Head of Adventure Course

The Head of Adventure oversees all the adventure department activities and staff and is also a member of our 30-person leadership team. The Head of Adventure will lead a staff of 6-8 counselors in the supervision and execution of all activities on the course, including the climbing tower, zip line, aerial bridges, and low ropes elements. The adventure team arrives at camp early to undergo a three-day training facilitated by the outside vendor that built and inspected our course.

A typical camp day includes three morning and three afternoon activity periods. Generally, the adventure course is closed for the first period of the morning (to set up) and for the last period of the afternoon (to break down). Every day, different campers and age groups will visit the course. Our goal is not to make campers experts in the activity areas but to expose them to a safe and fun experience that gives them time to do something they love or to try something for the first time. Staff within each activity area must bring essential knowledge, skills, passion, positivity, and creativity.

Outside of the departmental duties as Head of Adventure, this position includes additional responsibilities as a member of the Somerset “Head Staff.” These include and are not limited to: 1) attending the daily morning program meeting before breakfast, 2) inspecting cabins after breakfast to verify cleanliness, 3) providing supervision at evening activities, 4) officiating field games during our all-camp competitions, 5) assisting with planning, setup, execution, and cleanup of special events.

Qualifications

• Training and experience with adventure courses and climbing walls/apparatus.
• Ability to teach skills in at least one of the areas
• The ability to manage staff operating multiple stations.
• Experience in the delivery of Facilitation Skills Training for staff.
• Proper Risk management assessment skills. Experience training staff in Risk Management Assessment.
• Understanding of logging equipment and incident forms.
• Currently possess or able to achieve relevant certifications to manage activity areas.
• Has a proven track record of safe operation of challenge course and trip management.
• Ability to set up demonstration area and program and to teach skills to staff and campers of all ages.
• Ability to supervise staff, make scheduling assignments, and order supplies and equipment.
• Desire and ability to work with children.
• Ability to accept guidance and supervision.
• Good character, integrity, and ability to adapt to camp setting.
• Enthusiasm, sense of humor, patience, and self-control.
• Desire to work and live in a camp community 24 hrs. a day during the summer.

Physical Aspects of the Job

• Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.
• Physical ability to lift and carry 25 pounds.
• Visual and auditory ability to identify and respond to environmental and other hazards of the site and facilities, as well as camper and staff behavior.
• Physical mobility and endurance to perform tasks while standing/walking for long periods (60 minutes or more).

Head Staff Housing

Members of the Somerset Head Staff live in private cabins. While a few building variations exist, a typical cabin includes four private bedrooms (two people per bedroom), a living room, and private bathrooms. Head staff cabins are spacious, temperate, and a great place to relax and socialize after a busy camp day.

This position is also available to a local person willing/able to commute to camp daily.

Compensation

• Base salary for the contract length (May 29th to August 6th, 2025). $500 per week plus room and board.
• A travel allowance is provided based on pre-set travel zones and their distance to Maine.

Why Camp

The summer camp experience is a unique and life-changing journey for children, offering an environment like no other, where lifelong memories are made and personal growth is nurtured. At Somerset, we believe in the remarkable positive impact that summer camp has on young minds, and we wholeheartedly encourage our dedicated summer camp counselors to harness their creative abilities, share their unique interests and talents, and embark on personal challenges that parallel those they set for their campers.

Why Maine

Maine is a special place, especially during the summer. Our days are warm, and our nights are cool, which makes for perfect sleeping weather. Somerset is located in central Maine along beautiful East Pond, with trees and mountains as far as the eye can see. Camp in Maine is the ideal place to absorb your surroundings, disconnect from technology, and enjoy all the fun activities and fantastic people.

Life at Somerset

Every summer, Camp Somerset welcomes more than 500 campers and 200 staff from all over the U.S. and worldwide. Campers are with us for as little as three weeks and up to seven weeks, and they participate in a wide range of activities, including athletics, aquatics, creative arts, performing arts, movement, and adventure. There are amazing trips around Maine, two exciting and spirited camp-wide competitions, unique special events, and memorable evening activities that change daily. In a nutshell, camp is fun!

Somerset prides itself on the diversity of its staff, who come from various corners of the country and the world. Each counselor brings many skills, talents, and cultural backgrounds, enriching our camp community in countless ways. This diversity contributes to a more dynamic and engaging camp experience and underscores the importance of embracing differences and celebrating individuality.

Having opened in 2018, our facilities are brand new and some of the finest in camping, blending modern conveniences with the rusticity of a summer in the woods. Cabins are insulated and have ceiling fans to help them stay nice and cool. Bathrooms are inside the cabins, including two toilets, three sinks, and three private showers. Our food is fantastic, with rotating main meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, an expansive morning breakfast bar, a healthy salad bar at lunch and dinner, dessert nightly, and evening chocolate chip cookies to enjoy in the cabins before lights out.

Job Types: Full-time, Temporary

Pay: From $500.00 per week

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $500