • Personal Vehicle

Requirements:

Applicants must be at least 18-years-old as of June 25, 2026. Applicants must be legally allowed to work in the US, and pass a background check as a condition of being hired. Circle Pines Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age (40+), or disability.

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Kitchen Staff:

Responsibilities:

Kitchen Staff are responsible for daily kitchen operations including meal preparation and maintenance of food safety standards.

Daily operations include prepping and preparing for meals, cleaning and preparing raw vegetables, raw meats, observing allergen awareness in preparing alternatives for dietary restrictions. Kitchen staff are also responsible for cleaning and sanitizing the kitchen on a daily basis.

Kitchen staff have the opportunity to shape meal plans and contribute recipes, and kitchen managers do their best to offer flexibility in scheduling shifts. Kitchen staff during summer camp are collectively responsible for preparing 3 meals per day for 100 people.

Desired Qualifications and Skills:

• Commercial kitchen experience (1+ year)
• Experience cooking large amounts of food -- for camps, churches, catering, or more.
• Strong understanding of kitchen safety, knife safety, food temperature safety.
• Familiarity with Serv-Safe procedures.
• Curious, motivated by learning.
• Collaborative team player.
• Reliable.
• Respects and enjoys cooking with fresh, local ingredients.
• Extra desirable applicant qualifications:
  • Morning person!

Requirements:

Applicants must be at least 18-years-old as of June 25, 2026. Applicants must be legally allowed to work in the US, and pass a background check as a condition of being hired. Circle Pines Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age (40+), or disability.

Room and board are provided, including three homemade meals per day.

Staff housing ranges from rustic cabins to rooms in a historic lodge, depending on the role & preference of staff. Tent camping is also an option. All staff use shared bathroom facilities and have access to common spaces inside the farmhouse, including a library and a staff-only lounge.

All our food is fresh, and homemade from organic and locally sourced ingredients.

All dietary restrictions accommodated.