Job Quick Guide
Here is a quick reference for our main staff positions and minimum job requirements. We strive to create a staff community with diverse perspectives and life experiences. Candidates of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. For full details, visit our main website at the link below.
Qualifications
General qualifications required for all Positions
Minimum of 19+ (Exception for 18 years olds who have completed our LIT program)
A strong desire to work with children and/or teenagers
Be comfortable and work effectively in an outdoor setting
Walk up to five miles each day
Lift and carry up to fifty (50) pounds
Make decisions in high-stress situations
Function and thrive in a community with very little personal space
Live and work with other people up to twenty-four (24) hours a day
Base Camp Staff
Mentor (24+)
Join a small cohort of experienced naturalists and educators who are dedicated to learning, exploring, and sharing knowledge about the natural world. Live in staff-only housing, lead morning hikes and afternoon activities, plan and facilitate full-day programs, lead Evening Programs and support Counselors.
INTERN (21+)
Serve as part of a close-knit intern team. Opportunities span from gaining behind-the-scenes programming experience to creating new trail systems on our 3,400 acres. Our interns coordinate CampOut, organize staff morale boosters, and learn all the nitty-gritty details of being a professional in the outdoors!
Counselor (19+)
Live and work outdoors with children ages 6-15. Assist on hikes, assist and lead classic camp activities, and participate in a vibrant and fun community that values music, theatre, and adventure. Gain teaching and leadership skills in a challenging and nurturing environment, with a strong network of guidance and support.
Activity Coordinator
Resident or commuter position. Teach one of our core activities such as Pottery, Archery, Theatre, or Crafts each afternoon. If commuting, participate in community events and activities as desired.
Medical Staff
Resident position. Along with a partner, dispense medication, respond to emergencies, and provide care for campers and staff as needed. Participate in community events and activities as desired.
Kitchen Staff
Resident or commuter positions, Manager or Assistant. Provide three meals and three snacks per day for close to 200 people. Work with a team of 4, understand and accommodate special diets. Participate in community events and activities as desired.
For more information about our Support Staff positions listed above, please reach out to
Executive Director, Catherine Schenck.
Expedition Leaders (21+)
Our teen campers are ready to hit the trails outta Base Camp and YOU are leading the way! Plan advanced backpacking adventures, lead climbing excursions, and fill down time out in the backwoods with meaningful personal challenges for the youth in your care. Requires a high level of independence AND teamwork.
We hire teams of 2-3 leaders for all of our programs including Blue Ridge, Leadership in Training, and Base Camp Expeditions (Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, Backpacking).
Please reach out to Adventure Director, Josh Rood, with Expeditions-specific questions!
Blue Ridge (BRX)
Resident position, primitive setting. As a team, lead up to 10 high school campers on backpacking trips, river days, and climbing adventures in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Spend most nights at a camp site about a mile away from GRP Base Camp.
Leadership in Training (LIT)
Resident position at GRP Base Camp. Plan program for several weeks at the start of summer, and implement it for four weeks starting in late June. Lead up to 10 rising high school seniors or college freshmen in leadership training, backpacking, and trail work.
Outdoor Education Instructor (SEE Staff)
Resident position at GRP Base Camp. During the spring and fall, GRP runs school group programs where a class will come to camp for 3-5 days. This program is called our School of Environmental Education (SEE). SEE Staff members can choose to work both SEE and summer camp, extending their contract to 6 months.
SEE MEntor
Field instructors work with a variety of ages and adults, leading mentor hikes, assisting on the climbing wall or pioneer cabin, and supporting students and teachers while on camp.
SEE Support Staff
Support Staff support students and teachers while on camp and introduce them to GRP. Support Staff assist on hikes, lead evening programs, and assist on the climbing wall.