Extended Day Wilderness Instructor

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County•Ithaca, NY

9d•$18 - $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. Primitive Pursuits offers a variety of programs year-round, with our biggest program being our summer camps. The Extended Day Wilderness Instructor will oversee and supervise campers enrolled in the Extended Day Program, which occurs after the conclusion of the regular Day Camp program. The key role of this person is to ensure the safety, supervision, and wellbeing of all campers who remain onsite after the Day Camp program ends. They will work within a small team to create engaging and creative activities for campers ages 5-12 that help spark a deep meaningful connection to the natural world, themselves, and each other. Prior to the start of camp, the Extended Day Wilderness Instructor will be required to attend all of staff training (40-hour work week) to become comfortable and familiar with camp operations, risk management protocols and policies, and more.

Requirements

18 years of age or older
Must pass all required screenings for working at a NYS Summer Camp
Driver’s license and/or able to arrange transportation to various camp locations on time
Attend all of staff training June 22-26, 2026
Commit to working at least 5 weeks of the camp season June 29-September 4, 2026
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 an out-of-school or classroom setting
Able to work in a changing outdoor environment in all weather and tackle new problems each day
Ability to learn and convey skill sets efficiently
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 and teens
Previous experience with primitive technologies and wilderness survival or naturalist/outdoor skills
Uphold the 4 Values of camp: Belonging, Gratitude, Awareness, and Getting Outside, in all interactions with campers, staff, and families within programs and activities
Other duties as assigned

Nice To Haves

Ability to thrive in rigorous outdoor physical education activities
Experience in planning daily activities, projects, and games for youth ages 6-16
Experience instructing youth on primitive technologies and wilderness survival/naturalist skills
Passionate about learning new material and practicing skills outside of work
Experience 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 implement experiential environmental immersion experiences for diverse groups of youth 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 in order to effectively manage and engage each participant in a positive experience
Actively contribute to efforts of the Extended-Day Camp Coordinator in planning, preparing, delivering, and evaluating each week and each day of programming
Actively participated in the process of giving, receiving, and implementing constructive feedback within Instructor teams
Represent the high caliber of the organization when speaking to families, staff, and participants
Deliver high-adventure experiences while keeping an unfailing eye on the safety of each activity and each participant and co-worker in accordance with risk management protocols
Ability to fill in as a Wilderness Instructor during the regular camp day if needed
Work with campers ages 5-12
Other duties as assigned