Day Camp Wilderness Instructor

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County•Ithaca, NY

12d•$17 - $18•Onsite

About The Position

The mission of Primitive Pursuits is to steward the health of our community by fostering life-long relationships with the natural world through exceptional mentoring and nature education. A Wilderness Instructor facilitates the core aim of Primitive Pursuits: bringing groups of youth into natural areas, away from facilities and without modern gear, and engaging them in a fun way that sparks a deep, meaningful connection to the natural world, themselves, and each other. The key role of a Wilderness Instructor is to assist and instruct youth on outdoor and naturalist skills, including but not limited to: primitive technology, fire making, shelter construction, and procurement of food and water. Wilderness Instructors act as mentors who share their naturalist skills and knowledge, promote stewardship, and build healthful relationships in the outdoor environment. Wilderness Instructors may work with Growing Wild (3-5 yr olds) or Day Camp (5-16 yr olds).

Requirements

18 years of age or older
Must pass all required screenings for working at a NYS Summer Camp
Attend and participate in staff training week: June 22-26, 2026
Commit to working at least 5 weeks of the camp season June 29-September 4, 2026, in addition to staff training week.
Driver’s license and/or ability to arrange transportation to various camp locations on time
Experience as a wilderness instructor/camp counselor working with youth ages 6-16 in an undeveloped setting OR working with youth ages 6-16 in a classroom or out-of-school setting
Able to work in a changing outdoor environment in all weather and tackle new problems each day
Demonstrate a high level of comfort and curiosity in the natural world
Developing skills in specialized areas pertaining to wilderness living, primitive or naturalist skills OR seeking to learn specialized skills pertaining to wilderness living and primitive or naturalist skills
Ability to inspire and relate positively with youth
Ability to learn and convey skill sets efficiently
Previous experience with primitive technologies and wilderness survival or naturalist/outdoor skills
Uphold the 4 Values of camp: Belonging, Gratitude, Awareness, Getting Outside, in all interactions with campers, staff, families and parents and within programs and activities

Nice To Haves

Ability to thrive in rigorous outdoor physical education activities
Experience in planning daily activities, projects and games for youth ages 3-16
Experience instructing youth on primitive technologies and wilderness survival/naturalist skills
Passionate about learning new material and practicing skills outside of work
Past experiences working with people of diverse educational and cultural backgrounds
Experience with Coyote mentoring

Responsibilities

Arrive to work on time and ready for the day ahead
Create and model an emotionally, socially, and physically safe environment in which campers and staff can thrive
Assist the Lead Wilderness Instructor in the development and implementation of dynamic, engaging and thoughtful environmental immersion weekly program experiences in the context of wilderness survival, living skills, outdoor/naturalist skills and knowledge
Contribute to brainstorming, planning and leading the daily and weekly activities and skills
Role-model passion, enthusiasm and comfort around engaging with the elements of nature
Role-model appropriate footwear, clothing, and outdoor gear for the summer camp experience
Facilitate group energy and respond swiftly to group needs to effectively manage and engage each participant in a positive experience
Actively contribute to efforts of evaluating each week and each day of programming
Actively participate in giving, receiving, and implementing constructive feedback among instructor teams
Represent the high caliber of the organization when speaking to parents, staff, and campers
Deliver high-adventure experiences while keeping an unfailing eye on the safety of each activity, each participant, and each staff member in accordance with risk management protocols
Work with ages between 3-16, day camp and potentially overnights too (1-night)
Work at least one week of the Extended Day Program, if needed
Other duties as assigned